Reciting Quran for personal goals, is this allowed in Islam?

Question

In the Indo-Pak region there is a tradition that if you want to get something done esp. you want to get a good job, or transfer a job or get admission in a good university, mothers or sisters usually say I will do "khatm-ul-Quran" if this happens. There are also other alternatives as as well, for example they might have a different type of khatm which may include only one surah being recited many times.

My question is, is this practice Islamic/sunnah or bid'ah? Is there any proof that Qur'an can be used for such purposes, does it help achieve such purposes or does it simply it do nothing at all? What does Islam say about this?

Answer 1

Nathr is acceptable in Islam: You say if I get so and so (marriage, money ..) I will give so and so (Omra, Sadaqa, recite Quran ..) to Allah.

For the nathr to be accepted, both [what you get] and [what you give] should be halal. So you should only ask Halal, and promise to give halal.

What you give to Allah is categorized under "worship". You give Allah what HE ACCEPTS, not what you want to give. What Allah accepts is all included within the quran and sunnah. All Islamic worships should have their evidence from Quran and/or Sunnah to be accepted.

Those kinds of "Khatm" could only be accepted if they have an evidence.

Update: Check Nazr Fatwa: http://islamqa.com/en/ref/2587/nazr

Answer 2

From the line you said, Indo-Pak, the probability of writing in my lines the words "Bidah" increased, and finally after reading your question completely, I can pretty confidently say it is Bidah.

Justifying actions based on http://islamqa.com/en/ref/2587/nazr, is something at the first place, you came up with new things, and then justifying it without properly understanding the context of things going on in http://islamqa.com/en/ref/2587/nazr.

To straight away, suggest you about where things are going the wrong way,

Whosoever desires (with his deeds) the reward of the Hereafter, We give him increase in his reward, and whosoever desires the reward of this world (with his deeds), We give him thereof (what is written for him), and he has no portion in the Hereafter. (Qur'an 42:20)

It is very very hard to digest the above verse but it is true.

is this practice Islamic/sunnah or bid'ah?

There are no references which say exactly your case happening in the past in the Hadith or Qur'an. (but these may be in fact the slow imitations and cultural effects of Hinduism in India).

I can say this is nothing but heights of exploiting the rewards of reciting Qur'an in an unanticipated way which are not prescribed.

does it help achieve such purposes or does it simply do nothing at all?

Reciting Qur'an per se, will Insha Allah be rewarded, but/and more reward is upon the one who understands it, obeys it, follows it, memorizes it, teaches it and practices it to the most/best extent possible.

What does Islam say about this?

Islam says its Bidah.

May the creator guide us all.

Answer 3

It can be Nazr or Tawassul. Although it is not Haram and can be effective but is not recommended for worldly purposes but good for spiritual purposes. because maybe what we are seeking be harmful for us. specially for our religion and belief. a hadith from Ahl ul-Bayt says there are 10 steps of belief and low level believers do not have capacity to be patient in problems and enforcing rules of high level believers to low level believers cause hate of religion and even breaking their beliefs and leaving religion. believers of each step should not be charged more than their capacity. with insist God accept their Dua but it better for them to be patient. by being patient in such problems a believer can reach to higher spiritual ranks as reward. it is better to we ask God only what Ahl ul-Bayt taught us to we ask God and never ask God what we prefer. Quran says perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah Knows, while you know not.

كُتِبَ عَلَيْكُمُ الْقِتَالُ وَهُوَ كُرْ‌هٌ لَّكُمْ وَعَسَى أَن تَكْرَ‌هُوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ خَيْرٌ‌ لَّكُمْ وَعَسَى أَن تُحِبُّوا شَيْئًا وَهُوَ شَرٌّ‌ لَّكُمْ وَاللَّـهُ يَعْلَمُ وَأَنتُمْ لَا تَعْلَمُونَ

Fighting has been enjoined upon you while it is hateful to you. But perhaps you hate a thing and it is good for you; and perhaps you love a thing and it is bad for you. And Allah Knows, while you know not. http://tanzil.net/#2:216

Such actions are called Tawassul (using tools for supporting Dua to increase probability of its acceptance by Allah). its better to Tawassul be used only for spiritual purposes and not for worldly purposes. but some times it can be used for worldly purposes specially when God intends to finish a problem and solve a worldly problem. for example when prophet Ayyub a.s. (Job) asked God to cure him it was when God wanted to finish his sick and then he asked such Dua, unless he remained satisfied with will of God and never asked cure.

وَأَيُّوبَ إِذْ نَادَى رَ‌بَّهُ أَنِّي مَسَّنِيَ الضُّرُّ‌ وَأَنتَ أَرْ‌حَمُ الرَّ‌احِمِينَ

And [mention] Job, when he called to his Lord, "Indeed, adversity has touched me, and you are the Most Merciful of the merciful." http://tanzil.net/#21:83

The meaning of such actions that yo mentioned is in fact we know more than God and we are ordering to God to make for us what we prefer and not what God prefer to make for us.

In a story it is said God said to go to a man and meet him. he went and say in a city that all are atheist there is a poor and blind man and is the only believer. Moses a.s. said him do you want to I ask God to cure your eyes? he replied: No, what God prefers for me is more likely for me that what I prefer for myself. then Moses a.s. look him more and saw his eye are coming out of their places and he is getting more and more sick but does not ask God to cure him.

Also a scholar said in his memories that one time he was saying:

الهی راضیا برضاک، لا معبود سواک

"O my God I am satisfied to what you satisfy, there is no God unless you" at this time a nest of bees fallen on him from tree and he and his family was bitten severally and wanted to go hospital by his car. at way he had accident and his legs and shoulder were broken. people took them hospital and the doctor said him: you need surgery urgently but currently we have problems that can not do Anesthesia and if you accept to we do surgery without Anesthesia become ready. that scholar said: at that time I understood claim is easy but really being satisfying with satisfaction of God is not easy and God wanted to teach me this. the best of who was satisfied with God was Imam Hussain a.s. with his family and 6 month baby and he was told by prophet ever detail of happenings in Battle of Karbala and was going to Karbala while being completely aware of what will happen for him. (1, 2)