Specifying particular days to complete the recitation of the Noble Qur’aan

Specifying time for acts of worship which has not been specified by the Shariah is no doubt an act of worship and within the scope of innovation. However, like the petitioner said, it is mentioned in the biography of some scholars that they used to complete reciting the holy Qur’aan within a specified time, and they would specify particular days for the recitation of the Qur’aan and recite a particular portion and they would not decrease from that nor would they do anything more. Completing the recitation of the holy Qur’aan in seven days has a legal basis. It is recorded that the Prophet ﷺ said to ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Amr (may Allaah be pleased with them) regarding the recitation of the Qur’an ‘Recite it in seven days and do not do more than that’ (Al-Bukhaary, 5054). In another Tradition the Prophet ﷺ said, ‘He who reads the Qur’an in less than three days does not understand it’ (Abu Daawood, 1394). This indicates that anybody who recite it in three days will understand it. In addition to this, it is recorded but some of the pious predecessors would complete reciting the Qur’aan every day. Some have taken this to mean that it was done during particular times of the year such as during the month of Ramadan. It is recorded on the authority of ‘Uthmaan (may Allah be pleased with him) and others that they would recite the holy Qur’an every night, and there is no problem with that, because it is seizing the reward opportunity of particular times. As for the hadeeth ‘He who reads the Qur’an in less than three days does not understand it’ Is interpreted as a person who is busy with other things. As for the seven days which was instructed, ‘Recite it in seven days and do not do more than that’ it is possible that the Prophet ﷺ once he saw the eagerness of ‘Abdullaah ibn ‘Amr (may Allaah be pleased with them) to recite the Qur’an and complete it every day he told him not to out of fear that it would be harmful for him and this will cause him to be regretful or be neglectful of some other religious duties which are more important than the voluntary act of reciting the Qur’aan. In any case, there is flexibility in this issue. Every letter recited has 10 rewards and even more. Hence, when a person does more worship of Allaah, Allaah will give him more.
The questioner asks: ‘what about those who finish the recitation of the Quran in seven days or five days whilst they are fasting, or they finish it during the Fridays…’ fixing a particular daily portion like the style of the pious predecessors and the prophetic Companions and others (may Allah be pleased with them) who would finish it in weeks, or seven days as it is mentioned in the Sunan Abi Daawood; three, then five, then seven, then nine then eleven then thirteen, then the hizb al-mufassal. (1393). Specifying some portions of the Qur’an is easy and the aim of specifying it into 7 portions for recitation is in order to complete the recitation of the Qur’aan in one week. This is because a week consists of seven days, so if a person completes the recitation of the Qur’aan on a Friday for example or Thursday he would start again from tomorrow. Hence, it is impossible if he reads the Qur’aan in seven days that he would finish on the same time. Specifying time is not done from himself rather it is to emulate the pious predecessors. and this was a constant act of theirs. So, therefore, anyone who wishes to copy them and complete the Qur’an in seven days because that is the number of days in a week then there is no problem with it. Allah willing. A person should seek to do it during the time when supplications are accepted and virtuous times and there is no problem with this whatsoever. However, if he were to do it in an unspecified mode from time to time then that is better.