Reciting Surah Al-Kahf on Friday in the View of the Scholars

Regardless of the controversy surrounding the Hadiths about the virtue of reciting Surah Al-Kahf specifically on Friday. Regardless of the authenticity (or lack thereof) of the specific pieces of evidence (dalīl) regarding the recommendation to recite Surah Al-Kahf on Friday. Regardless of some contemporary scholars who rule the specific recitation of Surah Al-Kahf on Friday to be an innovation (bid'ah) or even prohibit it. Here are the views of the classical scholars (ulama) from the four schools of jurisprudence (madhhabs) concerning the recommendation to recite Surah Al-Kahf specifically on Friday. 

Hanafiyah (Hanafi School)

The recommendation to recite Surah Al-Kahf specifically on Friday is not mentioned in many Ḥanafī fiqh references, especially those of the early scholars (mutaqaddimīn). It is possible that the matter was not famous or was simply not known among the early Ḥanafīyah. Nevertheless, the recommendation is affirmed by the later Ḥanafī scholars (muta'akhkhirīn), particularly those of the 10th Hijri century.

Al-'Allāmah Al-Ḥaṣkafī Al-Ḥanafī said,

وَفِيهَا سُئِلَ بَعْضُ الْمَشَايِخِ لَيْلَةُ الْجُمُعَةِ أَفْضَلُ أَمْ يَوْمُهَا؟ فَقَالَ: يَوْمُهَا ذُكِرَ فِي إحْكَامَاتِ الْأَشْبَاهِ مِمَّا اخْتَصَّ بِهِ يَوْمُهَا قِرَاءَةُ الْكَهْفِ فِيهِ

"In this regard, some of the Mashāyikh (scholars) were asked, 'Which is better, the night of Friday (Laylat al-Jumu'ah) or the day of Friday (Yawm al-Jumu'ah)?' He replied, 'The day of Friday.' It is mentioned in Iḥkāmāt Al-Ashbāh that among the things specific to Friday is the recitation of Al-Kahf on it." (Ad-Durr Al-Mukhtār 1/111)

This was further affirmed by Al-'Allāmah Ibn 'Ābidīn Al-Ḥanafī:

قَوْلُهُ "قِرَاءَةُ الْكَهْفِ" أَيْ يَوْمَهَا وَلَيْلَتَهَا، وَالْأَفْضَلُ فِي أَوَّلِهِمَا مُبَادَرَةً لِلْخَيْرِ وَحَذَرًا مِنْ الْإِهْمَالِ وَأَنْ يُكْثِرَ مِنْهَا فِيهِمَا

"His (Al-Ḥaṣkafī's) saying 'recitation of Al-Kahf' means on its day or its night. And the most virtuous is at the beginning of them (i.e., Friday night), in hastening to goodness and avoiding neglect, and that one should recite it often during both." (Ar-Radd Al-Mukhtār 2/164)

This is the mu'tamad (relied-upon) opinion and is practiced in Ḥanafī fiqh: it is recommended (mandūb/mustaḥabb) to recite Surah Al-Kahf specifically on the night and day of Friday.

Malikiyah (Maliki School)

A similar situation exists in the Mālikī madhhab. The recommendation to recite Surah Al-Kahf specifically is not mentioned in many Mālikī fiqh references. Although it is not discussed, no Mālikī scholar has denied it. Rather, some Mālikīyah support it. This is hinted at by Imam Ibnul Hājj Al-Mālikī, who was known to be strict in criticizing the worship practices of the common folk.

Ibnul Hājj said,

كَذَلِكَ فَيَنْبَغِي لَهُ أَنْ يَنْهَى النَّاسَ عَمَّا أَحْدَثُوهُ مِنْ قِرَاءَةِ سُورَةِ الْكَهْفِ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ جَمَاعَةً فِي الْمَسْجِدِ أَوْ غَيْرِهِ وَإِنْ كَانَ قَدْ وَرَدَ اسْتِحْبَابُ قِرَاءَتِهَا كَامِلَةً فِي يَوْمِ الْجُمُعَةِ خُصُوصًا فَذَلِكَ مَحْمُولٌ عَلَى مَا كَانَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَفُ - رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُمْ - لَا عَلَى مَا نَحْنُ عَلَيْهِ فَيَقْرَأُهَا سِرًّا فِي نَفْسِهِ فِي الْمَسْجِدِ أَوْ جَهْرًا فِي غَيْرِهِ أَوْ فِيهِ إنْ كَانَ الْمَسْجِدُ مَهْجُورًا مَا لَمْ يَكُنْ فِيهِ مَنْ يَتَشَوَّشُ بِقِرَاءَتِهِ وَالسِّرُّ أَفْضَلُ، وَأَمَّا اجْتِمَاعُهُمْ لِذَلِكَ فَبِدْعَةٌ كَمَا تَقَدَّمَ

"Likewise, it is appropriate for him (the ruler/authority) to forbid the people from what they have innovated, which is reciting Surah Al-Kahf on Friday in congregation in the mosque or elsewhere. Even if there are narrations of the desirability (istiḥbāb) of reciting it completely on Friday specifically, that is understood according to the manner of the pious predecessors (salaf) — may Allah be pleased with them — not according to our manner. So one should recite it silently to oneself in the mosque or aloud (jahr) elsewhere, or in the mosque if it is abandoned, as long as there is no one present who is disturbed by the recitation, and silent recitation is better. As for their gathering together for this, that is an innovation (bid'ah), as mentioned before." (Al-Madkhal 2/281)

Ibnul Hājj here recommends the recitation of Surah Al-Kahf on Friday but with the condition that it must be done individually and not in a deliberate gathering or congregation.

Syafiiyah (Shafi'i School)

In contrast to the Ḥanafīyah and Mālikīyah, the Shāfi'īyah explicitly recommend reciting Surah Al-Kahf specifically on the day and night of Friday. This affirmation comes directly from Imam Asy-Syafii himself and was continued by the followers of his madhhab.

Imam Asy-Syafii said, as narrated by his student Ar-Rabī' bin Sulaymān,

وَأُحِبُّ قِرَاءَةَ الْكَهْفِ لَيْلَةَ الْجُمُعَةِ وَيَوْمَهَا لِمَا جَاءَ فِيهَا

"I like the recitation of Surah Al-Kahf on the night of Friday and its day because of what has been narrated concerning it." (Al-Umm 1/239)

This practice is undoubtedly established in the Shāfi'ī madhhab. Imam An-Nawawi and Imam Ar-Rāfi'ī agreed on this matter. Imam Ar-Rāfi'ī mentioned, and Imam An-Nawawi approved,

وَيُسْتَحَبُّ قِرَاءَةُ سُورَةِ الْكَهْفِ يَوْمَهَا وَلَيْلَتَهَا

"And it is recommended (mustaḥabb) to recite Surah Al-Kahf on its day and its night." (Rawḍat Aṭh-Ṭhālibīn 2/46)

Hanabilah (Hanbali School) 

Similar to the Shāfi'īyah, the recommendation to recite Surah Al-Kahf specifically on Friday is also very famous in the Ḥanbalī madhhab. This recommendation is even said to have been explicitly stipulated (naṣṣ) by Imam Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal.

Al-'Allāmah Al-Mardāwī Al-Ḥanbalī said,

(وَيَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْكَهْفِ فِي يَوْمِهَا) هَكَذَا قَالَ جُمْهُورِ الْأَصْحَابِ وَنَصَّ عَلَيْهِ الْإِمَامُ أَحْمَدُ

"(And one recites Surah Al-Kahf on its day). This is what the majority of scholars (Ḥanābilah) said and was explicitly stipulated by Imam Aḥmad." (Al-Inṣāf 2/408).

Imam Ibn Taymiyyah Al-Hanbalī said,

قِرَاءَةُ سُورَةِ الْكَهْفِ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ فِيهَا آثَارٌ ذَكَرَهَا أَهْلُ الْحَدِيثِ وَالْفِقْهِ لَكِنْ هِيَ مُطْلَقَةٌ يَوْمَ الْجُمُعَةِ

"The recitation of Surah Al-Kahf on Friday has reports (āthār) mentioned by the people of Hadith and Fiqh, but it is general to the day of Friday." (Majmū' Al-Fatāwā 24/215)

However, some Hanbalis like Abu Al-Ma’ali and Ad-Dujaili affirmed its recommendation also applies to the night of Jumu'ah (Thursday night), as quoted by Ibrahim Ibn Muflih[2]. The recommendation to read the Qur'an on the night of Jumu'ah was also finally affirmed by some later Hanbali scholars (muta'akhirin), such as Al-Hijawi, Al-Karmi, and Ibn Balban.[3] Meanwhile, other Hanbalis only affirmed its recommendation for the day of Jumu'ah (Friday). This was affirmed by Abul-Khattab, Ibn Qudamah, Ibn Muflih, Ibn Taymiyyah, Ibnul Qayyim, Al-Buhuti, and Al-Khalwati.[4] Imam Ibn Taymiyyah Al-Hanbali said,

قَالَ لِي أَحَمَدُ بْنَ حَنْبَلَ: "يَا أَبَا الْحَسَنِ، إِيَّاكَ أَنْ تَتَكَلَّمَ فِي مَسْأَلَةٍ لَيْسَ لَكَ فِيهَا إِمَامٌ"

"Aḥmad bin Ḥanbal said to me, 'O Abul Ḥasan, beware of speaking (giving an opinion) on an issue for which you have no Imam (precedent from a recognized scholar).'" (Narrated by Ibnul Jawzī in Manāqib al-Imām Aḥmad I/245). 

Wallahu a’lam.