The Qirā’āt

Shaykh Yasir Qadhi on the Qira’at

• “The Qira’at are manifestations of the remaining Ahruf.”
(Intro to the Sciences of the Qur’aan, p. 202)
 The Seven Letters are NOT the same as the
Seven/Ten Canonical Readings
Seven Letters (Sab’at Ahruf)
• Only a portion of the Seven
Letters was preserved in the
Mushaf of Sayyidna Uthman.
• These were permitted
variations in recital rather than
established schools of
recitation.
Canonical Readings/Qira’at
• The Qira’at are mass
transmitted from the time of
the Prophet, peace be upon
him, and are known and
recited today by trained
reciters. They go back to
schools of recitation that were
established by the Successors
who studied under the
Companions.
 Dr. Von Denffer on the Canonical Readings/Qira’at

• The canonical readings trace their origins back to prominent

readers (Qurra’) among the Sahaba, including:
• Ali b. Abi Talib
• Ubayy b. Ka’b
• Zaid b. Thabit
• Abu Musa Al-Ash’ari
• Ibn Masud
 Why Seven Qira’at?

• Again, these are not the same as the Seven Ahruf.

• A scholar named Ibn Mujahid (d. 324/936) gathered together
the seven most prevalent and reliable readings in a book,
along with the originators of those readings and their students.
• Subsequently, Imam Ibn Al-Jazari (d. 833/1429) other reliable
readings were added to this list, extending it to 10.
• Note that Von Denffer extends this list to 14. Only readings
1-10 are Sahih (authentic) readings. The remaining four are
Shaadh (irregular).
Qari Rawi
1. Nafi’ Qalun & Warsh
2. Ibn Kathir Al-Makki Al-Buzzi & Qunbul
3. Abu ‘Amr Al-Basri Al-Duri & Al-Susi
4. Ibn ’Amir Al-Shami Hisham & Ibn Dhakwan
5. ‘Asim Al-Kufi Shu’bah & Hafs
6. Hamza Al-Kufi Khalaf & Khallad
7. Al-Kisa’i Al-Layth & Al-Duri
8. Abu Ja’far Al-Madani Isa b. Wardan & Sulayman b.
Jamaz
9. Ya’qub Al-Basri Ruways & Ruh
10. Khalaf Ishaq & Idris
Conditions for a Qira’ah to become Canonical
● Criteria for Acceptable Qirā’āt

1. Conformance to the `Uthmani codex

2. Traced back to the Prophet, peace be upon him OR
Reliably transmitted, and widely recited in the community
(mutawatir)
3. Consistent with the conventions of Arabic grammar
Dr. Von Denffer on the Canonical Readings/Qira’at

• You should definitely know the Qira’ah of Hafs (180 AH/796 CE)
from Asim (127 AH/744 CE). Hafs was the top student (and
stepson) of Asim and both lived in Kufa, an important early
center of Islamic education.
• This reading became widespread in the Muslim world. The
second most prevalent reading, that of Warsh (197 AH/812 CE)
from Nafi’ (169 AH/785 CE) is largely only found in North Africa
(but not Egypt) and parts of the Sudan and West Africa.
• According to Shaykh Suheil Laher, the Ottomans were
responsible for popularizing the reading of Hafs from Asim.
Imam Asim’s
Isnad
The Chain of ‘Asim
● Asim (d. 127/745)

● Hafs (d. 180/796)

● Al-Hashimi
● Abu Tahir
● Fil
● Zar’an
● Shu’bah (d. 180/796)
Qari’ Rawi Tariq

• Asim • Hafs • Shatibi

Reem Osman’s Isnad, from Dr. Ingrid Mattson’s Story of the Qur’an
Who was Imam Shatibi?
• He was Al-Qasim b. Firruh b. Khalaf b. Ahmad b. Ru’ayni
Al-Shatibi
• He was born in 538/1144 in Shatiba, near present-day Valencia
in Spain.
• He was most famous for writing Hirz al-amani wa-wajh
al-tahani, know as the Lamiyyah or Shatibiyyah, in which he
compiled the seven most authentic Qira’at.
‫‪Samples of Two Qira’at of Surat Al-Duha‬‬

‫ﺳورة اﻟﺿﺣﻰ ﺑرواﯾﺔ ورش ﻋن ﻧﺎﻓﻊ اﻟﻘﺎرئ اﻟﺷﯾﺦ ﻋﺑد اﻟﻛرﯾم اﻟدﻏوش ‪• According to Warsh:‬‬

‫ﺳورة اﻟﺿﺣﻰ ﺑرواﯾﺔ ﺧﻠف ﻋن ﺣﻣزة ﻋﺑداﻟرﺷﯾد ﺻوﻓﻲ ‪• According to Hamza:‬‬

Multiple Qira’at of Surat Al-Fatiha

• 7 different ways of reciting Surat Al-Fatiha