What is the ruling on women holding study circles for teaching and memorizing the Quran in homes, and is it permissible to do so in the house of the deceased during his wife's 'iddah?
Gathering to recite the Quran and remember Allah is commendable, based on the hadith: "No people gather in one of the houses of Allah, reciting the Book of Allah and studying it among themselves, except that tranquility descends upon them, mercy envelops them, angels surround them, and Allah mentions them among those with Him." However, Ibn Taymiyyah warned against making it a regular, fixed sunnah or associating any reprehensible acts with it. The prohibition in such gatherings arises if innovation accompanies them, such as specifying a number, time, or manner, or repeating in one voice. Al-Shatibi mentioned that an "additive innovation" (bid'ah idafiyyah) is the adherence to specific methods and forms, such as the gathering for dhikr (remembrance of Allah) in one voice, or committing to specific acts of worship at times not specified in the Sharia. There is no objection to women gathering in the home of a woman observing her 'iddah (waiting period).
Summarized from the full answer at Ftawy · reviewed Sep 2, 2026
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