13 Innovations Related to the Quran

People have innovated many matters in their interactions with the Quran; matters which Allah has not revealed any evidence concerning; the following are some examples:

1. Reciting the Quran to the dead, especially Surat Yaseen, while Allah the Majestic says in it:

   { It is not but a message and a clear Quran to warn whoever is alive

2. Reciting the Quran during gatherings for the deceased.
3. Overdoing the recital of the Quran to the point that it is recited like musical tunes.
4. A person reciting the Quran on Friday in the Masjid before the Imam enters for the Jum'ah prayer while the people listen to his recital.
5. Reciting the Quran collectively after some or all of the five daily prayers.
6. Establishing Waleemah's or celebrations for completing the Quran.
7. Constantly opening up school assemblies in the morning by the recital of the Quran.
8. Writing some Ayat in talismans or secured pieces of paper by sorcerers.
9. Repeatedly mentioning words of praise and marvel every time the reciter pauses (between Ayaat).
10. Taking a wage for reciting the Quran; taking a wage for teaching the Quran is not included here.
11. Opening special Ruqya sessions by reciting the Quran.
12. Repeating specific Surahs in one minute such as Surat al-Fatihah or Ayatul Kursi. This innovation propagated due to the propagation of a pamphlet which reads: "You are able to recite this or that Ayah or Du'aa in one minute."
13. Writing Ayaat on the walls of Masajid for the purpose of adornment, likewise writing them or hanging images of them in homes, vehicles, clothing and turning them into amulets due to the general saying of the Messenger of Allah - صلى الله عليه وسلم :

    "Indeed amulets, talismans and charms are Shirk!"

The evidence for what has preceded is the statement of the Messenger - صلى الله عليه وسلم :

"Whoever innovates something into this religion of ours which is not of it will have it rejected."

[Collected by both Bukhari and Muslim.]

Therefore every form of worship that is not supported by evidence from the Book of Allah or the Sunnah is an innovation, whether the innovation is related to the type of worship, its location, its amount, its time, its quantity or reason.