عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ رضي اللّه عَنْهُمَا قَالَ: نَهَى رَسُولُ اللّه صَلّى اللّهُ عَلَيْهِ وسَلَّم أنْ يُسَافَرَ بالقرآن إلَى أرْضِ الْعَدُوّ. متفقٌ عليه.
Ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) reported: The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) forbade traveling with the Qur'an to the land of the enemy. Agreed upon (al-Bukhari and Muslim).
الشرح · explanation
مَخافةَ أنْ يَنالَهُ العدُوُّ: والعدُوُّ هم الكُفَّارُ، وحُمِلَ النَّهيُ على خَشيةِ أنْ يَنالَهُ الكُفَّارُ، ولا يُكرِموه، فيَنتَهِكوا حُرْمتَه، وهذا مِن بابِ سَدِّ الذَّرائعِ.
"Out of fear that the enemy might get hold of it": the enemy here are the disbelievers. The prohibition is understood as being out of fear that the disbelievers might seize it and, rather than honor it, violate its sanctity. This falls under the principle of blocking the means to evil.
الدروس · lessons
حرمة السفر بالقرآن إلى بلاد الأعداء إذا خيف أو غلب على الظنّ وقوعه في أيديهم، وذلك لئلا يتمكنوا من القرآن فيهينوه، أما إذا أمن من ذلك فيكره السفر به سدًا للذريعة وأخذًا بالأحوط.
It is forbidden to travel with the Qur'an to the lands of the enemies if there is fear, or it is most likely, that it will fall into their hands, so that they cannot take hold of it and defile it. But if one is secure from that, traveling with it is disliked, as a means of blocking the pretext to evil and taking the more cautious course.