❀ The Qur'an Is the Best Alternative ❀
This content is derived from the book “500 Questions and Answers for Women,” based on the fatwas of the Scholars of the Ḥaramayn, translated by Ḥāfiẓ ʿAbdullāh Salīm.
Respected Scholar, what advice would you offer to those who, without any valid Sharʿī excuse, do not even touch the Noble Qur'an for months—while regularly reading unbeneficial newspapers and magazines?
It is prescribed (sunnah) for believing men and women to recite the Noble Qur’an frequently with contemplation and reflection, whether by heart or by looking into the Mushaf. In any case, recitation should not be neglected.
Allah the Exalted says:
﴿ كِتَابٌ أَنْزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَارَكٌ لِيَدَّبَّرُوا آيَاتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ ﴾
[Ṣād 38:29]
“This is a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], so that they may ponder over its verses and that those of understanding may be reminded.”
Allah also says:
﴿ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَتْلُونَ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَأَنْفَقُوا مِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ سِرًّا وَعَلَانِيَةً يَرْجُونَ تِجَارَةً لَنْ تَبُورَ ﴾
﴿ لِيُوَفِّيَهُمْ أُجُورَهُمْ وَيَزِيدَهُم مِّن فَضْلِهِ ﴾
[Fāṭir 35:29–30]
“Indeed, those who recite the Book of Allah and establish prayer and spend from what We have provided them, secretly and publicly, can hope for a profit that will never perish—that He may give them in full their rewards and increase them from His bounty. Verily, He is Forgiving and Appreciative.”
These verses include both recitation and acting upon the Qur’an. Sincere recitation, with reflection and contemplation, is a means of following the Divine Path and attaining immense reward.
➤ “Recite the Qur’an, for it will come as an intercessor for its companions on the Day of Judgment.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim]
➤ “The best among you is the one who learns the Qur’an and teaches it.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī]
➤ “Whoever recites a single letter from the Book of Allah will have one good deed, and the good deed will be multiplied tenfold. I do not say that ‘Alif-Lām-Mīm’ is one letter, but Alif is a letter, Lām is a letter, and Mīm is a letter.”
[Jāmiʿ at-Tirmidhī]
The Prophet ﷺ advised ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ رضي الله عنهما:
➤ “Recite the Qur’an once every month.”
He said: “I am able to do more than that.”
➤ He ﷺ said: “Then recite it in seven days.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī]
The Companions used to complete the entire Qur’an within seven days.
I advise all who recite the Qur’an to do so frequently with sincerity, reflection, and understanding—seeking knowledge and benefit. They should complete the Qur’an monthly, and if able, even in a shorter period. Completing it in less than three days, however, is discouraged, as it may lead to haste and lack of contemplation, which is why the Prophet ﷺ advised against it.
✦ It is not permissible to recite the Qur’an from the Mushaf without being in a state of purity (ṭahārah).
✦ However, one may recite from memory without wuḍūʾ.
✦ A person in a state of major impurity (janābah) must refrain from all recitation, until they perform ghusl.
As narrated from ʿAlī رضي الله عنه:
«كان النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم، لا يحجزه شيء عن القرآن سوى الجنابة»
“Nothing prevented the Prophet ﷺ from reciting the Qur’an except being in a state of janābah.”
[Musnad Aḥmad, Abū Dāwūd]
This content is derived from the book “500 Questions and Answers for Women,” based on the fatwas of the Scholars of the Ḥaramayn, translated by Ḥāfiẓ ʿAbdullāh Salīm.
❖ Question:
Respected Scholar, what advice would you offer to those who, without any valid Sharʿī excuse, do not even touch the Noble Qur'an for months—while regularly reading unbeneficial newspapers and magazines?
❖ Answer:
It is prescribed (sunnah) for believing men and women to recite the Noble Qur’an frequently with contemplation and reflection, whether by heart or by looking into the Mushaf. In any case, recitation should not be neglected.
Allah the Exalted says:
﴿ كِتَابٌ أَنْزَلْنَاهُ إِلَيْكَ مُبَارَكٌ لِيَدَّبَّرُوا آيَاتِهِ وَلِيَتَذَكَّرَ أُولُو الْأَلْبَابِ ﴾
[Ṣād 38:29]
“This is a blessed Book which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], so that they may ponder over its verses and that those of understanding may be reminded.”
Allah also says:
﴿ إِنَّ الَّذِينَ يَتْلُونَ كِتَابَ اللَّهِ وَأَقَامُوا الصَّلَاةَ وَأَنْفَقُوا مِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ سِرًّا وَعَلَانِيَةً يَرْجُونَ تِجَارَةً لَنْ تَبُورَ ﴾
﴿ لِيُوَفِّيَهُمْ أُجُورَهُمْ وَيَزِيدَهُم مِّن فَضْلِهِ ﴾
[Fāṭir 35:29–30]
“Indeed, those who recite the Book of Allah and establish prayer and spend from what We have provided them, secretly and publicly, can hope for a profit that will never perish—that He may give them in full their rewards and increase them from His bounty. Verily, He is Forgiving and Appreciative.”
These verses include both recitation and acting upon the Qur’an. Sincere recitation, with reflection and contemplation, is a means of following the Divine Path and attaining immense reward.
✿ Sayings of the Prophet ﷺ on Reciting the Qur’an:
➤ “Recite the Qur’an, for it will come as an intercessor for its companions on the Day of Judgment.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ Muslim]
➤ “The best among you is the one who learns the Qur’an and teaches it.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī]
➤ “Whoever recites a single letter from the Book of Allah will have one good deed, and the good deed will be multiplied tenfold. I do not say that ‘Alif-Lām-Mīm’ is one letter, but Alif is a letter, Lām is a letter, and Mīm is a letter.”
[Jāmiʿ at-Tirmidhī]
❖ Frequency of Recitation:
The Prophet ﷺ advised ʿAbdullāh ibn ʿAmr ibn al-ʿĀṣ رضي الله عنهما:
➤ “Recite the Qur’an once every month.”
He said: “I am able to do more than that.”
➤ He ﷺ said: “Then recite it in seven days.”
[Ṣaḥīḥ al-Bukhārī]
The Companions used to complete the entire Qur’an within seven days.
❖ A Personal Will to All Qur’an Reciters:
I advise all who recite the Qur’an to do so frequently with sincerity, reflection, and understanding—seeking knowledge and benefit. They should complete the Qur’an monthly, and if able, even in a shorter period. Completing it in less than three days, however, is discouraged, as it may lead to haste and lack of contemplation, which is why the Prophet ﷺ advised against it.
❖ Purity While Reciting:
✦ It is not permissible to recite the Qur’an from the Mushaf without being in a state of purity (ṭahārah).
✦ However, one may recite from memory without wuḍūʾ.
✦ A person in a state of major impurity (janābah) must refrain from all recitation, until they perform ghusl.
As narrated from ʿAlī رضي الله عنه:
«كان النبى صلى الله عليه وسلم، لا يحجزه شيء عن القرآن سوى الجنابة»
“Nothing prevented the Prophet ﷺ from reciting the Qur’an except being in a state of janābah.”
[Musnad Aḥmad, Abū Dāwūd]
