The Quran is the key religious book of Islam. Its verses are recited and memorized by millions of Muslims all over the world. Relevant recitation is of paramount significance. The Quran was also maintained in various recitations in order to fit the diversity in languages. Such approaches are referred to as Qiraat. This paper discusses the identified Qiraat of the Holy Quran. We will also cover their history. Their influence will also be talked about.
The idea of Qiraat will be described in this post. You are going to get acquainted with seven major types and ten schools identified. We shall also demonstrate how these recitation methods were invented, and the reasons as to why they are important nowadays. Knowledge of Qiraat also enables one to be connected to the divine message of the Quran.
What is Qira’at?
The recitation of the Holy Quran in different ways is called qiraat. The singular form is Qira’ah. All these differences trace back to the era of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). They are viewed as genuine transmissions. Therefore, the variations do not alter the main message of the Quran. They instead exhibit the versatility of the Arabic text. Qiraat has its source in the fact that there are seven ‘Ahruf’ or modes in which the Quran was revealed.
There is a well-known hadith of an event between Umar ibn Al-Khattab and Hisham bin Hakim. They repeated Surah al-Furqan in another way. The Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) affirmed that the two recitations were good. He said, the Qur’an is revealed in seven different forms; therefore, say it in the form that is easier for you. Thus, this gave various tribes of Arabs the privilege of reciting the Quran in their dialects. Another point that Allah raises is the simplicity of the Quran. This doctrine also made sure that the scripture was made available to a wider and expanding community.
The Historical Development of Qira’at
Qiraat was transmitted orally. This practice was done by scholars called Qari (reciters). They transmitted the prayers from one generation to the next by memorizing them. Therefore, this was done to guarantee the authenticity of the Quranic text. It can be divided into a number of critical stages in its development.
The Prophet’s Era and the Seven Ahruf
The idea originated with the seven Ahruf. Therefore, this was a concession by God to aid the recitation by other Arab tribes. Therefore, there was a dialect in every tribe. It is on these modes that the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) taught his companions the Quran. It was also the grace of Allah that granted this flexibility. And, it also opened the divine message and made it available to all people irrespective of their language background.
The Uthmanic Codex
Islam was widespread during the caliphate of Uthman ibn Affan. Therefore, this caused controversy in the various styles of recitation. In order to make the Muslim people united, Uthman commissioned a collection of written text. Thus, this is referred to as the Uthmanic codex. It was sent to important Islamic hubs in copies. This codex had a simple script. It did not contain dots (i’jam) and vowel marks (harakat). Therefore, this rasm (skeletal text) had the capacity to accommodate some of the known Ahruf.
The Emergence of Recitation Schools.
After the Uthmanic codex had been disseminated, there were eminent scholars in the various cities who were now the experts in recitation. Therefore, these scholars were the students of the Prophet. They codified the recitation techniques according to their knowledge. Therefore, their schools gave birth to the Qiraat that we have to-day. Each school referred to its approach as the one of its prominent Qari. Thus, these schools did not start with new methods of reading. Thus, they were collecting and codifying the veritable texts of the Prophet.
The Ten Canonical Qira’at
Islamic scholars are aware of ten canonical Qira’at. The figures such as Ibn Mujahid standardized these in the 10 th century. Seven of those were selected initially because they were widely accepted and have continuous sets of transmission. Three others were eventually added and this made a total of ten. All the ten Qiraat have two main students called rawis.
The seven mutawatir (massively transmitted) Qira’at are:
- Nafi al-Madani (of Madinah): Warsh and Qalun are his transmitters. This reading is characterized by smooth melodic style. It is common in West and North Africa.
- Ibn Kathir al-Makki (of Makkah): It was narrated by Al-Bazzi and Qunbul. This reading is of dialect of Quraysh tribe.
- Abu Amr ibn al-Ala (Basri): This one is reported by Al-Duri and Al-Susi. It is characterized by clearness and clear pauses.
- Ibn Amir at-Dimashqi (of Damascus): Transmitted by Hisham and by Ibn Dhakwan. It possesses special regulations of vowel and consonant length.
- Asim ibn Abi al-Najud (of Kufah): This is the one transmitted by Hafs and Shu’bah. Hafs is the most prevalent recitation used in the Muslim world today mostly in the Middle East and South Asia.
- Hamzah az-Zaiyyat (of Kufah): Transmitted by Khalaf and Khallad. The specific pauses and articulated clarity of this reading are mentioned.
- Al-Kisa-i(of Kufah): Transmitted by Al-Duri and Abul-Harith. It also consists of peculiar rules of elongation and pronunciation.
The other three Mashhur (famous) Qira’at are:
- Abu Ja’far al-Madani (Madinah)
- Ya’qub al-Hadrami (from Basra)
- Khalaf al-Bazzar (from Kufah)
All ten readings satisfy three rigid criteria of authenticity. To begin with, they have to possess a legitimate, complete chain of transmission to the Prophet. Second, they have to conform to the principles of Arabic grammar. Third, they should be in conformity with the Uthmanic script. Any reading that does not fulfill these requirements is simply anomalous (shadh).
Differences Between Qira’at
Subtleties between the Qira in the Qira are minimal. Therefore, they do not go against the fundamentals of Islam. Thus, these distinctions may take place in several forms. Some have vowels or consonant pronunciation. As an illustration, a word can be pronounced using another short vowel. There are other variations, which include diacritical dots that may alter a consonant. In other words, the pronunciations of letters ta and ya can be used interchangeably in certain situations (based on the reading).
At times, the word itself may vary, yet the meaning is the same. One of them is found in Surah Al-Fatiha. Some people pronounce the word Malik (Master) as Malik, and others Melik (King). The two qualities are the properties of Allah. Such differences also add an extra meaning to the Quran. They give interpretive layers and show the richness of the holy text linguistically. They are not considered to be contradictory but complementary.
Why are Qira’at Important Today?
Several advantages can be achieved through learning about Qiraat. It enhances our understanding of the linguistic miracle in the Quran. It demonstrates the ways that one text might bear more than one level of meaning. Knowledge of the various recitations unites a believer to the continuity of transmission. This is traced all the way back to the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). This enhances the belief in the preservation of the Quran.
In practice, having known various Qiraat is an advantage in the field of listening to reciters who belong to various regions of the world. A Muslim in Egypt could recite in Warsh ‘an Nafi’ and a Saudi Arabian Muslim in Hafs ‘an ‘Asim. The knowledge of these differences avoids confusion. It enhances diversity and solidarity in the world of Muslims. Qiraat is also studied to offer the important context of Quranic exegesis (tafsir) and Islamic jurisprudence (fiqh).
Conclusion
The Qiraat are not historical monuments. They are living, breathing aspects of the Muslim religion. They are the act of a dynamic relationship between the divine word and human understanding. The presence of such differing versions of recitations dismantles the contemporary, hard and fast concept of one, fixed text. The message of the Quran was to be flowing. It was designed to be felt in other cultures and dialects. This necessary capacity of flexibility is a witness to its divine birth. It makes the Quran understandable and useful to everyone, everywhere, at all times. The Qiraat puts us in mind of the fact that the Quran is not a book of words. It is a melody of God-revelation, and each recitation brings its own harmony into the entire composition.
