THE 32ND & 33RD MEETING OF THE PERLIS STATE FATWA COMMITTEE / 2017
20 - 21 OKTOBER 2017 / 29 MUHARRAM - 1 SAFAR 1438H
|
SPECIFYING THE RECITATION OF SURAH AL-KAHF ON FRIDAY |
|
The virtue (fadilah) of reciting Surah al-Kahf is authentically established (thabit) through authentic narrations (riwayat sahih). As for specifying the recitation of Surah al-Kahf on Friday, there exists a difference of opinion among hadith scholars regarding the authenticity (thubut) of the narration of Hushaym ibn Bashir. There are among hadith scholars those who reject the specification of Surah al-Kahf recitation on Friday on the grounds that Hushaym's narration is not strong in comparison with narrations that do not mention Friday, particularly the narrations of Shu'bah ibn al-Hajjaj and Sufyan al-Thawri. |
|
In addition, there are verifying scholars (muhaqqiqin) who view Hushaym's addition specifying Friday as an accepted narration (ziyadah al-thiqah) because Hushaym is a narrator who is a precise memorizer (hafiz) and there exists an indication (qarinah) showing that there were different transmission sessions (majalis al-riwayah) between Hushaym, Shu'bah, and al-Thawri. Therefore, the specification of Friday, which was suspected to be a confusion (wahm) on the part of Hushaym, actually has its origin in the narration of Abu Hashim al-Rummani. |
|
Therefore, the majority of hadith and jurisprudence scholars, such as Imam al-Shafi'i, Imam Ahmad, al-Nawawi, Ibn Taymiyyah, and others, are of the opinion that the recitation of Surah al-Kahf on Friday is encouraged by virtue of other narrations that support the specification of Surah al-Kahf recitation on Friday. Thus, whoever practices the recitation of Surah al-Kahf on Friday engages in a practice that is encouraged in the view of the majority of scholars. |
|
Therefore, there exists scholarly disagreement (khilaf) on this matter. Both sides have presented reasons and arguments that are credible (mu'tabar). Whoever practices it based on conviction in the opinion that encourages the specification of Surah al-Kahf recitation on Friday, may he or she obtain reward (thawab). Whoever considers that there is no specification of day, then need not specify it. |