Knowledge & Devotion · Virtues of the Quran

Quranic Recitation Practices and Effects

Test your knowledge of rules and benefits associated with Quranic recitation.

8 questions · Hard · about 4 minutes

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8 questions, about 4 minutes.

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1. What is the ruling on simply listening to Surat al-Mulk before sleeping?

  • Listening is prescribed, but it is not necessarily equal to reciting it. (correct answer)
  • Listening is forbidden because it is not active worship.
  • Listening is always exactly equal to reciting it.
  • Listening replaces all Quran recitation.

Why

Listening to Quran is a prescribed act of worship, and a person may listen to Surat al-Mulk before sleeping. But the specific virtues mentioned in the reports are connected to reciting it, so merely listening is not necessarily equal to reading or reciting it. If a person cannot read, he may repeat after the reciter if able. If even that is too difficult, then it is hoped that Allah will not deprive him of reward for doing what he can.

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2. Does Surat al-Baqarah have to be recited aloud in the home for its benefit?

  • No, reciting it quietly in the home is sufficient. (correct answer)
  • Yes, it must always be recited loudly.
  • Yes, and it must be recited only by a scholar.
  • No, placing a Mushaf in the house is enough without recitation.

Why

Surat al-Baqarah has great virtue, and the Prophet ﷺ said that Shaytan flees from a house in which it is recited. It is not required to recite it loudly; reciting it quietly is sufficient. It also does not have to be completed all at once, and household members may share the recitation, although the best way is for one person to recite it completely in one sitting.

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3. What is one effect of reciting Surat al-Baqarah in the home?

  • Shaytan flees from the house, and it helps protect against and remedy sihr. (correct answer)
  • It guarantees worldly wealth for the household.
  • It replaces the need for prayer.
  • It makes the house physically fragrant.

Why

The Prophet ﷺ told us about the great virtue of Surat al-Baqarah, including that Shaytan flees from a house in which it is recited. The source also says that this is beneficial in protecting against and remedying sihr. Reciting it regularly is a blessing, while forsaking it is a cause of regret.

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4. Can a recording normally replace direct recitation of Surat al-Baqarah by the household?

  • No, it should be read directly by household members, though a recording may be hoped to help if no one can recite. (correct answer)
  • Yes, a recording is always exactly the same as household recitation.
  • Yes, a recording is better than live recitation.
  • It depends only on the recording’s sound quality.

Why

The source says it is not permissible to rely on a broadcast or recording instead of direct recitation; Surat al-Baqarah should be read by the household members themselves. A recording is a past voice and is not the same as someone currently reciting. However, the source mentions an exception: if no one in the house can recite it and no one can come to recite it for them, then using a recording may be hoped to serve the purpose, especially if someone is listening.

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5. Should a person recite al-tashahhud or say salaam after sajdat al-tilawah?

  • No, because there is no proof that the Prophet ﷺ did that. (correct answer)
  • Yes, because every prostration must end with tashahhud.
  • Yes, but only outside prayer.
  • Yes, because sajdat al-tilawah is identical to a full prayer.

Why

Sajdat al-tilawah is an act of worship, so it must be done according to what is prescribed. The source states that one should not recite al-tashahhud or say salaam after sajdat al-tilawah, because there is no proof that the Prophet ﷺ did that. It cannot be compared by analogy to the tashahhud and salaam of prayer.

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6. When is takbeer said for sajdat al-tilawah outside prayer?

  • When going down into prostration only. (correct answer)
  • Only when coming up from prostration.
  • At the beginning and end, with tashahhud and salaam.
  • It is never said.

Why

Outside prayer, the person doing sajdat al-tilawah says takbeer when going down into prostration. He should not say takbeer when coming up, because no report from the Prophet ﷺ indicates that. If sajdat al-tilawah occurs during prayer, however, then he says takbeer both when going down and when coming up, because of the general hadiths describing takbeer in the prayer.

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7. What is the recommended way to complete a khatm of the Quran?

  • Read in sequence from the beginning to the end, and finish one khatm before starting another unless there is a reason. (correct answer)
  • Start many khatms at once for no reason.
  • Read randomly and call every portion a complete khatm.
  • Stop before finishing and begin again from the start each time.

Why

A person is rewarded for reading any part of the Quran, whether as part of a khatm or not. But the better way for a khatm is to read in sequence from the beginning of the Quran to the end, following the order of the Mushaf, and not begin another khatm until finishing the one already started. Starting more than one khatm may be acceptable for a reason, such as one khatm in prayer and another outside prayer, or one for recitation and another for reflection.

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8. What is the usual recommended timeframe for completing the Quran?

  • Every seven days, while not completing it in less than three days as a regular habit. (correct answer)
  • Every single day as a permanent habit.
  • Less than three days for everyone.
  • Only once in a lifetime.

Why

The majority of scholars held that the Quran may be completed every seven days, following the Prophet’s ﷺ advice to ‘Abdullah ibn ‘Amr رضي الله عنه. The Prophet ﷺ also said that the one who reads the Quran in less than three days does not properly understand it. Completing it in less than three days may be done occasionally in special circumstances, such as Ramadan, i‘tikaaf, Makkah, or review, but it should not be a regular habit that leads to neglecting reflection or other duties.

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A note on these answers

These questions are for learning and self-testing. Explanations are drawn from the sources linked on each question and are not a fatwa. For a ruling on your own circumstances, please consult a qualified scholar.

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