6/48. Chapter:
Sahih Muslim 818a — The Qur'an Revealed in Seven Dialects
The clarification that the Qur’an was revealed in seven ahruf (modes of recitation), and clarifying its meaning
Qur'an Revealed in Seven Dialects: The Hadith of 'Umar and Hisham
Sahih Muslim : 818a
Sahih MuslimHadith Number 818a
حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ يَحْيَى، قَالَ قَرَأْتُ عَلَى 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 رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَرْسِلْهُ اقْرَأْ " . فَقَرَأَ الْقِرَاءَةَ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُهُ يَقْرَأُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ " . ثُمَّ قَالَ لِيَ " اقْرَأْ " . فَقَرَأْتُ فَقَالَ " هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ 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 style different from that in which I used to recite it, and in which Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had taught me to recite it. I was about to dispute with him (on this style) but I delayed till he had finished that (the recitation).Then I caught hold of his cloak and brought him to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said: Messenger of Allah, I heard this man reciting Surah al-Furqan in a style different from the one in which you taught me to recite. Upon this the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) told (me) to leave him alone and asked him to recite. He then recited in the style in which I heard him recite it. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) then said: Thus was it sent down. He then told me to recite and I recited it, and he said: Thus was it sent down. The Qur'an was sent down in seven dialects. So recite what seems easy therefrom.
Reference : Sahih Muslim 818aIn-book reference : Book 6, Hadith 327USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 4, Hadith 1782
Summary of Sahih Muslim Hadith 818a
This hadith about the Qur'an revealed in seven dialects shows a strong lesson in patience and verification. 'Umar heard Hisham reciting Surah al-Furqan in a style different from the one he had learned from the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم. He wanted to act quickly, but waited until Hisham finished. Then he brought him to the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم. The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم asked Hisham to recite and approved his recitation, saying it was sent down that way. He then asked 'Umar to recite and approved his recitation too. The teaching is clear: the Qur'an was sent down in seven dialects, so people should recite what is easy from it. The Hadith guides us to take recitation questions back to the Prophet's teaching, not to anger alone.
What we learn from this hadith
- 'Umar waited until the recitation finished before raising the issue.
- The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم approved both recitations in this report.
- The Qur'an is described here as sent down in seven dialects.
- Questions about recitation should be checked with sound guidance.
