When is Quran Recitation Permissible? Understanding Bid’ah and Collective Practices

Guidelines on Quran Recitation: Permissible Times, Impermissible Practices, and Innovations

Question: When is Quran recitation permissible, when is it impermissible, and when could it be considered an innovation (bid’ah)? If there is a list, that would be very helpful.

Answer: Reciting the Quran brings great reward and can be done at any time, but it should be done individually. The practice of collective Quran recitation(Quran Khawani), common in some communities, is not permissible because there is no evidence to support it. Hence, it is considered a bid’ah, meaning impermissible and innovation are essentially the same in this context. There is no specific list of prohibited Quran recitations that I can provide, except to say that collective Quran recitations in homes, practiced by innovators, are part of this category. In brief, collective Quran recitation(Quran Khawani), whether for the forgiveness of the deceased or other purposes such as vows, is a bid’ah and impermissible.

Respondent: Sheikh Maqbool Ahmed Salafi Hafizahullah 

Jeddah Dawah Center, Saudi Arabia  

Interpreter: Hasan Fuzail