Fatwa ID: 06358

Answered by: Maulana Burhaan Rahman

Question:

What is the ruling of arranging a Quran khatm reading by the musallis for the marhumeen?

In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful

Answer:

It is mentioned in Rad-Al Muhtar

[تَنْبِيهٌ] صَرَّحَ عُلَمَاؤُنَا فِي بَابِ الْحَجِّ عَنْ الْغَيْرِ بِأَنَّ لِلْإِنْسَانِ أَنْ يَجْعَلَ ثَوَابَ عَمَلِهِ لِغَيْرِهِ صَلَاةً أَوْ صَوْمًا أَوْ صَدَقَةً أَوْ غَيْرَهَا كَذَا فِي الْهِدَايَةِ، بَلْ فِي زَكَاةِ التَّتَارْخَانِيَّة عَنْ الْمُحِيطِ: الْأَفْضَلُ لِمَنْ يَتَصَدَّقُ نَفْلًا أَنْ يَنْوِيَ لِجَمِيعِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَالْمُؤْمِنَاتِ لِأَنَّهَا تَصِلُ إلَيْهِمْ وَلَا يَنْقُصُ مِنْ أَجْرِهِ شَيْءٌ اهـ هُوَ مَذْهَبُ أَهْلِ السُّنَّةِ وَالْجَمَاعَةِ، لَكِنْ اسْتَثْنَى مَالِكٌ وَالشَّافِعِيُّ الْعِبَادَاتِ الْبَدَنِيَّةَ الْمَحْضَةَ كَالصَّلَاةِ وَالتِّلَاوَةِ فَلَا يَصِلُ ثَوَابُهَا إلَى الْمَيِّتِ عِنْدَهُمَا

In a nutshell, it says (and the answer is found here):

A Muslim is allowed to recite the Quran and give the reward of the recital to a deceased individual (the same goes for fasting, charity or any other forms of worship). But the best thing is to give Sadaqah (charity) for the Muslim brothers and sisters as this reaches them indefinitely and no reward is reduced from the charity giver…but according to Imam Shafi and Malik, physical worship (prayer and recitation), the rewards do not reach the deceased. [Rad Al-Muhtar vol 3 page 153]

So although it’s established that prayer, recitation etc. can be done for the deceased and Allah knows best, our beloved Prophet, (SAW) set the ideal example for us to follow in his life. Many of the Prophet’s family members, spouses, daughters, uncles, and renowned friends died. Despite his strong affection for them, the Prophet did not remember (on any single date) the novel practice of calling people to recite the Qur’an at varying intervals to reward the deceased.

Allah SWT knows the intentions of the Muslims. If one wants to recite for the deceased say this before reciting:

اللهم إن كنت قبلت قراءتي هذه فاجعل ثوابها لفلان

“Oh Allah, if you accept this recitation from me, give the reward to such and such”.

Only Allah knows best.

Written by Maulana Burhaan Rahman

Checked and approved by Mufti Mohammed Tosir Miah

Darul Ifta Birmingham