A supplication is answered at every completion of the Qur'an; what is the detail in this statement?

The questioner : Regarding ... O Shaykh, "A supplication is answered at every completion of the Qur'an."

The Shaykh : What is the matter with it?

The questioner : ... Hadith: "A supplication is answered at every completion of the Qur'an." This was Anas who would gather his family - may Allah be pleased with him - and supplicate at every completion. So we hope for the detail in this?

The Shaykh : Nothing comes to my mind now by way of detail other than that what you mentioned regarding Anas ibn Malik is established. It was narrated by Imam al-Darimi at the end of his book known as "Musnad al-Darimi," and the correct title is "Sunan al-Darimi." It is sufficient for the one who is in doubt to hold fast to this report from this noble Companion, who, as we mentioned in some gatherings, served the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) for ten years. It is sufficient that this Companion be a model for him in supplicating at the completion of the Qur'an, and in gathering his family and relatives for it. If the mentioned hadith is authentic or good, that is light upon light. I personally, as I said, do not recall my opinion on this marfu' hadith now, unlike what I mentioned regarding Anas, which is established from him. That is sufficient for him to be a model for whoever completes the Qur'an.

The questioner : ... The routes, O Shaykh ... The hadith can be: Sulayman ibn Harb narrated to us, Salih narrated to us, from Thabit al-Bunani, who said: "When Anas ibn Malik was about to complete the Qur'an at night, he would leave a portion of it until morning, then gather his family and complete it with them."
The questioner: And also the hadith: Muhammad ibn Sa'id narrated to us, Abd al-Salam narrated to us, from Yazid ibn Abd al-Rahman, from Talhah and Abd al-Rahman ibn al-Aswad, who said: "Whoever reads the Qur'an at night or during the day, the angels will pray for him until night," and the other said: "Forgiveness will be granted to him." And Amr ibn Hammad narrated to us.

The Shaykh : What is the relation of this to the topic?

The questioner : ... Regarding the supplication for the completion of the Qur'an mentioned in "Sunan al-Darimi" in one volume.

The Shaykh : No problem, but this has no relation to the ...

The questioner : The completion of the Qur'an, yes. Muhammad ibn Khumays narrated to us, Harun narrated to us, from Anbasa, from Layth, from Talhah ibn Mursaf, from al-Mus'ab ibn Sa'd, from Sa'd, who said: "If the completion of the Qur'an coincides with the beginning of the night, the angels will pray for him until morning, and if its completion coincides with the end of the night, the angels will pray for him until evening. And perhaps something would remain for one of us, so he would delay it until evening or morning." Abu Muhammad said: This is hasan from Sa'd.
The questioner: And al-Mughirah narrated to us, al-Awza'i narrated to us, from 'Abdah, who said: "If a man completes the Qur'an during the day, the angels will pray for him."
The questioner: Sa'id ibn al-Rabi' narrated to us, Shu'bah narrated to us, from al-Hakam, from Mujahid, who said: He sent for me and said: "We only called you because we wanted to complete the Qur'an, and it reached us that supplication is answered at the completion of the Qur'an." He said: So they made supplications.

The Shaykh : Yes, what is the intention behind it?

The questioner : He said: It reached us that supplication is answered at the completion of the Qur'an.

The Shaykh: All right.

Another questioner : And he is asking about the authenticity of these routes.

The Shaykh : It is not possible to judge them with such speed. One must refer to the books of men (narrators). Therefore, one should not rush to issue judgments, as one of the narrators may be spoken about (criticized), and it is not recalled what truth the critic reached. The important thing is that the original topic is established from Anas specifically. As for the fact that supplication is answered at the completion of the Qur'an being marfu' to the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), I may have traced it previously, but I do not recall the judgment I had reached now.
Yes.

The questioner : To complete this issue; did anything come regarding memorizing the Qur'an on the occasion of a celebration or holding a feast?

The Shaykh : Did anything come regarding what?

The questioner : Regarding holding a feast for memorizing the Qur'an?

The Shaykh : No, nothing came of that. And what they do today is mostly to be classified among innovations due to their adherence to it, and because it is not from the purely ordinary matters, but is closer to being an act of worship. And every act of worship - as was narrated from Hudhayfah ibn al-Yaman - may Allah be pleased with him - : "Every act of worship that the Companions of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) did not worship with, do not worship with it." And the reports in this meaning are many and very many. Among the most authentic of them is what Abdullah ibn Mas'ud - may Allah be pleased with him - said: "Moderation in the Sunnah is better than striving in an innovation." In addition to this, it is added to this celebration for the completion of the Qur'an that it becomes a cause for normalizing the one being celebrated or them, normalizing them to love showing off. And it was said long ago: "Love of showing off cuts off showing off." And it accustoms people not to stand for an act of worship, such as memorizing the Qur'an, for the sake of Allah - Mighty and Majestic - but for fame and good reputation. And this is undoubtedly a nullifier of righteous deeds, as is established in the Book and the Sunnah: that a righteous deed, among its conditions, is that it be sincere for Allah - Blessed and Exalted is He - . The righteous deed is what conforms to the Sunnah, and associating partners with Allah in this deed is seeking therein other than the Face of Allah - Blessed and Exalted is He -. In these celebrations, the two misfortunes gather: First: that this celebration is not in accordance with the Sunnah. Second: it is not - mostly, and Allah knows best - sincere for the Face of Allah - Blessed and Exalted is He -. This is what can be said.

The questioner : On the occasion of feasts, it was mentioned in some books that it was known among them, and he listed about ten feasts, mentioning among them moving into a new house, the wedding feast, the guest feast, and the feast for memorizing the Qur'an from these feasts; do you recall anything in this statement?

The Shaykh : As for the wedding feast, it is a settled matter , and . As for the new house, I do not know anything in the Sunnah at all that one who moves into a new house celebrates it. So let those who claim such claims free themselves from them with two things:
The first thing: that you say with your state or with your tongue .
And the other thing: that you do not follow merely these statements without attribution to a reliable source from the books of the Sunnah or from the known books of jurisprudence of the scholars of jurisprudence and scholars of the schools of thought from the first imams, and not from the later followers; because the followers are not among the independent reasoners. They may say things with their own independent reasoning while they have disclaimed themselves from being independent reasoners. So what they reason about and bring forth statements that their imams did not say is not accepted from them, especially in matters that are supposed to have occurred in the first centuries, as it is not a new occurrence like some of the things that happen today, such as celebrating - for example - moving into a new house; this is a recurring matter, and especially in that time when it was predominant for many people to travel in search of grass and move from house to house, so where was such a celebration? And the celebration in building houses, which we have been afflicted with in the last of time, is a double affliction: first, that we build more than we need, and then we add to that a new innovation we have heard of; which is celebrating this building.
I believe that the Muslims in this time, if they are saved from the responsibility of being held accountable for raising buildings, that is a mercy from Allah for His servants; because this may be included, at least, in what is disliked, as came in some hadiths - and there was disagreement regarding its elevation and its ruling - : "That the Muslim is rewarded in everything except what he spends in dust and building." And that raising buildings is one of the signs of the Hour is known to you all. So the most amazing of wonders is that this phenomenon, the least that can be said about it is that it is not approved by the Shari'ah, is added to: celebrating this new house.
The conclusion: We are certain that there is no basis for the celebration in this specific matter in the Sunnah.

The questioner : There are celebrations held annually for the memorizers of the Book of Allah and in the mosques, and they may be for a specific group, who allocate every year for this occasion; does this not fall into the category of innovation?

The Shaykh : If it becomes a profession and is done to draw near to Allah, then it is so.

The questioner : Yes, it is every year. The intention behind their actions is not for the sake of drawing near to Allah; rather, they want to publicize this group and this work to the people so that—as they say—they encourage them to make donations and spend, and show them the extent of the development of this charitable work.

The Shaykh : Here, we say, there are two conditions:
First: what I mentioned earlier, the lack of commitment that gives the impression that this is a regular practice.
And the second condition: when I said their intention is such, I say: , and this is known only by our Lord (Blessed and Exalted is He), otherwise, this display of these celebrations and exaggeration in them does not make one feel assured that the intention is only what I mentioned earlier.

The questioner : ... the issue the brothers mentioned, the issue of charitable groups... meaning they hold memorization circles, and at the end of every year they hold an award ceremony for the students who have completed the Qur'an to encourage them.

The Shaykh : It is well known, Professor. Is this a custom or an act of worship? If it is an act of worship, there is no doubt that it is among the newly invented matters, and all good is in following the predecessors, and all evil is in following the successors. And if it is a custom that is not intended to draw near to Allah (Blessed and Exalted is He), then it is required that this custom not be adhered to permanently and forever; because this adherence suggests to all people that it is a prescribed matter, whereas it is not a prescribed matter. So whether we say it is a custom or an act of worship, the result is that it should not be adhered to. If one does it occasionally for the sake of da'wah—for example—I see no objection in that. But if it becomes obligatory and a fixed custom, then this is undoubtedly something that our righteous predecessors used to disapprove of, even in matters less than this. Perhaps you know that Abu Dawud in his Sunan narrated that Ibn 'Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) entered a mosque and heard a man who had stayed in the mosque say: "Prayer, prayer." So he said to his companion: "Let us go out of this mosque; for there is an innovation in it." He left the mosque merely because he heard this word, intending to pray in another mosque. Why? Because it is not known that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) or his Companions after his passing used to say in the mosque—even with the intention of reminding people: "Prayer, prayer." So what do we say when we see some people making this a custom after every adhan? And this was very common among us in Syria: "Prayer, O worshippers, prayer." This is undoubtedly more severe and deeper in innovation, merely for that...