THE AIMMAH OF QIRAAT

The different dialects of the Qur’aan which were recited by Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam) were revealed from Allah Ta’ala. The Sahaaba (Radhiallaahu Anhum) narrated a particular dialect which they heard from Rasulullah (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam).

Hadhrat Uthmaan (Radhiallaahu Anhu) compiled the Qur’aan during his era of Khilaafat. That was the official Qur’aan which was circulated among the Sahaaba and Taabi’een (RA).

During the first two centuries, there were approximately 25 different Qiraats, but they were not compiled. It was only in the third century that Imaam Abu Ubayd Qaasim ibn Salaam compiled the first book on Qiraat, ‘Kitaab al-Qiraat’. Thereafter, in the fourth century, Imaam Abu Bakr Ahmad ibn Moosa ibn Abbaas ibn Mujaahid compiled a Kitaab, namely ‘Kitaab as-Sab’ah’ in which he gathered seven Qiraat which were common in his era and commonly known as Qiraat as-Sab’ah.

Imaam Abu Muhammad Makki (RA) states that there were approximately 70 other Qiraats. However, he chose, only seven Qiraats and since he was a popular personality, his Kitaab also became very famous. That led to people concentrating only on the seven types of Qiraat.

Many great Aimmah disagreed with Imaam ibn Mujaahid of confining the Qiraats to seven and leaving out the other Qiraats. Therefore, they wrote Kitaabs consisting of the other Qiraats. Thus, we find that Qiraat al-Thalaathah (3 additional Qiraats) which we call Asharah.

Many people also have a misconception that the seven dialects that are mentioned in the Hadith is the famously known Qiraat Sab’ah, i.e. the Riwaayats (narrations) of Imaam Naafi’e, Ibn Kathir, etc. That is incorrect as these Qurraa, Imaam Naafi’ee, Imaam, ibn Kathir, etc. were not even born during the time of Nabi (Sallallaahu Alayhi Wasallam).

The Aimmah of Qiraat and their narrators

Imaam ; Narrator 1; Narrator 2

1. Imaam Naafi’e Madni; Imaam Qaaloon;Imaam Warsh

2. Imaam Ibn Katheer Makki; Imaam Bazzi;Imaam Qumbul

3. Imaam Abu Amr Basri; Imaam Doori;Imaam Soosi

4. Imaam Ibn Aamir Shaami; Imaam Hishaam;Imaam ibn Zakwan

5. Imaam Aasim Koofi; Imaam Shu’bah;Imaam Hafs

6. Imaam Hamza; Imaam Khalaf;Imaam Khallaad

7. Imaam Kisaaie; Imaam Abul Harith;Imaam Doori

8. Imaam Abu Ja’far Yazid Madni; Imaam ibn Wardaan;Imaam Ibn Jammaaz

9. Imaam Abu Ya’cub Hazrami; Imaam Ruwais;Imaam Rawh

10. Imaam Khalaf Bazzaar Kufi; Imaam Is-haaq Warraaq;Imaam Idrees ibn Abdul Kareem

Qari Ismail Abdul-Aziz
Head: Department of Qiraat – Madrasah In’aamiyyah, Camperdown
An expert in the fields of Qiraat (Seven dialects and ten dialects of Qiraat)

Last modified: January 29, 2006

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