Quran Recitation Styles
Total Hadiths 5
Prophetic Hadiths on Quran Recitation Styles and Ease of Reading
These authentic prophetic traditions shed light on the beautiful flexibility and unity surrounding Quran Recitation Styles. The Sahaba occasionally experienced confusion over differing pronunciations, as seen when Umar bin Al-Khattab questioned Hisham bin Hakim's manner of reciting Surat Al-Furqan. However, the Prophet Muhammad (ﷺ) clarified that the Holy Qur'an was divinely revealed to Angel Gabriel in seven distinct modes or dialects to facilitate ease for the entire Muslim community, explicitly instructing believers to read whichever way is easiest. Concurrently, the Prophet warned strongly against disputation, arguing, and entering into fierce arguments over Quranic verses, noting that such internal conflicts ruined earlier nations. Believers are advised by Islamic scholars to recite the text while their hearts remain unified in agreement and to pause if deep disagreements or strong personal variances emerge, preserving the ultimate sanctity of the divine message.
حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ بْنُ حَرْبٍ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، عَنْ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ بْنِ مَيْسَرَةَ، عَنِ النَّزَّالِ بْنِ سَبْرَةَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، أَنَّهُ سَمِعَ رَجُلاً، يَقْرَأُ آيَةً، سَمِعَ النَّبِيَّ صلى الله عليه وسلم خِلاَفَهَا، فَأَخَذْتُ بِيَدِهِ فَانْطَلَقْتُ بِهِ إِلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ " كِلاَكُمَا مُحْسِنٌ فَاقْرَآ ـ أَكْبَرُ عِلْمِي قَالَ ـ فَإِنَّ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمُ اخْتَلَفُوا فَأَهْلَكَهُمْ ".
`Abdullah Narrated from:
Narrated `Abdullah: That he heard a man reciting a Quranic Verse which he had heard the Prophet (ﷺ) reciting in a different way. So he took that man to the Prophet (and told him the story). The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "Both of you are reciting in a correct way, so carry on reciting." The Prophet (ﷺ) further added, "The nations which were before you were destroyed (by Allah) because they differed."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5062In-book reference : Book 66, Hadith 87USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 6, Book 61, Hadith 582
حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ عُفَيْرٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي اللَّيْثُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عُقَيْلٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ، أَنَّ الْمِسْوَرَ بْنَ مَخْرَمَةَ، وَعَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ عَبْدٍ الْقَارِيَّ، حَدَّثَاهُ أَنَّهُمَا، سَمِعَا عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ، يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ هِشَامَ بْنَ حَكِيمٍ، يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ فِي حَيَاةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَاسْتَمَعْتُ لِقِرَاءَتِهِ فَإِذَا هُوَ يَقْرَأُ عَلَى حُرُوفٍ كَثِيرَةٍ لَمْ يُقْرِئْنِيهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَكِدْتُ أُسَاوِرُهُ فِي الصَّلاَةِ فَتَصَبَّرْتُ حَتَّى سَلَّمَ فَلَبَّبْتُهُ بِرِدَائِهِ فَقُلْتُ مَنْ أَقْرَأَكَ هَذِهِ السُّورَةَ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُكَ تَقْرَأُ. قَالَ أَقْرَأَنِيهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم. فَقُلْتُ كَذَبْتَ فَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَدْ أَقْرَأَنِيهَا عَلَى غَيْرِ مَا قَرَأْتَ، فَانْطَلَقْتُ بِهِ أَقُودُهُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقُلْتُ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ هَذَا يَقْرَأُ بِسُورَةِ الْفُرْقَانِ عَلَى حُرُوفٍ لَمْ تُقْرِئْنِيهَا. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَرْسِلْهُ اقْرَأْ يَا هِشَامُ ". فَقَرَأَ عَلَيْهِ الْقِرَاءَةَ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُهُ يَقْرَأُ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " كَذَلِكَ أُنْزِلَتْ ". ثُمَّ قَالَ " اقْرَأْ يَا عُمَرُ ". فَقَرَأْتُ الْقِرَاءَةَ الَّتِي أَقْرَأَنِي، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " كَذَلِكَ أُنْزِلَتْ، إِنَّ هَذَا الْقُرْآنَ أُنْزِلَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ فَاقْرَءُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ ".
'Umar bin Al-Khattab Narrated from:
I heard Hisham bin Hakim reciting Surat Al-Furqan during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and I listened to his recitation and noticed that he recited in several different ways which Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had not taught me. I was about to jump over him during his prayer, but I controlled my temper, and when he had completed his prayer, I put his upper garment around his neck and seized him by it and said, "Who taught you this Sura which I heard you reciting?"He replied, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) taught it to me." I said, "You have told a lie, for Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) has taught it to me in a different way from yours." So I dragged him to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said (to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)), "I heard this person reciting Surat Al-Furqan in a way which you haven't taught me!"On that Allah's Apostle said, "Release him, (O `Umar!) Recite, O Hisham!" Then he recited in the same way as I heard him reciting. Then Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "It was revealed in this way," and added, "Recite, O `Umar!" I recited it as he had taught me. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) then said, "It was revealed in this way. This Qur'an has been revealed to be recited in seven different ways, so recite of it whichever (way) is easier for you (or read as much of it as may be easy for you).
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4992In-book reference : Book 66, Hadith 14USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 6, Book 61, Hadith 514
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْيَمَانِ، أَخْبَرَنَا شُعَيْبٌ، عَنِ الزُّهْرِيِّ، قَالَ أَخْبَرَنِي عُرْوَةُ، عَنْ حَدِيثِ الْمِسْوَرِ بْنِ مَخْرَمَةَ، وَعَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ عَبْدٍ الْقَارِيِّ، أَنَّهُمَا سَمِعَا عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ، يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ هِشَامَ بْنَ حَكِيمِ بْنِ حِزَامٍ، يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ فِي حَيَاةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَاسْتَمَعْتُ لِقِرَاءَتِهِ فَإِذَا هُوَ يَقْرَؤُهَا عَلَى حُرُوفٍ كَثِيرَةٍ لَمْ يُقْرِئْنِيهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَكِدْتُ أُسَاوِرُهُ فِي الصَّلاَةِ فَانْتَظَرْتُهُ حَتَّى سَلَّمَ فَلَبَبْتُهُ فَقُلْتُ مَنْ أَقْرَأَكَ هَذِهِ السُّورَةَ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُكَ تَقْرَأُ قَالَ أَقْرَأَنِيهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم. فَقُلْتُ لَهُ كَذَبْتَ فَوَاللَّهِ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم لَهُوَ أَقْرَأَنِي هَذِهِ السُّورَةَ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُكَ، فَانْطَلَقْتُ بِهِ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَقُودُهُ فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ هَذَا يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ عَلَى حُرُوفٍ لَمْ تُقْرِئْنِيهَا وَإِنَّكَ أَقْرَأْتَنِي سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ. فَقَالَ " يَا هِشَامُ اقْرَأْهَا ". فَقَرَأَهَا الْقِرَاءَةَ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُهُ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ ". ثُمَّ قَالَ " اقْرَأْ يَا عُمَرُ ". فَقَرَأْتُهَا الَّتِي أَقْرَأَنِيهَا، فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ ". ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " إِنَّ الْقُرْآنَ أُنْزِلَ عَلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ فَاقْرَءُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ ".
'Umar bin Al-Khattab Narrated from:
I heard Hisham bin Hakim bin Hizam reciting Surat-al-Furqan during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ), and I listened to his recitation and noticed that he recited it in several ways which Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had not taught me. So I was on the point of attacking him in the prayer, but I waited till he finished his prayer, and then I seized him by the collar and said, "Who taught you this Surah which I have heard you reciting?"He replied, "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) taught it to me." I said, "You are telling a lie; By Allah! Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) taught me (in a different way) this very Surah which I have heard you reciting." So I took him, leading him to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) and said, "O Allah's Messenger (ﷺ)! I heard this person reciting Surat-al-Furqan in a way that you did not teach me, and you have taught me Surat-al-Furqan."The Prophet said, "O Hisham, recite!" So he recited in the same way as I heard him recite it before. On that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "It was revealed to be recited in this way." Then Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Recite, O `Umar!" So I recited it as he had taught me. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) then said, "It was revealed to be recited in this way." Allah" Apostle added, "The Qur'an has been revealed to be recited in several different ways, so recite of it that which is easier for you."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 5041In-book reference : Book 66, Hadith 65USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 6, Book 61, Hadith 561
قَالَ أَبُو عَبْدِ اللَّهِ وَقَالَ اللَّيْثُ حَدَّثَنِي يُونُسُ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، أَخْبَرَنِي عُرْوَةُ بْنُ الزُّبَيْرِ، أَنَّ الْمِسْوَرَ بْنَ مَخْرَمَةَ، وَعَبْدَ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنَ عَبْدٍ الْقَارِيَّ، أَخْبَرَاهُ أَنَّهُمَا، سَمِعَا عُمَرَ بْنَ الْخَطَّابِ، يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ هِشَامَ بْنَ حَكِيمٍ، يَقْرَأُ سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ فِي حَيَاةِ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَاسْتَمَعْتُ لِقِرَاءَتِهِ، فَإِذَا هُوَ يَقْرَؤُهَا عَلَى حُرُوفٍ كَثِيرَةٍ لَمْ يُقْرِئْنِيهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم كَذَلِكَ، فَكِدْتُ أُسَاوِرُهُ فِي الصَّلاَةِ فَانْتَظَرْتُهُ حَتَّى سَلَّمَ، ثُمَّ لَبَّبْتُهُ بِرِدَائِهِ أَوْ بِرِدَائِي فَقُلْتُ مَنْ أَقْرَأَكَ هَذِهِ السُّورَةَ قَالَ أَقْرَأَنِيهَا رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قُلْتُ لَهُ كَذَبْتَ فَوَاللَّهِ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم أَقْرَأَنِي هَذِهِ السُّورَةَ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُكَ تَقْرَؤُهَا. فَانْطَلَقْتُ أَقُودُهُ إِلَى رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقُلْتُ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنِّي سَمِعْتُ هَذَا يَقْرَأُ بِسُورَةِ الْفُرْقَانِ عَلَى حُرُوفٍ لَمْ تُقْرِئْنِيهَا، وَأَنْتَ أَقْرَأْتَنِي سُورَةَ الْفُرْقَانِ. فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " أَرْسِلْهُ يَا عُمَرُ، اقْرَأْ يَا هِشَامُ ". فَقَرَأَ عَلَيْهِ الْقِرَاءَةَ الَّتِي سَمِعْتُهُ يَقْرَؤُهَا. قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " هَكَذَا أُنْزِلَتْ ". ثُمَّ قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم " اقْرَأْ يَا عُمَرُ ". 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 bin Al-Hakim reciting Surat Al-Furqan during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). I listened to his recitation and noticed that he recited it in several different ways which Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) had not taught me. So I was about to jump over him during his Salat (prayer) but I waited till he finished his Salat (prayer) whereupon I put, either his upper garment or my upper garment around his neck and seized him by it and asked him, "Who has taught you this Surah?"He replied: "Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) has taught it to me." I said (to him), "You have told a lie! By Allah, Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) has taught me this Surah which I have heard you reciting." So I dragged him to the Allah's Messenger (ﷺ). I said: "O Allah's Messenger I have heard this man reciting Surat Al-Furqan in a way in which you have not taught me, and you did teach me Surah Al-Furqan."On that Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "O 'Umar, release him! Recite, O Hisham". So Hisham recited before him in the way as I heard him reciting. Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "It has been revealed like this." Then Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Recite, O 'Umar" So recited it. The Prophet (ﷺ) said, "It has been revealed like this." And then he added, "This Qur'an has been revealed to be recited in seven different ways, so recite it whichever way is easier for you."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 6936In-book reference : Book 88, Hadith 18USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 1, Book 84, Hadith 69
حَدَّثَنَا سَعِيدُ بْنُ عُفَيْرٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي اللَّيْثُ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عُقَيْلٌ، عَنِ ابْنِ شِهَابٍ، قَالَ حَدَّثَنِي عُبَيْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ، أَنَّ ابْنَ عَبَّاسٍ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ حَدَّثَهُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَالَ " أَقْرَأَنِي جِبْرِيلُ عَلَى حَرْفٍ فَرَاجَعْتُهُ، فَلَمْ أَزَلْ أَسْتَزِيدُهُ وَيَزِيدُنِي حَتَّى انْتَهَى إِلَى سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ ".
`Abdullah bin `Abbas Narrated from:
Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) said, "Gabriel recited the Qur'an to me in one way. Then I requested him (to read it in another way), and continued asking him to recite it in other ways, and he recited it in several ways till he ultimately recited it in seven different ways."
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4991In-book reference : Book 66, Hadith 13USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 6, Book 61, Hadith 513
