8/22. Chapter:
Sunan Abi Dawud 1475 — The Qur'an Revealed in Seven Modes
Allah Revealed The Qur'an According To Seven Ahruf'
Seven Modes of Qur'an Recitation Hadith
Sunan Abi Dawud : 1475
Sunan Abi DawudHadith Number 1475
حَدَّثَنَا الْقَعْنَبِيُّ، عَنْ مَالِكٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، عَنْ عُرْوَةَ بْنِ الزُّبَيْرِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَبْدٍ الْقَارِيِّ، قَالَ سَمِعْتُ عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ، يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ هِشَامَ بْنَ حَكِيمِ بْنِ حِزَامٍ، يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ عَلَى غَيْرِ مَا أَقْرَؤُهَا وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَقْرَأَنِيهَا فَكِدْتُ أَنْ أَعْجَلَ عَلَيْهِ ثُمَّ أَمْهَلْتُهُ حَتَّى انْصَرَفَ ثُمَّ لَبَّبْتُهُ بِرِدَائِهِ فَجِئْتُ بِهِ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ هَذَا يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ عَلَى غَيْرِ مَا أَقْرَأْتَنِيهَا . فَقَالَ لَهُ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " اقْرَأْ " . فَقَرَأَ الْقِرَاءَةَ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُهُ يَقْرَأُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ " . ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي " اقْرَأْ " . فَقَرَأْتُ فَقَالَ " هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ " . ثُمَّ قَالَ " إِنَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ أُنْزِلَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ فَاقْرَءُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ " .
'Umar bin Al-Khattab Narrated from:
I heard Hisham b. Hakim (b. Hizam) reciting Surah al-Furqan in a different manner from my way of reciting, and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) had taught me to recite it. I nearly spoke sharply to him, but I delayed till he had finished. Then I caught his cloak at the neck, and I brought him to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ). I said: Messenger of Allah, I heard this man reciting Surah al-Furqan in a manner different from that in which you taught me to recite it.The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) the told him to recite it. He then recited in the manner I heard him recite. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: Thus was it sent down. He then said to me: Recite, I recited (it). He then said: Thus was it sent down. He said: The Qur'an was sent down in seven modes of reading, so recite according to what comes most easily.
[1] Different modes of recitation.Reference : Sunan Abi Dawud 1475In-book reference : Book 8, Hadith 60English translation : Book 8, Hadith 1470
Summary of Sunan Abi Dawud Hadith 1475
This hadith explains the seven modes of Qur'an recitation through an event involving Umar ibn al-Khattab and Hisham ibn Hakim. Umar heard Hisham reciting Surah Al-Furqan in a way different from what he had learned from the Messenger of Allah. He waited until Hisham finished, then brought him to the Prophet. The Prophet asked Hisham to recite and said that it was sent down that way. Then Umar recited, and the Prophet said the same about his recitation. He then explained that the Qur'an was sent down in seven modes, so people should recite what comes most easily. The hadith teaches care before judging another reciter and confirms allowed differences taught by the Prophet.
What we learn from this hadith
- Allowed differences in recitation can exist within what the Prophet approved.
- Umar waited until the recitation ended before taking action.
- The Prophet checked both recitations before giving judgment.
- The Qur'an was sent down in seven modes, with ease in recitation.
