The Qur’an was revealed in one style at the beginning. But the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) kept asking Jibreel until he taught him seven styles (ways of reciting Quran), all of which were complete. The evidence for that is the hadeeth of Ibn Abbaas. He narrated that the Prophet (ﷺ) said: “Jibreel taught me one style and I reviewed it until he taught me more. And I kept asking him for more and he gave me more until finally there were seven styles.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari & Muslim)
What is meant by Seven Styles (سبعة أحرف)?
Among the scholarly opinions, the best is that there are seven ways of reciting Quran, where the wording may differ but the meaning is the same. If there is a different meaning then it is by way of variations on a theme, not opposing and contradiction.
Some of the scholars said that what was meant by ahruf was the dialects of the Arabs. But this is far-fetched, because of the hadith of Umar ibn al-Khattaab. It is known that Hisham was Asadi Qurashi (i.e., from the clan of Bani Asad in Quraysh) and ‘Umar was ‘Adawi Qurashi (i.e., from the clan of Bani ‘Adiyy in Quraysh). Both of them were from Quraysh and they had only one dialect. If the difference in ahruf (styles) had been a difference in dialects, why would two men of Quraysh be different? The scholars mentioned nearly forty different opinions concerning this matter. Perhaps the most correct is that which we have mentioned above. And Allah knows best.
It seems that the seven styles were revealed with different wordings.
This is indicated by the hadith of Umar, because Umar’s objection was to the style, not the meaning. The differences between these styles (Ways of reciting Quran) are not the matter of contradiction and opposition. Instead they are synonymous, as Ibn Mas’ood said: “It is like one of you saying halumma, aqbil or ta’aal (all different ways of saying ‘Come here’).”
The hadeeth of Umar ibn al-Khattaab who said: “I heard Hisham ibn Hakim reciting Surat al-Furqan in a manner different from that in which I used to recite it and the way in which the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) taught me to recite it. I was about to argue with him whilst he was praying. But I waited until he finished his prayer. And then I tied his garment around his neck and seized him by it and brought him to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).
And said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, I heard this man reciting Surat-al-Furqan in a way different to the way you taught it to me.’ The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to him, ‘Recite it,’ and he recited it as I had heard him recite it. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said, ‘It was revealed like this.’ Then he said to me, ‘Recite it,’ so I recited it and he said, ‘It was revealed like this.’ This Qur’an has been revealed in seven different ways, so recite it in the way that is easiest for you.’” (Narrated by al-Bukhari & Muslim)
Seven Recitations (القراءات السبعة)
With regard to this number, it is not based on the Qur’an and Sunnah, rather it is the ijtihaad of Ibn Mujaahid. People thought that al-ahruf al-saba’ (seven styles) were al-qiraa’aat al-saba’ (seven recitations) because they happened to be same number. But this number may have come about coincidentally. Or it may have been done deliberately by Ibn Mujahid to match what was narrated about the number of styles (ahruf) being seven. Some people thought that the styles (ahruf) were the recitations (ways of reciting Quran), but this is a mistake. No such comment is known among the scholars. The seven recitations (ways of reciting Quran) are one of the seven styles. And this is the style that Uthman chose for all the Muslims.
When Uthman made copies of the Qur’an, he did so according to one style (harf). But he omitted the dots and vowel points so that some other styles could also be accommodated. So the Mushaf that was copied in his time could be read according to other styles. Basically whatever styles were accommodated by the Mushaf of Uthman remained in use. While the styles that could not be accommodated fell into disuse. The people had started to criticize one another for reciting differently. so Uthman united them by giving them one style of the Qur’an.
Who were the seven readers or reciters?
1) Naafi’ al-Madani
2) Ibn Katheer al-Makki
3) Aasim al-Kufi
4) Hamzah al-Zayaat al-Kufi
5) Al-Kisaa’i al-Kufi
6) Abu ‘Amr ibn al-‘Ala’ al-Basri
7) Abd-Allaah ibn ‘Aamir al-Shaami
The ones who have the strongest isnaad in recitation are Naafi’ and ‘Aasim. The most eloquent are Abu ‘Amr and al-Kisaa’i. Warsh and Qaaloon narrated from Naafi’. Hafs and Shu’bah narrated from ‘Aasim.
Are the seven modes of recitation Mutawatir?
The majority of scholars of recitation and usool are of the view that the seven modes (ways of reciting Quran) are mutawatir. That is the chain of narration goes back to the Prophet (ﷺ). Some of them differed concerning that, such as Abu Shaamah – according to one of his views – and at-Tawfi and ash-Shawkaani. However the correct view concerning that is the view of the majority; that is the right view which must be adopted.
Shihaab ad-Deen ad-Dimyaati said: Taaj al-A’immah as-Subki – who is Taaj ad-Deen ‘Abd al-Wahhaab as-Subki – said in his fatwas: The seven modes of recitation to which ash-Shaatibi referred, to the exclusion of others, and the three others – namely the recitation of Abu Ja‘far, the recitation of Ya‘qoob and the recitation of Khalaf – are mutawaatir and well-known. And it is an established fact in the religion that they were revealed to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).
No one would stubbornly disagree with that except one who is ignorant. They are not only regarded as mutawatir by those who know these ten modes of recitation. But rather they are regarded as mutawatir by every Muslim who says “I bear witness that there is no god but Allah and I bear witness that Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah,” even if he is rough and uneducated and has not memorized even one letter of the Qur’an.
He said: We could elaborate on the proof and evidence, but we do not have room to discuss this matter at length here. However, what is expected of every Muslim, and what he should do is to accept before Allah. While being certain that what we have mentioned is mutawatir and is known for certain. And there is no room for doubt or uncertainty about it.
Consensus on seven modes of recitation being Mutawatir
Shihaab ad-Deen ad-Dimyaati further said: The seven modes of recitation are mutawatir according to consensus. As are the three others: the recitations of Abu Ja‘far, Ya‘qoob and Khalaf. This is according to the more correct view. In fact the correct, favored view, which is what we learned from most of our shaykhs, is that the recitations of the other four – Ibn Muhaysin, al-Yazeedi, al-Hasan and al-A‘mash, are odd (shaadhdh), according to scholarly consensus.
An-Nawawi said:
Our companions and others said: It is permissible to recite, in prayer and otherwise, according to any of the seven modes of recitation. But it is not permissible to recite, in prayer or otherwise, according to an odd mode of recitation, because that is not Qur’an. Qur’an can only be proven by means of mutawatir reports, and each of the seven modes of recitation is mutawatir. This is the correct view which one must accept, and whoever says otherwise is wrong or ignorant. End quote from al-Majmoo (3/392)
Ibn an-Najjaar al-Fatoohi said: The seven modes of recitation are mutawaatir according to the four imams and other leading Sunni scholars. This was narrated by as-Sarakhsi, who was one of the companions of ash-Shaafa‘i, in Kitaab as-Sawm in al-Ghaayah. He said: The Mu‘tazilah said: (The modes of recitation are transmitted via) aahaad reports. [An aahaad hadith is one of which the narrators at each stage of the isnaad are too few for it to be regarded as mutawaatir.] End quote from Sharh al-Kawkab al-Muneer (2/127)
Az-Zarqaani said: The fact that is supported by evidence is that the ten modes of recitation are all mutawaatir. This is the view of the scholars of usool and of recitation. Such as Ibn as-Subki, Ibn al-Jazari and an-Nuwayri. End quote from Manaahil al-‘Irfaan (1/441)
Wallahualam.
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