Does Reading the Quran in Ramadan Have Unique Merits?
Answered By Shaykh Dr. Muhammad Fayez Awad
Question
Is it true that reading the Quran in Ramadan has a unique merit compared to other times?
Answer
Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and peace and blessings be upon His noble messenger, his family, and all his companions.
The Distinct Merits of Worship in Ramadan
As scholars have noted, Allah (Most High) has designated special merits for particular times, places, and people. Among the specially honored times is the month of Ramadan, which is distinct from the rest of the year with a multiplication of reward and blessings for the good deeds performed by Muslims during this month.
The Messenger of Allah (Allah bless him and give him peace) said:
“All of a human being’s deeds are multiplied: a good deed by ten times up to seven hundred times. Allah Almighty has said, ‘Except for fasting, which is for Me, and I will give its reward. One abstains from desires and food for My sake. For the fasting person, there are two joys: one at breaking the fast, and one when meeting his Lord. And indeed, the breath of one fasting is more fragrant to Allah than the scent of musk.” [Bukhari; Muslim]
Multiplication of Rewards in Ramadan
Voluntary deeds and all other acts of worship are similarly multiplied. Imam Ibn Rajab (Allah have mercy upon him) stated in his book, “Lata’if al-Ma‘arif,” regarding the annual cycles of worship:
“Know that the multiplication of reward for deeds occurs due to various factors, among them: the sanctity of the place where the action is performed, such as in the Sacred Mosque (al-Haram)… and also the sanctity of the time, such as during Ramadan and the first ten days of Dhu al-Hijja.”
He cited as evidence the hadith of Salman (Allah be pleased with him):
“Whoever draws closer to Allah in it (Ramadan) with any good deed is as if he performed an obligatory act at any other time, and whoever performs an obligatory act in it is as if he performed seventy obligations at any other time.” [Ibn Khuzayma]
Recommended Acts in Ramadan
Buhuti states:
“(It is recommended in Ramadan to increase recitation of the Quran, remembrance of Allah, and charity), due to the multiplication of rewards in it. In “al-Mubdi‘,” it says: ‘Imam Malik used to leave gatherings of hadith during Ramadan to devote himself to the recitation of the Quran, and Imam Shafi‘i would recite sixty complete readings of the Quran. Ibrahim said, “One glorification in Ramadan is better than a thousand glorifications at any other time.”’” [Buhuti, Kashshaf al-Qina’]
We ask Allah to grant us the opportunity to make the most of this blessed month so that we may be among those freed from the Fire. Verily, He is the All-Hearing, the Responsive. All praise is due to Allah, Lord of all the worlds.
[Shaykh] Dr. Muhammad Fayez Awad
Shaykh Dr. Muhammad Fayez Awad, born in Damascus, Syria, in 1965, pursued his Islamic studies in the mosques and institutes of Damascus. A graduate of the Islamic University of Medina in 1985, he holds a Ph.D. in Islamic Studies from Bahauddin Zakariya University in Pakistan.
He has extensive experience developing curricula and enhancing the teaching of various academic courses, including conducting intensive courses. Shaykh Awad has taught Fiqh, Usul al-Fiqh, Quranic sciences, the history of legislation, inheritance laws, and more at several institutes and universities such as Al-Furqan Institute for Islamic Sciences and Majma‘ al-Fath al-Islami in Damascus.
He is a lecturer at the Sultan Muhammad al-Fatih Waqf University in Istanbul, teaching various Arabic and Islamic subjects, and teaches at numerous Islamic institutes in Istanbul. Shaykh Awad is a member of the Association of Syrian Scholars, a founding member of the Zayd bin Thabit Foundation, a member of the Syrian Scholars Association, and a member of the Academic Council at the Iman Center for Teaching the Sunna and Quran.
Among his teachers from whom he received Ijazat are his father, Shaykh Muhammad Muhiyiddin Awad, Shaykh Muhiyiddin al-Kurdi, Shaykh Muhammad Karim Rajih, Shaykh Usama al-Rifai, Shaykh Ayman Suwaid, Shaykh Ahmad al-Qalash, Shaykh Muhammad Awwama, and Shaykh Mamduh Junayd.