The Ruling on Group Recitation and the Meaning of Jibril’s Review of the Qur’an

Question:
May Allah reward you. He says: What is your view on reciting the Qur’an in a group, repeating it for the sake of learning? And what is the meaning of the Prophet’s (peace and blessings be upon him) statement: “Jibril used to come to me in the month of Ramadan to review the Qur’an with me”?

Answer:
Yes. Group recitation is not permissible except if it is solely for teaching. The teacher reads the verse, and then the students read it, as he instructs them or trains them in correct recitation, following him.
If this is for the sake of learning, there is nothing wrong with it. However, if it is for the sake of recitation, it is a bid’ah (religious innovation). Group recitation for the purpose of recitation is a bid’ah; each person recites for himself, each person recites the Qur’an for himself, not in a collective voice. As for Jibril’s review of the Qur’an with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), its meaning is that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) would present the Qur’an to Jibril, because Jibril is the one who brought down the revelation and the Qur’an to the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). So the Messenger would present the Qur’an to Jibril. Once every Ramadan, and in the year of his death (peace and blessings be upon him), he presented the Qur’an to Jibril twice in the month of Ramadan. Yes, this is the meaning of “reviewing” (mudarasa); it means presenting, yes.