Upon completing the Holy Qur’an, Dua is answered by Allah. It is a time when the Mercy of Allah descends. If a person completes the Qur’an during the day, the angels pray for Allah’s Mercy to descend on the reciter until the evening. Similarly, if the recitation is completed at night, the angels pray for the same till the morning. 1
It is therefore recommended to complete the Qur’an in the early morning during the summer and early in the night during the winter. Whenever Imam Abdullah ibn al Mubarak (May Allah have mercy on him) would finish the Qur’an, he would engage in dua for all Muslims, male and female. 2
Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik رضى الله عنه would make a person watch over someone finishing the Qur’an. Then, on the day of his khatam, he would go and participate. 3
When Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik رضى الله عنه was near his completion of the Qur’an during the night, he would leave a portion till the morning. Then he would gather his family and complete the Qur’an in their presence. 4
When Sayyiduna Anas bin Malik رضى الله عنه would complete the Qur’an, he would gather his children and other members of his home and supplicate. 5
Humayd al-Araj said, “Whoever recites the Qur’an and then supplicates, four thousand angels say Ameen to his dua.” 6
Al-Hakam ibn Utaybah said, “Imam Mujahid summoned me and said, ‘We sent for you because we want to finish the Qur’an, and supplication (dua) when finishing the Qur’an is accepted.’” 7
It is recommended to begin the next reading of the Qur’an immediately after the khatam, for this is the reason behind the practice of reciting after Surah al-Fatihah and the first five verses of Surah Al- Baqarah. However, the reader must not stop here. The following hadith encourages the reciter to commence the next reading and complete it. In this manner, the cycle continues throughout one’s life.
“A man said, ‘O Messenger of Allah! Which deed is most virtuous to Allah?’ He replied: ‘Al-Hall wa al-Murtahil ’ He asked: ‘What is Al-Hall wa al-Murtahil?’ He answered: ‘The one who recites from the beginning and continues to the end. After the end, he starts at the beginning again. Whenever he stops, he proceeds further.’” 8
1 Sunan al-Darimi #3518
2 Etiquette with the Qur’an (Eng. Trans.) by Imam al-Nawawi
3 Sunan al-Darimi #3515
4 Sunan al-Darimi #3516
5 Sunan al-Darimi #3517
6 Sunan al-Darimi #3524
7 Sunan al-Darimi #3525
8 Jami Tirmidhi #2948