Dear respected Shaykh, assalamu alaikum wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh. Is it permissible to recite from the Mus’haf when perfoming swalah, regardless of it being fardh (obligatory) or nafil (supererogatory)? حمل المصحف في الصلاة

Praise be to Allah, and may Allah’s peace and blessings be upon the Messenger of Allah, his family and his companions.
Wa alaikum assalam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.
As to what follows:
Scholars are of 3 opinions regarding recitation of Quran from the Mus’haf during swalah:
1st: Permissibility, this is the view of Shafite and Hanbalite schools of thought.
2nd: Undesirability, this is the view of Malikite school of thought and also a narration in the Hanbalite school of thought. It is the same view held by Muhammad and Abu Yusuf (the companions of Abu Hanifa).
3rd: Prohibition and invalidity of swalah due to that, this is the view of Hanafite school of thought and the cause for invalidity is that it requires looking and thinking and this is much work.
What appears to be more correct is the view that says it is permissible especially when there is need.
In response to the view of Abu Hanifa, we say that it is unanimously agreed that looking and thinking do not render swalah invalid, even though it is more appropriate to recite without looking in the Mus’haf.
As for carrying the Mus’haf by the people who are being led, what is apparent to me is that it is makruh (disliked), because of the unnecessary burden of carrying, looking inside and turning pages.
If the need arise like opening for the the Imam and the like then there is no harm in carrying it.
And Allah knows best.

Your brother,
Dr. Khalid al-Muslih
22 / 5 / 1426 AH