Salaf-e-Saaliheen and Khatm-ul-Qur'an

According to Hakim Abu 'Abdullah, Imam Bukhari (Rahmatullahi Alaih) used to recite 20 verses in every Rak'aat of Taraaweeh which he was performing in Jamaat.

He used to read 1/3 to ½ of Qur'an-e-Kareem at the time of Sehri. In this way, he used to complete a Qur'an every 3 days at the time of Sehri. Besides that, he used to complete a Khatm-ul-Qur'an during the day which he used to complete at the time of Iftaar. (Muqaddamah Fath-ul-Baari)

There are different amounts of Khatm-ul-Qur'an which the Salaf-e-Saaliheen used to do daily. The maximum that has been reported is 8 Khatm-ul-Qur'an daily. That is 4 during the day and 4 during the night. There were some who were doing 4, while there were those who were doing 2 or 3 Khatm-ul-Qur'an daily. But most Sahaabah-e-Kiraam did a Khatm-ul-Qur'an in 7 days.

Hazrat Mansour Bin Zaazaan was a famous Taabi'i. He used to make a Khatm-ul-Qur'an between Zohr and Asr and another Khatm-ul-Qur'an between Maghrib and 'Isha. During the month of Ramadaan Shareef, he was making 2 Khatm-ul-Qur'an and a little more between Maghrib and 'Isha. Note that during the month of Ramadaan, they were delaying the time of 'Isha Salah till ¼ of the night. According to Allaamah An-Nawawi (Rahmatullaahi Alaiyh), Ibn Abu Dawud (Rahmatullaahi Alaiyh) narrated through an authentic chain of narration that Hazrat Mujahid (Rahmatullaahi Alaiyh) used to make a Khatm-ul-Qur'an between Maghrib and 'Isha during the month of Ramadaan.

As for those who recited the entire Qur'an in one Rak'aat, it includes Hazrat Usmaan (Radiyallaahu Anhu), Hazrat Tameem Daari (Radiyallaahu Anhu), Hazrat Sa'id Bin Jubeir (Radiyallaahu Anhu), etc.

To accomplish a certain amount of work in a very short time is possible through the Barakah that Allah Ta'ala puts in time. It is not too long ago when people used to see time passing very slowly. It was taking quite long for a day, a week or a month to pass. However nowadays, in a blink of an eye, one sees oneself in the month of December. Moreover, it is mentioned in the Hadîth that there will be a time before Qiyaamah when a year will pass like a month, a month like a week and a week like a day and a day like an hour.

Therefore, it is completely possible if the Salaf-e-Saaliheen were able to make several Khatm-ul-Qur'an up to even 8 Khatm-ul-Qur'an a day or if they were able to do a Khatm-ul-Qur'an in a short interval between 'Asr and Maghrib or between Maghrib and 'Isha. This happens by the Karaamat (miracle) that Allah Ta'ala gives to his privileged servants. Nothing is impossible or difficult for Allah Ta'ala.

[English version of "Salaf-e-Saliheen et Khatmul Qur’aan" – Al Jamiat – Vol.7 No.11]