MUKABALA – JOINT QURAN READING IN RAMADAN
The muqabalа tradition dates back to the time of the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), writes Nebi Bozkurt for İslam Ansiklopedisi.
Mukabala is translated from Arabic as “comparing two things with each other.” This is how they began to call the tradition practiced during the holy months (Rajab, Shaban) and especially during Ramadan in mosques and houses, when the Hafiz, as a rule, reads the Koran before morning, noon and afternoon prayer, and people repeat after it in the Mushaf. In this way, they read the Quran in full while doing the khatm. The beginning of this tradition was laid by the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) – every night in the month of Ramadan the angel Jabrail (peace be upon him) descended to him, and together they read all the verses and suras sent down by that time. The fact that the Qur’an was revealed in Ramadan, and more rewards are given for good deeds committed this month, also contributed to the spread of muqabali. According to Nawawi, some of the Companions in Ramadan, having gathered their family members, conducted such a joint reading of the Koran.
The hadith says: “When people gather in one of the houses of Allah, where they read and study the Book of Allah together, calmness descends on them, and their mercy covers them, and angels surround them and Allah mentions them among those who are before Him.” … Mosques were usually understood as “houses of Allah”, but religious schools (maktab), madrasahs, and dervish cloisters were also referred to them. Muqabala was also held in palaces. Islamic scholar and bibliographer Ibn Khallikan writes that Harun ar-Rashid’s wife Zubaydah had 100 slaves who knew the Koran by heart, and she listened to their reading.
Source: AA
At its core, the muqabali tradition has not undergone significant changes over many centuries and continues to be practiced in different parts of the Islamic world. In some Balkan countries, such as Macedonia, Muqabala begins to be held before the onset of the three holy months, and in Rajab, Shaban and Ramadan, the Koran is read in full, i.e. make a hatm. In the mosques of Istanbul, in the past, mukabala began 15 days before the onset of Ramadan, and the prayer (dua) after the completion of the reading of the Quran was performed on the Night of Destiny. In mosques in the Ottoman Empire, there was even a special reciter, Juzkhan, who recited one Juz of the Koran before namaz.
Today in Turkey, mukabala is usually started on the first day of Ramadan. Both in mosques and on religious radio and television channels, it is usually held before morning prayer. Famous hafiz read the Koran in large mosques in Istanbul. Moreover, each Juz can be read by one person or several. It is also a common tradition among women to hold mukabala at home.
Source: milligazete.com.tr
In Egypt, which is famous for its hafiz, during Ramadan, muqabala is held in mosques and houses, on radio and television. There are also radio channels that continuously broadcast the reading of the Quran. Readers for mukabali on radio and television are selected by a special committee. Muqabala is widespread in Morocco, but in the Indian subcontinent there is no tradition of reading the Koran in this way in mosques and homes. Usually only the Hafiz practice this, listening to each other’s reading. This can take place in such a way that one of them checks the other, and sometimes one hafiz is listened to by several other hafiz.
Even if the hafiz conducts muqabal, it is believed that it is better to read the Qur’an from the mushaf. In order for the listeners to follow the reading without any problems, a medium pace is recommended for mukabali.
Islamosphere
A SOURCE: http://islamosfera.ru/mukabalya-sovmestnoe-chtenie-korana-v-ramadan/