Can one make Khatam-e-Quran and tasbeeh?

I am living alone in Australia and have no family.  I do my daily salah and fasting in Ramadan.  I want to know whether I could make quran khatam and tasbeeh for myself before I die. How mnay times should I do tasbeeh.  Is there a rule what I should do. 

In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.

As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.

It is pleasing to know that you are willing to do ‘ibaadaat (acts of worship) apart from the faraa’id (mandatory acts of worship) such as zikr (remembrance of Allah) and Quran Khatams. This is a clear sign of your concern for your hereafter, love for deen and your passion for attracting the mercy of Allah. Consider the following hadith:

عَنْ شَدَّادِ بْنِ أَوْسٍ، عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ، قَالَ: الكَيِّسُ مَنْ دَانَ نَفْسَهُ وَعَمِلَ لِمَا بَعْدَ الْمَوْتِ، وَالعَاجِزُ مَنْ أَتْبَعَ نَفْسَهُ هَوَاهَا وَتَمَنَّى عَلَى اللَّهِ.

Shaddad bin Aws, radiyallahu anhu, narrated that the Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, said: “an intelligent person is the one who subjugates his soul, and works for what is after death. And the incapable is the one who follows his desires and merely hopes in Allah.”[1]

However, preparation for death requires much more than nawaafil (voluntary acts of worship). In fact, ibaadaat is just one branch of deen. Other important branches of deen must also be incorporated into one’s life in order to achieve complete success in this life and the hereafter such as mu’amalaat (good conduct in transactions), akhlaaqiyyaat (moral character) and husn-e-muasharat (beautiful social conduct). Consider the following hadith:

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏”‏ أَتَدْرُونَ مَا الْمُفْلِسُ ‏”‏ ‏.‏ قَالُوا الْمُفْلِسُ فِينَا مَنْ لاَ دِرْهَمَ لَهُ وَلاَ مَتَاعَ ‏.‏ فَقَالَ ‏”‏ إِنَّ الْمُفْلِسَ مِنْ أُمَّتِي يَأْتِي يَوْمَ الْقِيَامَةِ بِصَلاَةٍ وَصِيَامٍ وَزَكَاةٍ وَيَأْتِي قَدْ شَتَمَ هَذَا وَقَذَفَ هَذَا وَأَكَلَ مَالَ هَذَا وَسَفَكَ دَمَ هَذَا وَضَرَبَ هَذَا فَيُعْطَى هَذَا مِنْ حَسَنَاتِهِ وَهَذَا مِنْ حَسَنَاتِهِ فَإِنْ فَنِيَتْ حَسَنَاتُهُ قَبْلَ أَنْ يُقْضَى مَا عَلَيْهِ أُخِذَ مِنْ خَطَايَاهُمْ فَطُرِحَتْ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ طُرِحَ فِي النَّارِ ‏”

Abu Huraira. reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying:

Do you know who is poor? They (the Companions of the Holy Prophet) said: A poor man amongst us is one who has neither dirham with him nor wealth. He (the Holy Prophet) said: The poor of my Umma would be he who would come on the Day of Resurrecton with prayers and fasts and Zakat but (he would find himself bankrupt on that day as he would have exhausted his funds of virtues) since he hurled abuses upon others, slandered others and unlawfully consumed the wealth of others and shed the blood of others and beat others, and his virtues would be credited to the account of one (who suffered at his hand). And if his good deeds fall short to clear the account, then his sins would be entered in (his account) and he would be thrown in the Hell-Fire.[2]

This hadith outlines the importance of having good character and to deal with other people in a good way. It can clearly be understood that no matter how much worship one does and no matter how much good deeds one may have in his account, it will amount to nothing if he does not conduct himself appropriately with other people.

The Prophet, sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, commanded us to have excellent social conduct:

خَالِقِ النَّاسَ بِخُلُقٍ حَسَنٍ

“Deal with people with excellent conduct” [3]

Maulana Ashraf Ali Thanvi, rahmatullahi alayhi, explains this holistic approach as follows: 

“The Shariah consists of five branches or parts: Aqaa’id, A’maal, Muamalaat, Akhlaaq, Husn-e-Muasharat…

…the above mentioned five departments are collectively known as the Shariat. It is essential for Muslims to adopt all five departments of Shariat. But, in the present age people have abbreviated the Shariat. Some have taken only Aqaa’id, believing that only the proclamation of La ilaaha il lallaahu suffices for immediate entry into jannat. Such persons, while they believe Salaat, Saum, etc., are Fardh, do not obtain the good fortune of practically executing these acts of worship. Others again, along with Aqaa’id observe Salaat, Saum, etc., as well. However, they have discarded Muamalaat. In their transactional dealings they are not concerned with the Deen, whether their acts are lawful or not. They are indifferent to the question of halaal and haram regarding their earning and dealings. Then there are those who maintain their Muamalaat on a healthy footing, but are unconcerned with the reformation of their moral character. Those who are concerned about their Akhlaaq are exceptionally few. In fact, there are even such people who spend considerable time to reform others while others are inconvenienced by their behaviour and attitude. They remain unaware of the difficulty they are causing others by their actions and behaviour. They are completely uncaring about their own detestable condition. There are numerous such persons who will not venture to offer Salaam to a poor Muslim along the road. On the contrary, they wait in expectation of the Salaam to be initiated by the poor.

Some people along with Aqaa’id, A’maal, Muamalaat are concerned about the reformation of Akhlaaq, hence they adopt ways and measures for the treatment of their morals. But they have discarded Husn-e-Muashrat. In fact, they have excised it from the Deen. They assert that there is no relationship between the Shariah and social conduct with people. They, therefor, behave as they please, thinking that the Shariah has no say in such matters. Many people are pious with good qualities such as humility but in Muasharat they are lacking. They are not concerned whether they annoy or inconvenience others by their behaviour. In most insignificant things they bring about difficulty and inconvenience others. Their attention is totally diverted from little things which cause difficulty to others while in the Hadith there are numerous incidents narrated which show that (Rasulullah, sallallahu alayhi wasallam) cared for the little things just as much as he cared for important matters.”[4]

We advise you to take heed of the above mentioned advices.

With regards to ibaadaat, we advise the following daily schedule:

After fajr salaat, take out some time according to your convenience and recite the following three tasbeehaat a hundred times:  

• لا إله إلا الله
• سبحان الله والحمد لله ولا إله إلا الله و الله أكبر
• Durood Shareef

Recite the same three tasbeehaat any time at night. When reading this tasbeehaat, sit in tashahhud position and focus on the pleasure and greatness of Allah. Thereafter, make dua with your heart and soul.

Read at least one juz of the Quran daily. Also, try to read salaat al-ishraaq, salaat al-duha (chaast) and salaat al-awwaabeen every day.

Salaat al-ishraaq should be prayed immediately after sunrise when looking at the sun with the naked eye becomes difficult[5]. A minimum of two and a maximum of four raka’aats should be prayed.[6] Salaat al-ishraaq has a very great virtue which is understood from the following hadith:

قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: مَنْ صَلَّى الغَدَاةَ فِي جَمَاعَةٍ ثُمَّ قَعَدَ يَذْكُرُ اللَّهَ حَتَّى تَطْلُعَ الشَّمْسُ، ثُمَّ صَلَّى رَكْعَتَيْنِ كَانَتْ لَهُ كَأَجْرِ حَجَّةٍ وَعُمْرَةٍ، قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: تَامَّةٍ تَامَّةٍ تَامَّةٍ.

Anas bin Malik narrated that:

the Messenger of Allah said: “Whoever prays Fajr in congregation, then sits remembering Allah until the sun has risen, then he prays two Rak’ah, then for him is the reward like that of a Hajj and Umrah.” He said: “The Messenger of Allah said: ‘Complete, complete, complete.'”

Salaat al-duha (chaast) should be prayed after a quarter of the day has passed.[7] A minimum of two raka’aats and a maximum of twelve should be prayed.[8] One can gain many bounties and rewards from by praying salaat al-duha. An example of this can be found in the following hadith:

عَنْ نُعَيْمِ بْنِ هَمَّارٍ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يَقُولُ ‏ “‏ يَقُولُ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَجَلَّ يَا ابْنَ آدَمَ لاَ تُعْجِزْنِي مِنْ أَرْبَعِ رَكَعَاتٍ فِي أَوَّلِ نَهَارِكَ أَكْفِكَ آخِرَهُ ‏”

Narrated Nu’aym ibn Hammar:

I heard the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) say: Allah, the Exalted, says: Son of Adam, do not be helpless in performing four rak’ahs for Me at the beginning of the day: I will supply what you need till the end of it.[9]

Salaat al-awwaabeen should be prayed after Maghrib salaat. One can pray a minimum of six raka’aats [10] and a maximum of twenty raka’aats, including the two sunnah rak’aaats.[11] There are many virtues mentioned in the ahaadeeth regarding salaat al-awwaabeen. Consider the following ahadeeth:

عَنْ أَبِي هُرَيْرَةَ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ قَالَ ‏ “‏ مَنْ صَلَّى بَعْدَ الْمَغْرِبِ سِتَّ رَكَعَاتٍ لَمْ يَتَكَلَّمْ بَيْنَهُنَّ بِسُوءٍ عُدِلْنَ لَهُ بِعِبَادَةِ ثِنْتَىْ عَشْرَةَ سَنَةً ‏”

It was narrated from Abu Hurairah that the Prophet (ﷺ) said:

“Whoever prays six Rak’ah after the Maghrib and does not say anything bad in between them, will have a reward equal to the worship of twelve years.”[12]

عَنْ عَائِشَةَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ ‏”‏ مَنْ صَلَّى بَعْدَ الْمَغْرِبِ عِشْرِينَ رَكْعَةً بَنَى اللَّهُ لَهُ بَيْتًا فِي الْجَنَّةِ ‏”

Abu Hurairah narrated that:

Allah’s Messenger (S) said: “Whoever prays six Rak’ah after Al-Maghrib, and he does not speak about anything between them, then they will be counted for him as twelve years of worship.”[13]

And Allah Ta’āla Knows Best

Muhammad Haris Siddiqui

Student Darul Iftaa
Melbourne, Australia 

Checked and Approved by,
Mufti Ebrahim Desai.