Ruling on reciting Qur’an whilst giving a child his bath

It is permissible to recite Qur’an
whilst giving a child his bath, unless you are washing him in a bathroom where
there is a toilet, in which case it is haraam,
whether it is done in a low voice or a loud voice, because the Qur’an is the
word of Allah and it should be respected and honoured.

Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allah have mercy on
him) was asked: What is the ruling on reciting Qur’an in the bathroom?

He replied: It is not permissible to recite
Qur’an in the bathroom, because that is a place for relieving oneself. As for
places for doing wudoo’, there is nothing wrong with
reciting Qur’an there, but in places where one relieves oneself – the toilet –
it is not permissible.

End quote from Majmoo‘ al-Fataawa, 29/31

But if you are giving your baby his bath
in a place where one does not go to relieve oneself, then there is nothing
wrong with reciting Qur’an whilst giving him his bath, even if that is whilst
removing impurities (najaasah), because there is
nothing to indicate that it is not allowed. But it is better not to recite
Qur’an in that situation, because what is required of the one who recites
Qur’an is that he should recite it with deliberation and pondering the meaning,
which is the greater purpose behind reciting Qur’an.

An-Nawawi (may
Allah have mercy on him) said: When a person starts to recite Qur’an, he should
be in a humble frame of mind, focusing on and pondering the meaning. This is
what is required and is the purpose of it; in this way minds are put at rest
and hearts are illuminated. Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of
the meaning):

“(This is) a Book (the Qur’aan) which We have sent down
to you, full of blessings, that they may ponder over its Verses”

[Saad 38:29]

“Do they not then consider the Qur’aan carefully?”

[an-Nisa’ 4:82].

And there are many hadeeths
which speak of that.

End quote from Sharh
al-Muhadhdhab, 2/190

He (may Allah have mercy on him) also
said:

It is not makrooh
to recite Qur’an when walking in the street, so long as one is not distracted

End quote from Sharh
al-Muhadhdhab, 2/189

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allah have
mercy on him) said: The purpose behind reciting Qur’an is, as well as it being
an act of worship, to understand its meanings so that one will be better able
to act upon it. It is for this purpose that this blessed Qur’an was revealed.
Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):

“(This is) a Book (the Qur’aan) which We have sent down to you, full of blessings,
that they may ponder over its Verses, and that men of understanding may
remember”

[Saad 38:29].

As that is the case, the one who reads
or recites Qur’an should focus properly on what he is reading or reciting, and
he should ponder its meanings and not let his heart or physical faculties be
distracted by anything else, such as housework or other activities. As Allah
has commanded the one who hears the Qur’an to listen to it and be silent so
that he can focus and ponder the meanings of what he is hearing, then this
applies even more to the one who reads or recites it.

End quote from Fataawa
Noor ‘ala ad-Darb.

And Allah knows best.