Please contribute generously in order to ensure the continuity of our website InshaAllah.
Many Muslims during Ramadan read the Quran and upon completion of the Quran they have a du’a called "khatm". This is common for people from the Indian subcontinent. What I want to know is that is this du`a khatm al-Quran" a sunnah from the Prophet? Or is it a bid’ah?
The "khatm" is usually by an imam, where he will recite a few du’as and read onto food which will be eaten and distributed to many people. Please could you answer this because this is also practiced when someone dies and on every Thursday evening? If there is such a hadith on this practice, please could you give me the reference?
Praise be to Allah.
Du’a for completing the Quran in the manner asked about here is a reprehensible innovation (bid’ah), which was not done by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) or by the righteous salaf (may Allah be pleased with them). If it had been something good, they would have done it before us.
Rather what is narrated from the salaf is to make du’a after completing the Quran, without stipulating any specific du’a or any particular way of doing it.
So if the Muslim completes reading the Noble Quran , whether in Ramadan or at other times, it is mustahabb for him to raise his hands and call upon Allah, asking Him for the best in this world and in the Hereafter.
Shaykh Ibn Baz (may Allah have mercy on him) was asked:
Is there a specific du’a for completing the Quran?
He said:
There is no evidence that there is a specific du’a for finishing the Quran as far as I know. Hence it is permissible for a person to make du’a as he wishes and to choose beneficial supplications such as praying to be forgiven, to be granted Paradise and to be saved from Hell, seeking refuge with Allah from fitnah (temptation, tribulation), asking for help to understand the Quran in the manner that Allah is pleased with and to act upon it and memorize it, etc., because it was proven that Anas (may Allah be pleased with him) used to gather his family when he completed the Quran and make du’a.” (Majmu’ Fatawa Ibn Baz, 11/358)
With regard to reciting that over food and distributing it, and doing that when someone dies and on Thursdays, all of that is bid’ah (innovation).
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) has commanded us to adhere to his Sunnah and the way of the Rightly-Guided caliphs, and he has forbidden us to introduce innovations into the religion. He has told us that this is misguidance, and that bid’ahs will be rejected and thrown back at the one who does them, and he will not be rewarded for them.
Abu Dawud (4607) narrated from al-'Irbad ibn Sariyah that the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever among you lives after I am gone will see great differences. I urge you to adhere to my Sunnah and the way of the Rightly-Guided caliphs. Adhere to it and cling firmly to it. And beware of newly-innovated matters, for every newly-innovated matter is a bid’ah, and every bid’ah is a going-astray.” Classed as sahih by al-Albani in Sahih Abi Dawud, 3851.
The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said: “Whoever does any action that is not in accordance with this matter of ours (Islam) will have it rejected.” Narrated by Muslim, 1718.
And Allah knows best.