The Science & Art of Qira'a: An Introduction (3)

Welcome, everyone, again, and I apologize for being late this time in posting as I have been a little too occupied with all the matters of college registration, a horrible case of paratyphoid fever/possibly just flu and an external course I am currently attending. However, I think I remember where we left off and where we should pick up today.

So the question we were trying to answer was: How come there are different readings of the Qura'n in the first place? Being Muslim, most Muslims are accustomed to hearing something of the following:

Christian books were from God but are now distorted. Human hands have tempered with it to the extent that if you pick up two Bibles, you might find so many differences between them. Even affecting meaning. And look at our Qura'n, alhamduli-Allah [thanks to Allah], if you pick up any two Qura'ns from anywhere around the world, they will read the same to the last letter, subhan Allah.

Well you now should know better than to listen idly to someone saying that! You can come back and strongly. And I'm saying this not because I'm a Christian-apologist or that I 'like Christians' but because I believe that Muslims must understand their religion. The above is not an animosity towards Christians as much as it is ignorance of one's own holy book, the Holy Qura'n, its methods of reading and the science we're introducing here.

So now, back to our topic. A hadith you will find rendered by many qari's and teachers in the science of qira'a:

The Qura'n was delivered on 'seven letters' and so read what you can of it.

The hadith is recorded in Sahih of Imam Muslim and in other Sahih books of hadith. The hadith is used to identify with the existence of readers [all relevant to the prophet PBUH] but certain scientists on the matter believe that to be not true. Certain explanations go as such: The idea was the the Qura'n was delivered in the different accents of the Arabs and their tribes [seven at time of delivery], including Quraysh [the prophet PBUH's tribe]. When Uthman-bin-Affan (May Allah Be Pleased With Him) later gathered it then, he gathered it on the letter of Quraysh and the readings we have today are on this letter of Quraysh.

Imams agree that differences exist between readings that will affect both pronunciation and meaning in certain cases. This is nothing to be ashamed of as a Muslim but something to be proud of. Many Muslims believe this verse of the Qura'n:

9. We have, without doubt, sent down the Message; and We will assuredly guard it (from corruption).

which is from Surat Al-Hijr (Chapter 15), to mean that Allah SWT has already revealed to us the way in which He will guard it from corruption, i.e: through two copies of the Qura'n not being different, etc. Of course, that is a little ignorant and naive. God works in ways above us and in ways we cannot, should not and will never understand.

So conclusion: This is a matter of religion and something you should be proud of knowing and understanding [I know I don't get all of it] not something that should cause or rise to doubts.

Simple differences are easy to spot of course. If you ever prayed behind an Imam reading with the reading of Warsh-An-Nafei then you will listen to him reading the common 'Malik yawmo el deen' in the Fatiha (Chapter 1 of the Qura'n) as 'Malk yawmo el deen'. Differences, of course, go deeper than that and can reach a complete change of word.

Now another issue in the science of qira'a is the science of makam. What is a makam? This article here will shed much better light on the matter than I can. Suffice to say, a makam is an essential tool for many readers including many many many of the Egyptian greats. Some common makams:
-Nahwand.
-Bayati.
-Saba.
-Ajam.
-Seeka.
-Rast.
-Kurd.
-Hijaz.

Word has it the total number extends to 400 or more makams! So what's the use of this to reading the Qura'n, you ask? Well: Imagine being able to manipulate your voice to fit particular verses with particular tones to instill the meaning deeper in the listener. This is what a makam is capable to present to its fair and intricate practitioner. It's a valuable tool used by many but also disliked by many who think it a new and unprecedented matter in religion and that, therefore, should be fought. Since our purpose is knowledge, we will mention it, however as it is part of the reading culture of today to a large extent, especially within Egypt.

Sheikh Mishary-bin-Rashid Al-Efassy displays his skills with some of the common makams:


Dr. Ahmad Ne'eina displays some makams on the same Surah:


Until we meet later, take care of yourself!

God bless!