Source: Monthly Al-Sunnah, Jhelum
Some people consider completing the Quran on the 27th night of Ramadan to be a recommended practice (mustahabb). What is its Islamic ruling?
Answer:
The recommendation of any act in Islam must be established through authentic evidence. Specifying the completion of the Quran on the 27th night of Ramadan has no basis in Shariah.
Some books mention:
"Some jurists consider the completion of the Quran on the 27th night to be recommended, hoping to attain Laylat al-Qadr."
[Al-Mabsut by Al-Sarakhsi, 2/146; Fath al-Qadir by Ibn al-Humam, 1/469; Radd al-Muhtar by Ibn Abidin, 2/46; Fatawa Alamgiri, 1/118]
However, there is no authentic evidence for this practice. Associating the completion of the Quran with a specific night (such as the 27th) in the hope of attaining Laylat al-Qadr is baseless. The Prophet ﷺ instructed seeking Laylat al-Qadr in the last five odd nights (21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th, and 29th), not just on the 27th night.
Thus, engaging in special worship on the 27th night due to this belief is an innovation (bid‘ah), as there is no evidence from the early generations (salaf) supporting it.
Imam Abu Shamah (رحمه الله) [599-665 AH] states:
"It is not permissible to specify acts of worship for certain times unless Shariah itself has specified them. All good deeds should remain general across all times, except when Shariah gives preference to a specific time for a particular act of worship."
[Al-Ba‘ith ‘ala Inkar al-Bida‘ wa al-Hawadith, p. 165]
Question:
Some people consider completing the Quran on the 27th night of Ramadan to be a recommended practice (mustahabb). What is its Islamic ruling?
Answer:
The recommendation of any act in Islam must be established through authentic evidence. Specifying the completion of the Quran on the 27th night of Ramadan has no basis in Shariah.
Some books mention:
"Some jurists consider the completion of the Quran on the 27th night to be recommended, hoping to attain Laylat al-Qadr."
[Al-Mabsut by Al-Sarakhsi, 2/146; Fath al-Qadir by Ibn al-Humam, 1/469; Radd al-Muhtar by Ibn Abidin, 2/46; Fatawa Alamgiri, 1/118]
However, there is no authentic evidence for this practice. Associating the completion of the Quran with a specific night (such as the 27th) in the hope of attaining Laylat al-Qadr is baseless. The Prophet ﷺ instructed seeking Laylat al-Qadr in the last five odd nights (21st, 23rd, 25th, 27th, and 29th), not just on the 27th night.
Thus, engaging in special worship on the 27th night due to this belief is an innovation (bid‘ah), as there is no evidence from the early generations (salaf) supporting it.
Scholarly View on This Innovation
Imam Abu Shamah (رحمه الله) [599-665 AH] states:
"It is not permissible to specify acts of worship for certain times unless Shariah itself has specified them. All good deeds should remain general across all times, except when Shariah gives preference to a specific time for a particular act of worship."
[Al-Ba‘ith ‘ala Inkar al-Bida‘ wa al-Hawadith, p. 165]
