Question
Asalam Alaykum.
During the month of Ramadan, I was listening to and following the imam (live, over zoom) reciting one chapter everyday in the hope of completing one Quran.
While he was praying, I prayed silently but by moving my lips. However, because he was so fluent, I kept stumbling upon words while reciting and ended up reading the word/words wrong.
Not only that, after reciting the words wrong, I would skip that particular ayat that I was praying (i.e. I didn’t complete the ayat) in order to reach/catch up with the ayat the imam was currently reciting.
My question is, have I committed sins by doing the following and if I have, how do I expiate:
1. Stumbling and reading the words wrong.
2. Not correcting the words that I read wrong.
3. Not completing the recitation of the ayat I was reciting.
Your help will be very much appreciated.
Look forward to hearing from you.
Jazak-Allah
Answer
The Prophet ﷺ said: “One who is proficient in the Qur’an is associated with the noble, upright, recording angels; and he who falters in it, and finds it difficult for him, will have two rewards.” Therefore, reciting, despite not being proficient, is very rewarding.
The actions you have described in your question should be avoided. This is because following a live session would entail making forced mistakes as you try to keep in time with the reciter. One is not at fault for making mistakes in their inability to read proficiently, as this is not within their control. However, in these circumstances, one is placing additional pressure – thus forcing mistakes upon themselves. There is no expiation for this, but you are welcome to donate in sadaqa.
Ideally, one would take classes to increase their proficiency in Quran recitation. Locate a female teacher – either locally or online – who can help you develop your recitation. There is still some time remaining until next Ramadan. Additionally, if you must persist with this method, find a reciter on YouTube and change the playback speed to something you are comfortable with. To count as recitation, one would move their lips and read loud enough that they can hear themselves.
في الصحيح لمسلم: حَدَّثَنَا قُتَيْبَةُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ، وَمُحَمَّدُ بْنُ عُبَيْدٍ الْغُبَرِيُّ، جَمِيعًا عَنْ أَبِي عَوَانَةَ، – قَالَ ابْنُ عُبَيْدٍ حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو عَوَانَةَ، – عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ زُرَارَةَ بْنِ أَوْفَى، عَنْ سَعْدِ بْنِ هِشَامٍ، عَنْ عَائِشَةَ، قَالَتْ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم “ الْمَاهِرُ بِالْقُرْآنِ مَعَ السَّفَرَةِ الْكِرَامِ الْبَرَرَةِ وَالَّذِي يَقْرَأُ الْقُرْآنَ وَيَتَتَعْتَعُ فِيهِ وَهُوَ عَلَيْهِ شَاقٌّ لَهُ أَجْرَانِ ”
البحر الرائق شرح كنز الدقائق ومنحة الخالق وتكملة الطوري» (1/ 356): وَأَكْثَرُ الْمَشَايِخِ عَلَى أَنَّ الصَّحِيحَ أَنَّ الْجَهْرَ أَنْ يُسْمِعَ غَيْرَهُ وَالْمُخَافَتَةَ أَنْ يُسْمِعَ نَفْسَهُ، وَهُوَ قَوْلُ الْهِنْدُوَانِيُّ، وَكَذَا كُلُّ مَا يَتَعَلَّقُ بِالنُّطْقِ كَالتَّسْمِيَةِ عَلَى الذَّبِيحَةِ وَوُجُوبِ السَّجْدَةِ بِالتِّلَاوَةِ وَالْعَتَاقِ وَالطَّلَاقِ وَالِاسْتِثْنَاءِ حَتَّى لَوْ طَلَّقَ وَلَمْ يُسْمِعْ نَفْسَهُ لَا يَقَعُ، وَإِنْ صَحَّحَ الْحُرُوفَ»
حاشية الطحطاوي على مراقي الفلاح شرح نور الإيضاح» (ص219): وقال الهندواني لا تجزئه ما لم تسمع أذناه ومن بقربه بالسماع شرط فيما يتعلق بالنطق باللسان التحريمة والقراءة السرية والتشهد والأذكار والتسمية على الذبيحة ووجوب سجود التلاوة والعتاق والطلاق والاستثناء واليمين والنذر والإسلام والإيمان حتى لو أجرى الطلاق على قلبه وحرك لسانه من غير تلفظ يسمع لا يقع وإن صحح الحروف … فالسماع شرط” تفريع على الأصح الذي في المصنف وعلى قول أكثر المشايخ في تفسير المخافتة والمراد أنه شرط لتحصيل المنطوق به إن كان فرضا أو واجبا أو سنة
Answered by:
Maulana Ikramul Hoque Miah
Checked & Approved by:
Mufti Abdul Rahman Mangera
Mufti Zubair Patel