how to memorise the

This week’s inspiration is a truly gifted and very well known recitor from Morroco who has studied in Al-Azhar in Egypt and received his Ijaazahs there. All the videos are recited in the recitation of Warsh ‘an Naafi’.

1. The Meaning of the Word ‘Ahruf’

The word ahruf is the plural of harf. Linguistically, ‘harf’ has a number of meanings, including:

1) ‘A letter or a word.’ Al-huruf al-abjadiyya, for example, means the letters of the alphabet.

2) ‘The border, the edge of something, the brink.’ For example, Allaah says,

“And among mankind is he who worships Allaah (as it were) upon a harf (i.e., upon the very edge, or in doubt)” [22:11]

3) ‘To swerve from the truth, to distort.’ Allaah says concerning the Jews,

“…they have displaced (lit., yaharifuna) words from their right places…” [4:46]

Its exact definition in Qur’aanic sciencs is the subject matter of this chapter, and therefore cannot be defined at this point. However, a temporary definition maybe given as follows: The ahruf are the various ways that the verses of the Qur’aan are read. Imaam al-Qurtubee (d. 671 A.H.) said, “Every variation of a word in the Qur’aan is said to be a harf. So, for example, when we say the harf of Ibn Mas’ood, it means the way that Ibn Mas’ood used to recite that verse or word.” (1)

Most English authors translate ahruf as ‘modes’ or ‘dialects.’ However, in this book the word will be left in Arabic since the meaning is broader than these translated words.

II. The Number of Ahruf of the Qur’aan

The Qur’aan was revealed in seven ahruf. The proof for this is found in many narrations from the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam), so much so that it reaches the level of mutawaatir. (2) Jalaal ad-Deen as-Suyootee lists twenty-one Companions who narrated that the Qur’aan was revealed in seven ahruf. (3) Some of these narrations are as follows:

1) Ibn ‘Abbaas reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said, “Jibreel recited the Qur’aan to me in one harf, and I recited it back to him, but I requested him to increase (the number of harf) and he continued to increase it for me, until we stopped at seven ahruf.” Ibn Shihaab az-Zuhree (d. 124 A.H.), one of the narrators of the hadeeth, said, “It has reached me that these seven ahruf are essentially one (in meaning), they do not differ about what is permitted or forbidden.” (4)

2) ‘Ubay ibn Ka’ab reported that the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) was once on the outskirts of Madeenah (near the tribe of Banoo Ghifaar) when Jibreel came to him and said, “Allaah has commanded that you recite the Qur’aan to your people in one harf.” The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) replied, “I ask Allaah’s pardon and forgiveness! My people are not capable of doing this!” Jibreel then came again and said, “Allaah has commanded you to recite the Qur’aan to your people in two ahruf.” The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) again replied, “I ask Allaah’s pardon and forgiveness! My people are not capable of doing this!” Jibreel then came a third time and said, “Allaah has commanded you to recite the Qur’aan to your people in three ahruf.” The Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) replied for a third time, “I ask Allaah’s pardon and forgiveness! My people are not capable of doing this!” At last, Jibreel came for the fourth time, and said, “Allaah has commanded you to recite the Qur’aan to your people in seven ahruf, and in whichever harf they recite, they would be right. (5)″

3) ‘Umar ibn al-Khattab narrated, “I was sitting in the masjid when I heard Hishaam ibn Hakeem recite Soorah al-Furqaan. I was almost about the jump on him in his prayer, but I waited until he finished, and then grabbed him by his garment and asked him, ‘Who taught you to recite in such a manner?’” He replied, ‘It was the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) himself!’ I responded, ‘You are mistaken, for indeed I learnt this soorah from the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) and it was different from your recitation!’ Therefore, I dragged him to the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) and complained to him that Hishaam had recited Soorah al-Furqaan in a manner different from what he (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) had taught me. At this, the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) told me to let go of Hishaam, and asked him to recite Soorah al-Furqaan. Hishaam recited the Soorah in the same way I had heard him before. When he finished, the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said, ‘It was revealed this way.’ He then asked me to recite the same soorah. When I had finished, he (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said, ‘It was (also) revealed this way. Indeed, the Qur’aan has been revealed in seven different ahruf, so recite whichever one is easy for you.’” (6)

4) In a story similar to ‘Umar’s, ‘Ubay ibn Ka’ab also heard two people reciting the Qur’aan in a manner different from what he had learnt. After some discussion, both parties went to the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) and recited the same portion to him. He (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) approved of both parties’ recitations. At this point, Ubay narrates, “…there occurred in my mind a sort of denial and doubt that did not exist even in the time of Jaahilliyah (before Islaam)! When the Messenger (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) saw how I was affected, he struck my chest, whereupon I started sweating, and felt as though I were looking at Allaah in fear! Then the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) said, ‘O Ubay! A message was sent to me to recite the Qur’aan in one harf, but I requested (Allaah) to make things easy on my nation. A second message came that I should recite the Qur’aan in two ahruf, but I again made the same request. I was then ordered to recite the Qur’aan in seven ahruf.’” (7)

5) Ubay ibn Ka’ab narrates that once the Prophet (sallallaahu ‘alayhi wasallam) met Jibreel, and sais, “O Jibreel! I have been sent to an illiterate nation. Among them are old and young men and women, and those who have never read any writing!” Jibreel answered him, “O Muhammad, the Qur’aan has been revealed in seven ahruf!” (8)

There are many other hadeeth that confirm that the Qur’aan was revealed in seven ahruf, but these narrations will suffice for the present discussion.

Footnotes:

1. Ubaydaat, p. 153.

2. A mutawaatir hadeeth is one that is reported by a large number of narrators in every stage of the chain, so much so that they could not all be mistaken or agree upon a lie.

3. as-Suyootee, vol. 1, p. 45.

4. Narrated by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim

5. Narrated by Muslim.

6. Narrated by al-Bukhaaree and Muslim.

7. Narrated by Muslim

8. Narrated by at-Tirmidhee

Extracted from ‘An Introduction to the Sciences of the Qur’aan’