Placing a Finger on Every Line of the Qur’an as a “Remedy” for Calamity

Question

A man among us described the following practice: at a time of calamity or distress, in order to remove the distress, one should place a finger on the lines of the Noble Qur’an and recite “Bismillah” [while moving the finger along]. Even if a person has already finished reciting the whole Qur’an, he should still place his finger on the lines of the Noble Qur’an and recite “Bismillah”. Is this practice correct?

Answer

The remedy for removing calamity is repentance (tawba) and seeking forgiveness (istighfar): to feel remorse for one’s sins, seek forgiveness, and resolve not to repeat them. One must also fulfil whatever remains due of the rights of Allah — prayer, zakat, charity, fasting — and fulfil the rights of [His] servants, seeking their forgiveness.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

Preview. The full text opens with JavaScript enabled.