What is the ruling on gathering Qur'anic recitations (khatmah) on specific days, such as reading the Qur'an up to the thirtieth part (juz') and then starting again up to the thirtieth part?
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
The questioner : What is the ruling on gathering Qur'anic recitations (khatmah) on specific days, such as reading the Qur'an up to the thirtieth part (juz') and then starting again up to the thirtieth part, and then reading the thirtieth part on the twenty-seventh night of Ramadan?
The Shaykh : This question is not clear as it should be, but it should be known that the imam who leads people in prayer during the night of Ramadan is not required to read the entire Qur'an as an obligation; rather, he reads what is easy for him. If he is able to read the entire Qur'an, that is good, so that the people hear the entire Qur'an in this month in which the Qur'an was revealed. If he is not able to do so and limits himself to part of the Qur'an, there is no blame on him, due to the generality of the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Muzzammil 73:20] and the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): Sahih Muslim 397a.
The most important thing in this matter is that the one leading people in prayer during the night of Ramadan should be composed (mutma'in) in his prayer, in his bowing, prostration, standing, sitting, and tashahhud, so that the people are able to be composed in this standing prayer. You are amazed at some people, especially in the prayer at the beginning of the night in tarawih, where you are amazed at some people who speed up greatly to the extent that those behind them are unable to perform the obligatory acts, namely the obligatory composure and the obligatory remembrances. This is forbidden for them, because the imam in his leadership is a guardian (wali) who is followed, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):Sahih al-Bukhari 1236 So if he is a guardian who is followed, it is obligatory for him to be mindful of the trust in those whom Allah has placed under his care and made to follow him, and not to speed up in a way that prevents them from doing what is obligatory, such as composure or remembrances.
The scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) have explicitly stated that it is disliked (makruh) for the imam to speed up in a way that prevents the ma'mum (followers) or some of them from doing what is recommended (sunnah). How much more so is it for one who speeds up in a way that prevents the ma'mum or some of them from doing what is obligatory? So let these imams fear Allah and fulfill what is obligatory upon them of considering the ma'mum, such that their prayer conforms to what the Shari'ah requires.
It is not hidden from many students of knowledge that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:Muwatta Malik 8:14 So the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) obligated the imam to consider the people, and made it so that if he prays for himself, he is free to lengthen as much as he wishes. Some people may use this hadith as evidence for this shortening and this speed that prevents the ma'mum or some of them from doing what is obligatory or recommended. However, their use of this hadith as evidence is incorrect, because the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) only said this regarding one who lengthens excessively beyond what is prescribed. As for lengthening that conforms to what is prescribed, it is a prescribed and recommended lengthening.
For this reason, some imams say: Some people tell me, "Do not read Surat al-Sajdah in the first rak'ah and Surat al-Insan in the second rak'ah on the Friday Fajr prayer, as this is too long for us." Some imams complain about some of the people of the mosque regarding this matter. But the truth is that the ones who should be complained about are the people of the mosque, not the imam. If the imam reads these two surahs in the Fajr prayer on Friday, he is not considered to be lengthening excessively; rather, he is considered to be having a long (virtuous) prayer, meaning he has a virtue over the congregation because he came with the sunnah that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prescribed.
Similarly, some people in the Friday prayer, when the imam reads Surat al-Jumu'ah and Surat al-Munafiqun, complain about the imam and say, "He lengthened it for us," even though this is what is established by the sunnah from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and it is not considered excessive lengthening. Rather, it is a lengthening and a virtue from the imam, which he bestows upon himself and those behind him, where he came with the recitation prescribed from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Perhaps we can say that it is recommended for the imam to consider the condition of the people in the days of summer and the cold days of winter. If he sees that if he reads these two surahs on Friday in the days of summer, the people will be afflicted with distress and heat that bothers them and distracts them from their prayer, then in this case he turns to other surahs. And similarly in the cold days of winter, if he sees that some people may need to relieve themselves due to the cold and the long stay in the mosque, then he turns to reading other surahs.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, esteemed Shaykh, and may He magnify your reward for what you have clarified for us and for the noble listeners, our noble brothers. This episode of the program "Light on the Path" has ended for today. We will meet you tomorrow, and we are with you in goodness and well-being by the might and power of Allah. Peace be upon you and His mercy and blessings.
The Shaykh : This question is not clear as it should be, but it should be known that the imam who leads people in prayer during the night of Ramadan is not required to read the entire Qur'an as an obligation; rather, he reads what is easy for him. If he is able to read the entire Qur'an, that is good, so that the people hear the entire Qur'an in this month in which the Qur'an was revealed. If he is not able to do so and limits himself to part of the Qur'an, there is no blame on him, due to the generality of the saying of Allah the Exalted:
so recite what is easy [for you] of the Qur'an
فاقرأوا ما تيسر من القرآنrecite whatever you conveniently can from the Qur'an
اقرأ ما تيسر معك من القرآنThe most important thing in this matter is that the one leading people in prayer during the night of Ramadan should be composed (mutma'in) in his prayer, in his bowing, prostration, standing, sitting, and tashahhud, so that the people are able to be composed in this standing prayer. You are amazed at some people, especially in the prayer at the beginning of the night in tarawih, where you are amazed at some people who speed up greatly to the extent that those behind them are unable to perform the obligatory acts, namely the obligatory composure and the obligatory remembrances. This is forbidden for them, because the imam in his leadership is a guardian (wali) who is followed, based on the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him):
The Imam is to be followed
إنما جعل الإمام ليؤتم بهThe scholars (may Allah have mercy on them) have explicitly stated that it is disliked (makruh) for the imam to speed up in a way that prevents the ma'mum (followers) or some of them from doing what is recommended (sunnah). How much more so is it for one who speeds up in a way that prevents the ma'mum or some of them from doing what is obligatory? So let these imams fear Allah and fulfill what is obligatory upon them of considering the ma'mum, such that their prayer conforms to what the Shari'ah requires.
It is not hidden from many students of knowledge that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:
When you lead people in the prayer, make it short, because there are among them some people who are weak, ill and old. But when you pray on your own, make it as long as you wish.
إذا أم أحدكم بالناس فليخفف وإذا صلى لنفسه فليطول ما شاءFor this reason, some imams say: Some people tell me, "Do not read Surat al-Sajdah in the first rak'ah and Surat al-Insan in the second rak'ah on the Friday Fajr prayer, as this is too long for us." Some imams complain about some of the people of the mosque regarding this matter. But the truth is that the ones who should be complained about are the people of the mosque, not the imam. If the imam reads these two surahs in the Fajr prayer on Friday, he is not considered to be lengthening excessively; rather, he is considered to be having a long (virtuous) prayer, meaning he has a virtue over the congregation because he came with the sunnah that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) prescribed.
Similarly, some people in the Friday prayer, when the imam reads Surat al-Jumu'ah and Surat al-Munafiqun, complain about the imam and say, "He lengthened it for us," even though this is what is established by the sunnah from the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him), and it is not considered excessive lengthening. Rather, it is a lengthening and a virtue from the imam, which he bestows upon himself and those behind him, where he came with the recitation prescribed from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). Perhaps we can say that it is recommended for the imam to consider the condition of the people in the days of summer and the cold days of winter. If he sees that if he reads these two surahs on Friday in the days of summer, the people will be afflicted with distress and heat that bothers them and distracts them from their prayer, then in this case he turns to other surahs. And similarly in the cold days of winter, if he sees that some people may need to relieve themselves due to the cold and the long stay in the mosque, then he turns to reading other surahs.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, esteemed Shaykh, and may He magnify your reward for what you have clarified for us and for the noble listeners, our noble brothers. This episode of the program "Light on the Path" has ended for today. We will meet you tomorrow, and we are with you in goodness and well-being by the might and power of Allah. Peace be upon you and His mercy and blessings.