Khatms

Aqdas

Aqdas

Ridawi.org
Staff member
Khatm means to finish. When someone finishes the Quran, it is known as khatm al-Quran.

Gatherings of conveying reward (īsāl al-thawāb) are known as khatm as people tend to finish the Quran and convey the reward, generally to the deceased.

So, khatm is simply a form of sending rewards.

Narrations mention that souls of the deceased are free to roam and return to their worldly homes on Thursdays and other days too. So Sunnis tend to hold khatms on Thursdays, though conveying reward can be done on any day, with equal reward.

Sunnis tend to hold khatms on the death anniversary of their relatives.

Narrations mention that souls of the deceased call out and seek alms from the living. So Sunnis tend to give charity in the form of Quranic recitation and preparing food and feeding people.

Feeding people is an act of great reward. So it counts as charity.

There is no necessity of having food at an isāl al-thawāb gathering. It is mustahabb and if there is no food, the khatm still takes place. If there is food, then with the correct intention, the reward of feeding people will reach the deceased.

Conveying reward can be done through any good deed such as printing books, digging a water well or building a masjid, etc. We should do those acts which are most needed in our community.

Often, food is prepared and served at khatms so that guests who have come and recited don't leave hungry.

There is no necessity to have various types of food but there is no harm to have a variety, within reason.

Souls do not need the food. Food is for bodies, not souls. The food is prepared for the living, not the deceased.

When the companion, Saád رضي الله عنه made isāl al-thawāb for his mother, he stood in front of the water well and said: 'this is for the mother of Saád.' Sunnis tend to place food in front of them at the time of du'ā as it is symbolic of them presenting their charity. There are also narrations that mention RasulAllah ﷺ placing food before him and reciting portions of the Quran.

Isāl al-thawāb is from the Quran and sunnah and khatms are a permissible method.
 
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Imam Abu Hanifah رضي الله عنه was asked the hallmarks of a Sunni in Kufa. He replied:

1. Believing in tafdil al-shaykhayn
2. Loving the two sons in law
3. Wiping over leather socks

Notice, wiping over socks is not fard or wajib, in fact, there is more reward to remove them and wash the feet during wudu. So wiping is permitted but not mandatory.

So why did he term it a sign of Ahl al-Sunnah?

Because Kufa was full of rafidis and they deny it. So even a mustahabb act becomes important when it demarcates.

Milad, kissing thumbs, khatms, etc. are all mustahabb acts but because they have become signs of Ahl al-Sunnah, it is important to preserve and defend them.
 
Preparing food for khatms is a tradition amongst Sunnis. It isn't necessary to have food at a khatm but there are a few reasons it is prepared and served:

1. People who attend khatms are guests of the hosts. We are taught to honour the guest and something that is customary universally is to serve food to guests.

2. People have taken time out to attend. It is not befitting to send them away after an hour or two without food and drink.

3. Feeding people is an act of reward. It counts towards the īsāl al-thawāb.

4. Úrf (local custom) has a place in sharīáh. The custom at subcontinent khatms is to serve food.

To reiterate, food isn't part of the khatm per se.

In light of the above, it is advisable to have food at khatms providing everyone is clear that it isn't an intrinsic part of the event.

There is no obligation to have multiple dishes. But once again, hosts see it as part of good etiquette to guests to have a variety. But we must abstain from extravagance.

Also, food mustn't be wasted or thrown away. It should be given to guests to take home if it is leftover.

By the way, guests mustn't take food with them without permission.

Setting dates for khatms is only for the purposes of ease - e.g. an anniversary is easy to remember and the deceased's family is likely to forget other dates. Setting the khatm to be on the death anniversary ensures the isāl al-thawāb isn't missed.

There is no harm in specifying the 3rd, 4th, 10th, 40th days for khatms as long as they are not considered necessary. Those who don't adhere to these days must not be scorned in the slightest. In fact, those who don't have a khatm at all still cannot be sneered at as it isn't fard, wajib or sunnah mu'akkadah. It is a mustahabb practice, a method of isāl al-thawāb, that if done, there can be reward and if left, there is no sin.

The reason why khatms should continue to be held is because they have now become the norm. They give people the chance to come together and recite the Quran. If it weren't for khatms, perhaps people would abandon recital altogether. They serve as a good reminder of isāl al-thawāb and the deceased awaits this. The institution of khatms has allowed isāl al-thawāb to continue being a living sunnah.

But let us be moderate in it. Let us not pressure anyone to hold a khatm, on any day; invite hundreds of people and prepare food for them all. Let us allow people to do what is in their means.

They may prefer to hold a small gathering at home to finish some Qurans and spend the money they would have on feeding hundreds of people on providing blankets for the poor or water or food parcels. Feeding the whole locality isn't the only method of isāl al-thawāb. Let people choose. They may opt to serve food one year and the next year, to have a thousand copies of The Killer Mistake printed. It is all isāl al-thawāb.

I say, let khatms continue. Let food be served. But rectify our understanding. Let notions be corrected.
 
Losing someone important to you is one of the hardest things to experience in life. These feelings may be very intense, particularly in the early days and weeks.

Having your family and closed ones around when someone has passed away is an incredible source of comfort and support.

There’s wisdom in these khatms.
 
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THROW THE BABY OUT WITH THE BATHWATER?

When blameworthy aspects become associated with an otherwise praiseworthy act, it is important to rectify this in a positive way so that we do not cause people to abandon it altogether.

Milad un Nabi ﷺ gatherings are recommended. There is recitation of Quran, poetic praise of RasulAllah ﷺ, speeches in his remembrance, seeing his blessed forelocks and food for guests. All acts of reward.

But what if someone were to do all these things twinned with music, dance and free mixing?

The way to tackle this would be to say:

'Milad un Nabi ﷺ is a praiseworthy act in itself. The greatest hadith scholars of this ummah recommended it. At some Milad events today, music, dancing and free mixing have crept in. This is all haram and any such gathering of Milad is prohibited. Anyone who arranges and partakes in these is committing haram and instead of reward, they are amassing a mountain of sins. Milad itself is commendable and if it is free from such forbidden aspects, it is a bringer of great blessings. There should be Milads in every home.'

In this discourse, Milad has not been downplayed whilst the haram committed in some Milads has been condemned wholly.

Public discourse has to be full of wisdom and balance. Otherwise, it could lead to good practices being dropped altogether.

As I said earlier, it needs to be positive. Overall, there should be an exhortation towards the practice itself sans the prohibitions.
 
Khatms are similar to Milads.

There are certain wrongs that take place in some gatherings. These should be rectified. But the gatherings themselves should continue.
Milads and gyarhwins have probably been the greatest means of propagation of religion in our lands for centuries.

If someone steals shoes from a masjid, install CCTV, don't close the masjid.
 
Aqdas said:
Khatms are similar to Milads
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Why should a Sunni Maulana Sahib have a problem with this? Refute the bad if any, that which is sinful but don’t overdo it so to make the whole practice look bad. Overstated it and exaggerated to the point where people were asking questions around the practice as a whole.
 

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I’ve said something like this before here

When our own womenfolk (mothers, sisters, wives and daughters) have weak men around them, this is bound to happen. We should first look into into our very own homes and tackle this issue if it is happening.
 
Ghulam Ali said:
Why should a Sunni Maulana Sahib have a problem with this? Refute the bad if any, that which is sinful but don’t overdo it so to make the whole practice look bad. Overstated it and exaggerated to the point where people were asking questions around the practice as a whole.
Click to expand...

is that a cake shaped like the blessed sandals?
 
Ghulam Ali said:
Yes. Though I think it is better to avoid having cakes made like this or like Kaaba sharif or the Gumbad sharif.
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blind imitation of christians and other non-muslims.

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one should ask:

1. is this permitted by the shariah?
2. does this contravene the shariah?
3. is it of any use - in this world or in the hereafter?
4. is it wasteful in any way?
5. is there a better way closer to sunnah?

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first spend time and money on creating an ornate cake and then cut it up and eat it.
waste of time and money.
 
good .. we are progressing.

someone should try dangling a "WeLoveAlahazrat" placard from a hot air balloon.

then capture it's flight on a drone-cam and upload to YouTube, insta and Twitter.
 
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