Darulifta Ahlesunnat
(Dawateislami)
Question
What do the noble scholars and jurists of Islamic law say about the following: People take the vow to recite the Qur’an for various things. Such as if this tasked is accomplished, I will recite this many Qur’ans. Is it necessary to fulfill this vow?
بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِیْمِ
اَلْجَوَابُ بِعَوْنِ الْمَلِکِ الْوَھَّابِ اَللّٰھُمَّ ھِدَایَۃَ الْحَقِّ وَالصَّوَابِ
If one takes a vow to recite the Qur’an, it is not obligatory to be fulfilled. However, it is better to fulfill it.
According to Shari’ah, for it to become Wajib to fulfill a vow, there are a few conditions. (1) There must be a Wajib from the category of the act for which the vow was taken. (2) That act should be Maqsood Bi-Zat (intended itself), and not a means for another worship. (3) That act itself shouldn’t be Fard ‘فى الحال’ (currently) or ‘فى المال’ (not currently but possibly become), such that when it is offered, it be considered the offering a Fard or Wajib.
The main reason fulfilling the vow to recite the Qur’an isn’t necessary is that there is no ‘Wajib Li ‘Ainihi’ from the category of recitation of the Qur’an. The recitation which is Fard or Wajib in the Salah is a subordinate to the Salah, whereas it is necessary that the Wajib which is from the category be a Wajib individually and not as a subordinate.
Note - Some books mention the reason for the fulfillment of this vow not being Wajib that though the recitation of the Qur’an is an ‘Ibadah (worship), but not an ‘Ibadah Maqsoodah’ (a worship in itself), further, it doesn’t have a Fard or Wajib from its category. Therefore, the fulfillment of the vow to recite the Qur’an won’t become necessary. Objecting to this reasoning, Allamah Shami رحمة تعالى عليه said: ‘This is difficult because the recitation of the Qur’an is ‘Ibadah Maqsoodah’ and there is a Fard from its category, such as the recitation in the Salah.’ Allamah Shami رحمة الله تعالى عليه is correct in claiming that recitation of the Qur’an is ‘Ibadah Maqsoodah’ as well as in claiming that there is a Wajib from this category in Salah. However, the detail is that when it is said that there must be a Wajib from its category, it is meant that the Wajib be ‘اصالة’ (individually). But in Salah, the Wajib of reciting the Quran is Wajib as a ‘تابع’ (subordinate) and not individually. Therefore, because of this, fulfilling the vow to recite the Qur’an isn’t Wajib. The details of this are mentioned ahead with reference to Kifayah Sharah Hidayah.
Fulfilling the vow to recite the Qur’an isn’t necessary. Mentioning this, it is stated in Majma’ al-Anhur:
لم يلزم الناذر ما ليس من جنسه فرض كقراءة القرآن وصلاة الجنازة
(Majma’ al-Anhur Sharah Multaqa al-Abhur, Vol. 2, p. 274, Publ. Beirut)
It is stated in Fatawa Qazi Khan:
ولو قال: علي الطواف بالبيت والسعي بين الصفا والمروة أو علي أن أقرأ القرآن إن فعلت كذا لا يلزمه شيء
(Fatawa Qazi Khan, Vol. 1, p. 544, Publ. Beirut)
It is similarly stated in Nur al-Idah and Maraqi al-Falah:
( لا يلزمه الوضوء بنذره)ولاقراءةالقرآن
(Nur al-Idah Wa Maraqi al-Falah, Book of Fasting, p. 516, Publ. Beirut)
Stating the reasoning, Allamah Quhustani رحمة الله تعالى عليه writes in Jami’ al-Rumooz:
لا یلزم النذر بالوضوء و قراء ۃ القرآن لانھما للصلوۃ لا لعینہ کما فی الکفایۃ
(Jami’ al-Rumooz, Vol. 1, p. 385, Publ. Karachi)
Allamah ‘Ala-Uddin Haskafi عليه الرحمة writes in Al-Durr al-Mukhtar:
ولو نذر التسبیحات دبر الصلوٰۃ لم یلزمہ
(Al-Durr al-Mukhtar Ma’a Radd al-Muhtar, Vol. 5, p. 541, Publ. Dar al-Ma’rifah, Beirut)
Allamah Ibn ‘Abideen Shami رحمة الله تعالى عليه writes in Radd al-Muhtar in the explanation of the text لم یلزمہ:
و کذا لو نذر قراءۃ القرآن وعللہ القھستانی فی باب الاعتکاف بأنھا للصلوٰۃ وفی الخانیۃ : ولو قال علی الطواف بالبیت ۔۔أو علی أن أقرأ القرآن ان فعلت کذا لا یلزمہ شیئ
(Radd al-Muhtar ‘Ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar, Vol. 5, p. 542, Publ. Beirut)
Allamah Shami رحمة الله تعالى عليه further writes:
قلت : وھو مشکل ،فان القراءۃ عبادۃ مقصودۃ و من جنسھا واجب
(Radd al-Muhtar ‘Ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar, Vol. 5, p. 542, Publ. Beirut)
Allamah Shami’s رحمة الله تعالى عليه statement about the recitation of the Qur’an being an ‘Ibadah Maqsoodah, is correct. Similarly, his statement that the recitation during Salah is a Wajib from the category of recitation is also correct. However, it has been mentioned that the recitation in the Salah is Fard and Wajib as a subordinate, and to obligate the fulfillment of a vow, there must be an individual Wajib from its category.
It is stated in Kifayah Sharah al-Hidayah:
الاصل فی صحۃ النذر ان لا یکون المنذور واجبا ولکنہ من جنسہ للہ تعالیٰ واجب قصداً لا تبعا (الی ان قال)و قولنا:قصداً لا تبعا وھذا لانّ ما یکون واجبا تبعا یکون مباحا لعینہ فلم یکن النذر بہ الحاقا بالواجب بل یکون نذرا بالمباح والنذر بالمباح لایصح،فلذا لا یصح النذر بعیادۃ المریض لانہ واجب ولا بالوضوء ولا بقراءۃ القرآن لانھما وجبا للصلاۃ ولیس من جنسھما واجب لعینہٖ
(Al-Kifayah Fi Sharh al-Hidayah, Vol. 2, p. 161, Publ. Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyah, Beirut)
Recitation of the Holy Qur’an is in fact an Ibadah Maqsoodah. Thus, it is stated in Al-Nahr al-Faiq:
لا شک فی صدق قولنا القراءۃ عبادۃ مقصودۃ
(Al-Nahr al-Faiq, Vol. 1, p. 106, Publ. Karachi)
Giving examples of the Ibadah Maqsoodah which are valid without purity, it is stated Hashiyah al-Tahtawi ‘Ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar:
او مقصودۃ تحل بدون الطھارۃ کقراءۃ القرآن للمحدث
(Hashiyah al-Tahtawi ‘Ala al-Durr al-Mukhtar, Vol. 1, p. 606, Publ. Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyah, Beirut)
A’la Hazrat, the Imam of Ahl al-Sunnah, Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رحمة الله عليه:
مس مصحف یا دخول مسجد فی نفسہٖ کوئی عبادت مقصودہ نہیں، بلکہ عبادت مقصودہ تلاوت و نماز ہیں اور یہ ان کے وسیلے۔
Translation: Touching the Qur’an or entering the Masjid isn’t an Ibadah Maqsoodah in itself. Rather the Ibadah Maqsoodah are reciting of the Qur’an and offering Salah. These (touching the Quran and entering the Masjid) are a means for them. (Fatawa Razawiyah, Vol. 3, p. 556, Publ. Raza Foundation, Lahore)
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَرَسُوْلُہ اَعْلَم صَلَّی اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّم
(Allah Almighty knows best and His Messenger صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَاٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم knows best.)
Answered By: Abu Hamzah, Muhammad Hassan Attari
Verified By: Mufti Muhammad Qasim Attari
Ref No: HAB-0344
Date: 20th Shawwal al-Mukarram 1445 AH/ 29th April 2024