Dont we have to say after reading Q...

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Dont we have to say after reading Qur'an sadaqa Allahu al-azeim...is this true?

Question

Don’t we have to say after reading Qur'an (sadaqa Allahu al-azeim)...is this true? Please clarify

Answer


It is recommended in Islamic law to say "Sadaqqa Allahu Al-Adhim" or (God has told the truth) after finishing a Qur'anic recitation. This is based on the words of God Almighty, "Say [O Muhammad] 'God has told the truth'". (Qur'an 3: 95)

In this verse, God Almighty legislates an unrestricted command. It is established in the science of Islamic legal theory [usul al-Fiqh] that an unrestricted command encompasses all times, places, people and conditions. There is nothing wrong if this verse was revealed in response to the Jews, regarding what they falsely attributed to the Torah. This is because it is likewise established that the important thing is the general purport of the words and not their contextual specificity.

Muslims, past and present, have abided by the practice of saying "Sadaqqa Allahu Al-Adhim" after ending a Qur'anic recitation and no one criticized it at any time. Rather, scholars deemed it from among the etiquettes of Qur'anic recitation. In his Qur'an exegesis (vol.1. p.27), Imam al-Qurtubi said, "[The erudite, al-Tirmidhi, mentioned that saying "Sadaqqa Allahu Al-'Adhim" is from among the etiquettes of Qur'anic recitation. He said, "Part of the sanctity ascribed to the Qur`an is to testify, after finishing the recitation, to the truth of the words of God and to bear witness that His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) has conveyed His message by saying: 'God the Greatest has spoken the truth and His noble Messenger has conveyed it. A Muslim is to confirm this by saying: 'O Lord, You have spoken the truth and we bear witness that You have conveyed the message to Your messengers. O Lord, make us among the truthful witnesses and followers of justice.' And then he is to supplicate God for whatever he wishes."]

In his book Al-Ihyaa' (vol. 1, p.278), Imam al-Ghazali enumerated the etiquettes of reciting the Qur'an and said, "The 8th etiquette: start reciting the Qur`an by saying "I seek refuge in God the All-Hearing, the All Knowing from the accursed Satan. My Lord, I seek refuge in You from the incitements of the devils, and I seek refuge in You, my Lord , lest they be present with me.' Then he is to recite the chapters of Al-Nas and Al-Fatiha. After finishing his recitation, the reader is to say: 'God Almighty has spoken the truth and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) has conveyed His message. O Lord grant us the benefit of the Qur'an and bless it. All praise is due to God, Lord of the worlds and I ask Him, the Ever living, the Self existing, for forgiveness."]

Saying "Sadaqqa Allahu Al-Adhim" is a virtuous Sunnah that the predecessors and successors from among the Muslims have abided by for generations without any repudiation. In fact, denying the validity of this practice is considered a Bid'a [innovation in religion] because those who object to it deny the permissibility of uttering it after reciting the Qur`an although it is permissible to utter it at any time. Therefore, prohibiting it at certain times is considered restricting what God Almighty and His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) have left open. Moreover, it is more appropriate to say it after Qur`anic recitation to fulfill the commands

of God. This is because tasdeeq of a matter (attesting to a matter) can only be after hearing it. Although there is no known non-Prophetic tradition mentioned on this, scholars also recommended making "tasdeeq" when hearing the words "prayer is better that sleep" [as-salatu khayrun min an-nawm]" of the call for fajr prayer, after which one is to say, "You have spoken the truth". Moreover, the command to say "Saddaqa Allahu Al-'Adhim" was mentioned in a Prophetic hadith that was reported by al-Baihaqi in Shu'ab al-Iman. Although it is a weak hadith, yet it can be followed to encourage righteous acts.

 
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