Completing the Qur’an in One Night: Prophetic Practice and Scholarly Guidance

Source Attribution

This excerpt is taken from the book Aḥkām wa Masā’il in the Light of the Qur’an and Sunnah by Shaykh Mubashir Ahmad Rabbani.

❖ Question:​

Is it Islamically correct to complete the Qur’an during night prayer (Qiyām) in a single night? What was the practice of the Noble Prophet ﷺ in this regard? Please explain in the light of authentic aḥādīth.

✿ Answer:​

From the authentic aḥādīth of the Noble Prophet ﷺ, it becomes clear that he never completed the Noble Qur’an in a single night. Rather, his recitation varied according to circumstances: sometimes he would recite more, and at other times less.

Consider the following authentic narrations:

① Ḥadīth of Ḥudhayfah ibn al-Yamān رضي الله عنه​

Ḥudhayfah ibn al-Yamān رضي الله عنه narrated:

“I prayed one night with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. He began Sūrah al-Baqarah. I thought he would bow after one hundred verses, but he continued reciting. Then I thought he would complete the sūrah in one rakʿah, but he continued. When he completed Sūrah al-Baqarah, I thought he would bow, but he then began Sūrah al-Nisā’ and recited it, then began Sūrah Āl ʿImrān and recited it. He recited slowly and deliberately. Whenever he passed by a verse of glorification, he glorified Allah; when he passed by a verse of supplication, he supplicated; and when he passed by a verse seeking refuge, he sought refuge. Then he bowed.”

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb Ṣalāt al-Musāfirīn, Bāb Istihbāb Taṭwīl al-Qirā’ah fī Ṣalāt al-Layl: 772

② Ḥadīth of ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه​

ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه said:

“I prayed with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and he prolonged the recitation so much that I intended to do something improper.”
He was asked, “What did you intend?”
He replied, “I intended to sit down and leave the Prophet ﷺ.”

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb Ṣalāt al-Musāfirīn, Bāb Istihbāb Taṭwīl al-Qirā’ah fī Ṣalāt al-Layl: 773

③ Statement of Sayyidah ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها​

Sayyidah ʿĀ’ishah رضي الله عنها said:

“I do not know that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ ever recited the entire Qur’an in a single night.”

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim, Kitāb Ṣalāt al-Musāfirīn, Bāb Jamʿ Ṣalāt al-Layl wa Man Nāma ʿAnhu aw Mariḍa: 746

④ Ḥadīth of ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr رضي الله عنه​

ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr رضي الله عنه reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said to him:

“Recite the Qur’an in one month.”
He said, “I have the strength to recite it in less time.”
The Prophet ﷺ continued reducing the time until he said:
“Recite it in seven days, and do not do more than that.”

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī, Kitāb Faḍā’il al-Qur’ān, Bāb fī Kam Yuqra’u al-Qur’ān: 5052

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim: 1159

In another narration, the Prophet ﷺ further said:

“Whoever recites the Qur’an in less than three days has not understood it.”

Reference: Sunan Abī Dāwūd, Kitāb Shahr Ramaḍān, Bāb Taḥzīb al-Qur’ān: 1391

⑤ Practice of the Prophet ﷺ and the Companions​

It is reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ himself did not complete the Qur’an in less than seven days, as mentioned in the narration:

“The Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not recite the Qur’an in less than seven days.”

Reference: Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī with Fatḥ al-Bārī; Ṣifat Ṣalāt al-Nabī by Shaykh al-Albānī, p. 120

In Sunan Saʿīd ibn Manṣūr, with an authentic chain, ʿAbdullāh ibn Masʿūd رضي الله عنه said:

“Recite the Qur’an in seven days, and do not recite it in less than three.”

Reference: Fatḥ al-Bārī: 9/97

Conclusion​

From the authentic narrations mentioned above, it is clear that:

◈ The Messenger of Allah ﷺ did not complete the Qur’an in a single night.
◈ He did not complete the Qur’an in less than seven days.
◈ He explicitly stated that whoever recites the Qur’an in less than three days does not understand it.

Therefore, the preferred and strongest opinion is that the Qur’an should not be completed in less than three days. This view has been adopted by Imām Aḥmad, Imām Abū ʿUbayd, Imām Isḥāq ibn Rāhawayh, and others, as mentioned in Fatḥ al-Bārī.

Although reports exist of some from the Salaf completing the Qur’an in less than three days, the practice and command of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ take precedence over all others. It is possible that some of those individuals were unaware of these narrations.

Thus, we should keep before us the example of the Noble Prophet ﷺ, for no one’s practice can be better than his. According to us, the correct and preferred view is that the Qur’an should not be completed in less than three days.