Running a Finger Over Every Line of the Qur’an While Reciting “Bismillah”

Question

(1) What is the ruling on running a finger over every line of the Noble Qur’an and reciting merely “Bismillah” at each line? What is the ruling in both cases — [doing this] for blessing (tabarruk) and good omen (tayammun), and [doing this] out of not knowing the Qur’an [itself]? (2) What is the ruling on calling this practice a “khatm [completion] of the Qur’an”? (3) If this act is performed as a regular litany, will it be permissible or not? (4)

Answer

(1) Running a finger over every line of the Noble Qur’an and reciting “Bismillah”, taking this to be [equivalent to reciting the line itself as] “Bismillah”, is mistaken. The reward for simply reciting “Bismillah” stands independently [and is not tied to the number of lines]. (2) Calling this practice a “khatm of the Qur’an”, and regarding it as such, is mistaken. (3)

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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