Does Collective Recitation Equal Khatm Quran Reward?
بِسْمِ اللہِ الرَّحْمٰنِ الرَّحِيْمِ
If Three People Recite Thirty Paras Collectively, Will They Receive the Reward of Khatm al-Qurʾān?
Darulifta Ahlesunnat (Dawateislami)
Question
What do the noble scholars and jurists of Islamic law say about the following: According to the ḥadīth, 10 rewards are granted for every letter of the Qurʾān. I wanted to know, is there any virtue of Khatm al-Qurʾān, i.e., reciting from the first till the thirtieth para. Furthermore, the principle of our Jamiʿah announces that everyone should recite whichever para they wish. This way, reciting a total of thirty paras will count as reciting one entire Qurʾān. Is it valid to do this, or not?
Answer
Great virtues are mentioned in the blessed aḥādīth regarding Khatm al-Qurʾān, i.e., reciting the entire Qurʾān. Thus, it is stated in one ḥadīth that the one who completes the Qurʾān during the day, angels supplicate and recite Istighfār for him until the evening, and the one who completes the Qurʾān at night, angels continue supplicating for him until the day. The virtue mentioned in another ḥadīth is that when one makes supplications after completing the Qurʾān, four thousand angels say آمين to their supplication. According to one ḥadīth, the supplication made at the time of completing the Qurʾān is certainly accepted. These are all virtues of completing the Qurʾān which demonstrate its greatness.
As for whether or not reciting thirty paras in number constitutes the completion of the Qurʾān, the answer is: The completion of the Qurʾān is considered only when the recitation of all thirty paras is completed from beginning to end. Whether only one person recites them or multiple people, in both situations, the completion will be considered when the entire Qurʾān is recited. In contrast, if only a total of thirty paras were recited without observing the completion of the Qurʾān from beginning to end, as described in the question, then reward will be attained for what was recited, but this will not be considered completion of the Qurʾān.
This ḥadīth is narrated in Sunan al-Dārmī:
عن عبدة، قال: إذا ختم الرجل القرآن بنهار، صلت عليه الملائكة حتى يمسي، و إن فرغ منه ليلا، صلت عليه الملائكة حتى يصبح
Translation: It is narrated that ‘Abdah said: When one completes the Qurʾān during the day, the angels seek forgiveness for him until the evening, and if he completes the Qurʾān at night, the angels seek forgiveness for him until the day. (Sunan al-Dārmī, Vol. 04, p. 2184, Ḥadīth No. 3526, Publ. Al-Mamlakah al-ʿArabiyah al-Saʿūdiyah)
The following ḥadīth narrated from Ḥamīd Bin Aʿaraj رحمة اللہ عليه is stated in Sunan Dārmi and Rūh al-Bayān (cited from Rūh al-Bayān):
من قرأ القرآن و ختمه ثم دعا أمن على دعائه اربعة آلاف ملك
Translation: Whoever recites the Qurʾān, completes the recitation, then supplicates, four thousand angels say آمين to his supplication. (Rūh al-Bayān, Vol. 03, p. 66, Publ. Dār al-Fikr, Beirut)
It is stated in Majmaʿ al-Zawāiʾd, Jamʿ al-Jawāmiʿ, and Kanz al-ʿUmmāl (cited from the Majmaʿ al-Zawāiʾd):
عن العرباض بن سارية قال: قال رسول اللہ صلى اللہ عليه وسلم: من صلى صلاة فريضة فله دعوة مستجابة، و من ختم القرآن فله دعوة مستجابة
Translation: It has been narrated that al-ʿIrbād Bin Sāriyah رضي اللہ تعالى عنه states, the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ said: Whoever offers a fard salāh, he can make a supplication which will be answered. And the one who completes the Qurʾān, he can make a supplication which will be answered. (Majmaʿ al-Zawāiʾd, Vol. 07, p. 172, Ḥadīth No. 11712, Publ. Cairo)
Aʿlā Ḥazrat Imām Aḥmad Razā Khān رحمة اللہ تعالى عليه states in Fatāwa Razawiyah:
وارد ہُوا کہ ہر ختم قرآن پر ایک دُعا مقبول ہے۔ بیہقی وخطیب و ابو نعیم و ابن عساکر انس رضی اﷲ تعالٰی عنہ سے راوی، حضور سیّد عالم صلی اللہ تعالٰی علیہ و سلم فرماتے ہیں: ’’مع کل ختمۃ دعوۃ مستجابۃ‘‘۔
Translation: It has been narrated that one supplication is answered on every completion of the Qurʾān. Bayhaqī, Khatīb, Abu-Nuʿaym, and Ibn ʿAsākir have narrated from Anas رضي اللہ تعالى عنه that the Messenger of Allāh ﷺ states: One supplication is answered with every completion. (Fatāwa Razawiyah, Vol. 08, p. 518, Publ. Razā Foundation, Lahore)
Khatm al-Qurʾān will only be counted when all thirty paras are recited from beginning to end. Thus, Muftī Aḥmad Yār Khān Naʿīmī رحمة اللہ عليه states in Mirʿāt al-Manājīḥ:
اگرچہ سارا قرآن شریف ہی کلام الٰہی ہے مگر اس کی سورتوں کی تاثیریں مختلف ہیں ایک بار سورہ یسین کی تلاوت دس ۱۰ قرآن کا ثواب رکھتی ہے یہ اس کی بے مثال خصوصیت ہے۔ خیال رہے کہ دس ۱۰ ختم قرآن کا ثواب ملنا اور ہے اور حقیقتاً دس ۱۰ قرآن کریم ختم کرنا کچھ اور۔ طبیب کہتے ہیں کہ ایک منقی گرم کرکے کھانے میں ایک روٹی کی طاقت ہے مگر پیٹ بھرے گا روٹی ہی کھانے سے، ختم قرآن ہوگا تیسوں پارے پڑھنے سے۔
Translation: Although the entire Qurʾān is the Kalām of Allāh Almighty, but its Surahs possess various effects. Reciting Surah Yāsīn once carries the reward of ten Qurʾān recitations. This is one of its specialties. Keep in mind, earning the reward of ten Khatm al-Qurʾān is different than actually completing ten Qurʾāns. Doctors say that eating one warmed raisin provides the energy of one roti (bread). However, the stomach will only become full by eating one roti. (Similarly) The Khatm al-Qurʾān will happen by reciting the thirty paras. (Mirʿāt al-Manājīḥ, Vol. 03, p. 272, Publ. Naʿīmī Kutub Khānah, Gujrat)
وَاللہُ اَعْلَمُ عَزَّوَجَلَّ وَ رَسُوْلُہ اَعْلَم صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَ سَلَّم
(Allah Almighty knows best and His Messenger صَلَّی اللہُ عَلَیْہِ وَ اٰلِهٖ وَسَلَّم knows best.)
Answered By: Mufti Muhammad Qasim Attari
Ref No: FAM-982
Date: 27th Jumād al-ʾŪlā 1447 AH / 19th November 2025