Restarting the Quran recitation after completing it (Khatam)

بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَنِ الرَّحِيمِ

In the Name of Allah Most Merciful Most Kind

Short Answer

Yes, it is recommended to restart the Quran recitation after completing it (Khatam) according to Imam al-Nawawi. There are some weak Hadith narrations that support this practice.  

Explanation

صَالِحٌ المُرِّيُّ، عَنْ قَتَادَةَ، عَنْ زُرَارَةَ بْنِ أَوْفَى، عَنْ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَجُلٌ: يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ أَيُّ العَمَلِ أَحَبُّ إِلَى اللَّهِ؟ قَالَ: الحَالُّ المُرْتَحِلُ. قَالَ: وَمَا الحَالُّ المُرْتَحِلُ؟ قَالَ: الَّذِي يَضْرِبُ مِنْ أَوَّلِ القُرْآنِ إِلَى آخِرِهِ كُلَّمَا حَلَّ ارْتَحَلَ

Salih al-Murri narrated from Qatadah, who narrated from Zurarah ibn Awfa, from Ibn Abbas who narrated that a man said: O Messenger of Allah, which deed is most beloved to Allah? He ﷺ said: The one who is present departing. He asked: What is, the one who is present departing. He ﷺ replied: The one who travels from the beginning of the Qur’an to the end of it. Every time he settles, he travels. (Sunan Tirmidhi, 2948). 

In the above Hadith, the blessed Prophet ﷺ encouraged traveling when one reaches a point of settling. This was said in the content of Quranic recital. Therefore, some said it is recommended to restart the Quran recitation after completing it. Since completion is the resting point, and restarting is a new journey. 

Authenticity 

Imam al-Tirmidhi himself clarified that the Hadith narration is not authentic. After narrating the Hadith, he called it Gharib and also explicitly said it is not strong. However, it seems correct to say it is at least weak. Therefore, permitted for Nafl activities. It is also important to recognise that there are other narrations supporting the practice too. 

هَذَا حَدِيثٌ غَرِيبٌ لَا نَعْرِفُهُ مِنْ حَدِيثِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ إِلَّا مِنْ هَذَا الوَجْهِ وَإِسْنَادُهُ لَيْسَ بِالقَوِيِّ

This is a Gharib Hadith. We do not know it from the Hadith of Ibn Abbas except from this route, and its chain of transmission is not strong.

There is a similar Hadith in Sunan al-Darimi (3519). However, it is Mursal. Imam Hakim (2089) also transmitted it from Sayidina Ibn Abbas. But he asserted that only Salih al-Murri narrated it. Who is not considered an authentic narrator. Imam Hakim did say that there is a supporting Hadith from Sayidina Abu Hurairah. Therefore, he must mean only Salih narrated it from Sayina Ibn Abbas. 

تَفَرَّدَ بِهِ صَالِحٌ الْمُرِّيُّ وَهُوَ مِنْ زُهَّادِ أَهْلِ الْبَصْرَةِ إِلَّا أَنَّ الشَّيْخَيْنِ، لَمْ يُخَرِّجَاهُ. وَلَهُ شَاهِدٌ مِنْ حَدِيثِ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ. (المستدرك على الصحيحين)

It was narrated by Salih al-Murri alone. He was one of the ascetics of Basrah. Neither of the two Shaykhs (al-Bukhari and Muslim) included his narrations in their collections. It has supporting evidence in a Hadith narrated by Abu Hurayrah. (Al-Mustadrak ‘ala al-Sahihayn)

Imam al-Nawawi

Imam al-Nawawi was of the view that it is recommended to restart the recital of the Holy Quran immediately after completing it. He mentioned a Hadith narration to justify this position as well as claiming that the Salaf considered it praiseworthy. 

وإذا فرغ من الختمة، فالمستحبّ أن يشرع في أخرى متصلاً بالختم، فقد استحبّه السَّلفُ، واحتجّوا فيه بحديث أنس رضي الله عنه، أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قال: خَيْرُ الأعْمالِ الحَلُّ وَالرِّحْلَةُ. قيل: وما هما؟ قال: افْتِتاحُ القرآن وختمه. (الأذكار للنووي)

If he completes reciting the entire Quran, it is recommended that he begin another one immediately connected to the completion. As the early Muslims (Salaf) considered this recommended. They cited as evidence the Hadith of Anas (May Allah be pleased with him), that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ said: The best of deeds are the journey and the rest. It was asked: What are they? He ﷺ said: Beginning and completing the recitation of the Quran. (Imam Abu Zakariya Yahya bin Sharaf al-Nawawi 676H, al-Adhkaar).

Conclusion 

Scholars who consider it recommended to restart the recital of the Holy Quran immediately after completing it tend not to mention an authentic and clear Hadith to support that position. Rather the narrations tend to be relatively weak and inexplicit.

Therefore, it is not correct to consider this practice a thoroughly established Sunnah. Neither is it correct to claim it is a baseless innovation. Rather, it is based upon very speculative evidence. Thus, those who practice may do so, and those who do not have a valid position too.  

 

And Allah Most High Knows Best.

–Answered by Shaykh Noorud-deen Rashid (06.03.26)