What is the ruling on using a Qur'aan with pictures?

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

There are severe warnings mentioned in the Ahaadith for drawing pictures of animate objects. Rasulullah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) mentions:

سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏ "إِنَّ أَشَدَّ النَّاسِ عَذَابًا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ الْمُصَوِّرُونَ‏" ‏‏(صحيح البخاري: 5950/ صحيح مسلم: 2109)

Translation: Abdullah (Ibn Masud Radiyallahu Anhu) said that he heard Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) saying, "The people who will receive the severest punishment from Allah on the Day of Qiyamah will be the picture makers.” (Sahih Al-Bukhari: 5950/Sahih Muslim: 2109)

جَاءَ رَجُلٌ إِلَى ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ فَقَالَ إِنِّي رَجُلٌ أُصَوِّرُ هَذِهِ الصُّوَرَ فَأَفْتِنِي فِيهَا ‏.‏ فَقَالَ لَهُ ادْنُ مِنِّي ‏.‏ فَدَنَا مِنْهُ ثُمَّ قَالَ ادْنُ مِنِّي ‏.‏ فَدَنَا حَتَّى وَضَعَ يَدَهُ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ قَالَ أُنَبِّئُكَ بِمَا سَمِعْتُ مِنْ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏"‏ كُلُّ مُصَوِّرٍ فِي النَّارِ يَجْعَلُ لَهُ بِكُلِّ صُورَةٍ صَوَّرَهَا نَفْسًا فَتُعَذِّبُهُ فِي جَهَنَّمَ ‏"‏ ‏.‏ وَقَالَ إِنْ كُنْتَ لاَ بُدَّ فَاعِلاً فَاصْنَعِ الشَّجَرَ وَمَا لاَ نَفْسَ لَهُ  )صحيح مسلم: 5272)

Translation: A person came to Ibn 'Abbas (Radiyallahu Anhu) and said: I am the person who makes pictures; give me a religious verdict about them. Ibn 'Abbas (Radiyallahu Anhu) said to him: Come closer to me. He came near him so much so that he placed his hand upon his head and said: I am going to narrate to you what I heard from the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam). I heard him say: “All the picture makers will be in the fire (of Jahannum). A soul will be breathed into every picture he made and it shall punish him in Jahannum.” Ibn 'Abbas (Radiyallahu Anhu) said: If you insist on making pictures, then make pictures of trees and lifeless things. (Sahih Muslim: 5272)

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، قَالَ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم: ‏مَنْ صَوَّرَ صُورَةً كُلِّفَ يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ أَنْ يَنْفُخَ فِيهَا الرُّوحَ وَلَيْسَ بِنَافِخٍ

) سنن النسائى: 5360(

Translation: Abu Hurairah (Radiyallahu Anhu) narrates that Nabi (Sallallahu Alaihi Wasallam) said: 'Whoever makes an image will be commanded on the Day of Resurrection to breathe life into it but he will not be able to do so."(Sunan An-Nasai: 5360)

In the enquired situation, we advise one to use books that do not contain animate objects.

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.