Excerpts from Imm al-Nawaws Etiquette with the Quran 1

(Translated from the original Arabic Al-Tibyn f db amalat al-Qurn by Musa Furber)
The Etiquette of Completing the Quran
There are several issues concerning completing the recitation of the Quran [khatma]. 1. WHEN TO COMPLETE: The first etiquette concerns its timing. As previously mentioned, it is preferable for someone reciting the Quran on his own to [complete it] during Prayer. Another opinion is that it is preferable for it to occur in the two rakas of the obligatory Morning Prayer and in the two sunna rakas of the Sunset Prayer, but the two rakas of the Morning Prayer are better. In another opinion, it is preferable for the completion [khatma] in the beginning of the day for one round [of recitation], and at the end of the day for the next round. When someone completes the recitation outside of Prayer or a group completes while assembled together, it is recommended it be at the beginning of the day or in the beginning of the night, as we previously mentioned. According to some scholars, though, the beginning of the day is better. 2. FASTING THE DAY OF THE KHATMA: It is recommended to fast the very day of the khatma unless it falls on a day in which it is forbidden to fast according to the Shara. Ibn Ab Dwd related with his rigorously authenticated chain of narrators that ala ibn Muarrif, abb ibn Ab Thbit, and al-Musayyib ibn Rfiall well-known Kfan Successors (God be well pleased with them)would awaken fasting on the mornings in which they would complete the Quran. 3. ATTENDING THE KHATMA: It is emphatically recommended to attend gatherings in which the khatma takes place. It is established in the rigorously authenticated hadiths of Bukhr and Muslim that the Messenger of God ordered women during their menses to go out on Eid to participate in the goodness and the supplications of the Muslims.2 Drim and Ibn Ab Dawd related with their chains of narration that Ibn Abbs would make a person watch over someone finishing the Quran, and when he wanted to finish he would inform Ibn Abbs so he could participate in it.3
1

Adapted with slight modifications from Ab Zakariyy ibn Sharaf al-Nawaw, Etiquette with the Quran, trans. Musa Furber (Chicago: Starlatch Press, 2003), 9296, 150154. 2 Bukhr (324, 351, 971, 974, 98081, 1652), Muslim (890), Ab Dawd (113639), Tirmidh (53940), Nas (3:18081).

Ibn Ab Dawd related with two rigorously authenticated chains of narration that Qatda, the illustrious Successor and companion of Anas , said, When Anas ibn Mlik would complete [the Quran+, he would gather his family and supplicate *to God+. He [also] related with his rigorously authenticated chain of narration that al-akam ibn Utayba, the illustrious Successor, said, Mujhid and Abdata ibn Lubba sent for me and said, We sent for you because we want to finish the Quran, and the supplication when finishing the Quran is answered. In some of the authentic narrations he would say, Indeed, mercy descends when completing the Quran. *And+ he related with his rigorously authenticated chain of narration from Mujhid that he said, They would gather when completing the Quran, saying that the mercy now descends. 4. THE SUPPLICATION: It is emphatically desirable to supplicate immediately after a khatma because of what we have just mentioned in the previous issue. Drim related with his chain of transmitters that umayd al-Araj said, Whoever recites the Quran and then supplicates, four thousand angels say mn! to his supplication.4 One should be persistent in his supplication and ask for important matters. He should [supplicate] much for the well-being of the Muslims, their leadership, and all others who attend to their affairs. Al-kim Ab Abdallh al-Nsbr has related with his chain of narration that when Abdallh ibn al-Mubrak would finish the Quran, he would make a great deal of his supplication for the Muslims and believers, male and female. Others have said similar to this. The one supplicating should choose all-encompassing supplications, such as the following (in the order in which they are recited):5

All praise is for God, Lord of the worlds: a praise reaching His bounties and matching His provision. O God! Bless and give peace to Muammad and the followers of Muammad, just as you blessed Ibrhm and the family of Ibrhm. And bless Muammad and the followers of Muammad, just like you blessed Ibrhm and the followers of Ibrhm; in all of the worlds, indeed You are the praiseworthy and illustrious.

3 4

Drim (3475), see al-Futut al-Rabbniyya (3:243). Drim (3484), see al-Futut al-Rabbniyya (3:246). 5 Not all the supplications found in the original text are included in this document.

O God! Mend our hearts, remove our faults; assign us the best of outcomes; adorn us with Godfearingness; join for us the best of the first and the last; and sustain us with obeying You as long as You make us remain.

O God! Make easy what is easy for us; avert us from difficulty; protect us from the torture of the Hellfire and the torture of the grave, and the trials of life and death, and the trials of the false messiah.

O God! We ask You for guidance, protection, virtue, and affluence.

O God! We entrust You with our religion and bodies, with the finality of our deeds and livesfor our families, our loved ones, and all of the Muslimsand all matters of the next life and this one that You bestowed upon us and upon them.

O God! We ask You for pardon and well-being in religion and in this life and the next. And to unite us together with our loved ones in the abode of Your generosity with Your favour and mercy.

O God! Mend the conditions of the Muslims, reduce the cost of living, and give them safety in their lands. Settle their loans, heal their sick, and give victory to their armies. Bring forth their missing persons, and release their prisoners of war. Heal their breasts, remove rage from their hearts, and unite them. Put belief and wisdom in their hearts and make them firm on the creed of Your Messenger . Inspire them to fulfill Your covenant that You made with them. Give them victory over Your enemies and their enemies, O God of Truth. Make us among them.


O God! Make them enjoin what is right and act according to it, and prohibit what is reprehensible and avoid it, mindful of Your limits, and perpetually in Your obedience, demanding justice, and following counsel.

O God! Safeguard them in their words and deeds, and bless them in all of their states.

All praise is for God, Lord of the worlds: a praise reaching His bounties and matching His provision. O God! Bless and give peace to Muammad and the followers of Muammad, just as you blessed Ibrhm and the family of Ibrhm. And bless Muammad and the followers of Muammad, just like you blessed Ibrhm and the followers of Ibrhm; in all of the worlds, indeed You are the praiseworthy and illustrious.

5. STARTING AGAIN: When he finishes the khatma, it is recommended for him to begin the next [round of recitation] immediately after it. The [righteous among] the early generations recommended this. They justified their position by way of a hadith of Anas that the Messenger of God said, The best of works are al-all and al-rilat. It was asked, What are they? He said, Beginning the Quran and completing it.6

A sounder account is related from Ibn Abbs (God be well pleased with them both), Tirmidh (2949), Drim (3479). Every time one finishes the Qurans recitation, he should immediately begin again. The Quran is the most superior worshipafter the things required of a personbringing the servant close to his Lord Most High. It is related from Imm Amad that he saw in his sleep his Lord a number of times and said, By God, if I see Him another time I will ask Him about what brings His servants closer to Him. So he saw his Lord and said, O Lord! By what thing does the servant draw closer to You? He said, By reciting My speech, O Amad. He said, If he understands the meaning or does not understand, O Lord? He said, Whether he understands the meaning or not. See al-Tj al-Jmi li al-Ul (4:7).