Recitation Of The Complete Qur'an In Congregation As A Means of Du'a

By

Ibn Abdillah As-sudaisiy Al-Iloori

When the people bid'ah are corrected and warned against the use of the Qur'an in a way different from what is legislated in the Sunnah, they usually lie against those warning them. They accuse of them of saying they should not recite the Qur'an again. Whereas, that is not true. What  people of sunnah actually warn against is reciting the Qur'an in a way that is unknown to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and his Companions رضي الله عنهم.

A person can pick the Qur'an and recite on his own, he would get rewards for each of the letters he pronounces based on the hadith of 'Abdullah Ibn 'Umar رضي الله عنه. Then, as he recites, he should ponder over its meanings and act upon what is being read. What the people of sunnah frown at is the reading of a whole Qur'an in congregation as a means of du'a because there is no daleel that the best generations of Muslim used to do it. The saying, "eje ka so odidi Qur'ani ka le" (let us read the complete Qur'an at once) as a means of supplication is unknown to the salaf. It has no basis in the Sunnah. 

Some people would even be boasting, saying: we completed 10 complete Qur'an at once. This and that...The big question on this is, what is their evidence for doing so? I spoke with one of my Alfas recently on this matter, and all he was saying is "Baba did it, does it mean Baba didn't know what is bid'ah?" I said: "Baba is not the yardstick for measuring what is Sunnah, whatever he did is subject to the validity test of Sunnah". He said they had trust in Baba. Then, I said: "If you had trust in Baba, then we trust the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and His Companions رضي الله عنهم more". Who deserves more to be trusted in this deen, the salaf or the Babas? Another issue is that they do request that blood of an animal be spit after reciting the complete Qur'an or some parts of the Qur'an. There is no evidence for this. Then, the reading of Dalail ul Khairaat for du'a also does not have any basis in the Qur'an and Sunnah. In addition, the attitude of compelling people to do sadaqah after reciting the complete Qur'an is not evidence based. 

Unless anyone is able to give us evidence that the Companions صلى الله عليه وسلم used to suplicate in that manner, it would remain a bid'ah and a path of misguidance. The fact that it is the Qur'an that is being recited does not remove their action from the fold of bid'ah. Islaam is all about strict adherence to Sunnah. As we cannot observe solah in a way different from the prophetic way, we can't make du'a in a way that contradicts prophetic guidelines. We have no right to use our own sense to fashion out an act of ibaadah for ourselves. Our own is to follow the already laid down rules. 

The major problem of people who engage in bid'ah is that they think anything they do in the name of Islaam is automatically Islaamic. They think a bid'ah can be plaited with some acts of ibaadah and that would make it to become a Sunnah. They think since the bid'ah relates to recitation of the Qur'an, it is a good bid'ah. All these are faulty assumptions.Allaah's aide is sought. 

 The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم taught us how to make du'a based on many hadiths, that is what everyone should stick to. Some of the du'a even contain verses of the Qur'an and some of them were from his words. And we know he doesn't utter from his desire. He speaks based on wahy (inspiration). There is no matter affecting us upon which the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم didn't have a du'a. Perhaps, people who engage in du'a related bid'ah think the prophetic supplications are too small for them, that is why they resort to reading the whole Qur'an. By this, they think Allaah سبحانه وتعالى would be impressed. Let us go and know that Allaah is never impressed by acts of bid'ah, no matter how much. He is interested in quality acts of ibaadah done according to the Sunnah.

It is forbidden for any Muslim to take guideline for any act of ibaadah (including du'a) from other than the sources of of the shari'ah (Qur'an and Sunnah). We should follow the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم and the Companions رضي الله عنهم and not any other individual or group of individuals. Allaah says:

(أَمْ لَهُمْ شُرَكَاءُ شَرَعُوا لَهُمْ مِنَ الدِّينِ مَا لَمْ يَأْذَنْ بِهِ اللَّهُ ۚ وَلَوْلَا كَلِمَةُ الْفَصْلِلَقُضِيَ بَيْنَهُمْ ۗ وَإِنَّ الظَّالِمِينَ لَهُمْ عَذَابٌ أَلِيمٌ)

Or have they other deities who have ordained for them a religion to which Allah has not consented? But if not for the decisive word, it would have been concluded between them. And indeed, the wrongdoers will have a painful punishment. [Surat Ash-Shura, Q42: 21, Sahih International]

On the need for us to follow the Sunnah strictly and abstain from bid'ah, Imam Al Barbahaaree رحمه الله said:

واعلم- رحمك الله - أن الدين إنما جاء من قبل الله -تبارك وتعالى- لم يوضع على عقول الرجال وارائهم وعلمه عند الله وعند رسوله, فلا تتع شيئا بهواك

And know,- may Allaah bless you- that the religion (Islaam) is that which came from the direction of Allaah (may He be glorified and exalted), it is not based on people's sense, and their thoughts, and its knowledge is with Allaah and with His Messenger, therefore, do not follow anything (in the religion) based on your desire. [Sharh us Sunnah, pg 30]

In his explanation of this statement , Sheikh Fawzaan حفظه الله said:

ليس الدين مااستحسنه الرجال أو رأوه, فإن هذا ليس دين الله , هذا دين الناس الذي أحدثوه , أما دين الله -عز وجل- فهو الذي شرعه

Religion is not what men view or thought to be right, that is not the religion of Allaah, that is religion which are newly introduced by people. But the religion of Allaah is that which He has been legislated. [Explanation of Sharh us Sunnah, pg 30]

May Allaah guide us aright.