Staying up late to recite the Qur'an for a fee
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Fatwa number ( 5049 )
Q: Staying up late on the nights of Ramadan with some people for a fee to keep the nights of the month of Ramadan alive, is this permissible or not permissible, or is it lawful or forbidden, or is it prohibited, with evidence from the Book and the Sunnah? Since I stay up late with some people every year, and I wanted to refrain from doing so this year until I know the evidence, I ask you to issue a fatwa for me. May Allah reward you with good.
A: Allah the Exalted commanded His worship and encouraged the recitation and study of His Book, and this is more emphasized on the nights of Ramadan. It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:Sahih al-Bukhari 37 And the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), when the last ten nights of Ramadan entered, would keep the night alive and encourage
his family and his Ummah to do so. Whoever does this seeking the pleasure of Allah and hoping for His reward, he has a great reward. As for what some Muslims have become accustomed to, staying up late on the nights of Ramadan in other than their own homes to recite the Qur'an for a fee, it is a religious innovation (bid'ah), whether they intend by that to obtain blessing for these homes and their people, or whether they intend to donate the reward of what they recited to the people of the homes, living and dead. For it is not established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he did it; so it is an invented innovation. And it is established from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:Sahih Muslim 1718a And in a narration: Sahih Muslim 1718b , and on this basis, there is no reward for whoever does it, nor for whoever assists in it. Rather, he bears a sin for innovating and introducing into the religion what is not part of it. And success is from Allah, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon our Prophet Muhammad, his family, and his Companions.
Q: Staying up late on the nights of Ramadan with some people for a fee to keep the nights of the month of Ramadan alive, is this permissible or not permissible, or is it lawful or forbidden, or is it prohibited, with evidence from the Book and the Sunnah? Since I stay up late with some people every year, and I wanted to refrain from doing so this year until I know the evidence, I ask you to issue a fatwa for me. May Allah reward you with good.
A: Allah the Exalted commanded His worship and encouraged the recitation and study of His Book, and this is more emphasized on the nights of Ramadan. It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
Whoever establishes prayers during the nights of Ramadan faithfully out of sincere faith and hoping to attain Allah's rewards (not for showing off), all his past sins will be forgiven.
من قام رمضان إيمانًا واحتسابًا غفر له ما تقدم من ذنبهhis family and his Ummah to do so. Whoever does this seeking the pleasure of Allah and hoping for His reward, he has a great reward. As for what some Muslims have become accustomed to, staying up late on the nights of Ramadan in other than their own homes to recite the Qur'an for a fee, it is a religious innovation (bid'ah), whether they intend by that to obtain blessing for these homes and their people, or whether they intend to donate the reward of what they recited to the people of the homes, living and dead. For it is not established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that he did it; so it is an invented innovation. And it is established from him (peace and blessings be upon him) that he said:
'A'isha reported Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: He who innovates things in our affairs for which there is no valid (reason) (commits sin) and these are to be rejected.
من أحدث في أمرنا هذا ما ليس منه فهو ردHe who did any act for which there is no sanction from our behalf, that is to be rejected.
من عمل عملاً ليس عليه أمرنا فهو رد
Source
www.alifta.gov.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.