Muslims in Christian Spain (Wiegers)

According to Khalīl, then, it is reprehensible (makrūh) for someone to recite the Qur’an in a non-Arabic language (Ar. aʿjamī), [even] if that person is able to do so. Thus, it seems that the Malikite chief qadi of Cairo expresses himself in the same way as his predecessor. He seems to say that it is only permissible, i.e., the second position, for Muslims living in Christian territories to recite the Qur’an in another language in a teaching setting to those who are learning it, and that it is reprehensible if one is able to recite it in Arabic. It is clear that in his answer the Malikite qadi limits himself to the public, ritual practice of reciting a translation of the Qur’an and does not refer to the uses of translations and comments in other settings.

The Hanafite imam, finally, states that: “To explain (tafhīm) the meaning (maʿnā) of the Qur’an in non-Arabic is permitted and it does not fall into the category of makrūh.”