Umar bin Al-Khattab, may Allah be pleased with him, said: "I heard Hisham bin Hakim bin Hizam reciting: Surat Al-Furqan, in a way that the Prophet of Allah (ﷺ) had not taught me. I said: 'Who taught you this Surah?' He said: 'The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).' I said: 'You are lying; the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) did not teach you like that. 'I took him by the hand and brought him to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) and said: 'O Messenger of Allah, you taught me Surat Al-Furqan, but I heard this man reciting it in a way that you did not teach me.' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Recite, O Hisham.' So he recited it as he had recited it (before). The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'It was revealed like this.' Then he said: 'Recite, O Umar.' So I recited it, and he said: 'It was revealed like this.' Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'The Quran was revealed to be recited in seven different modes.'"
The Incident of Variant Recitations
This narration from Sunan an-Nasa'i (936) in "The Book of the Commencement of the Prayer" demonstrates the divine wisdom in permitting multiple authentic recitations (qira'at) of the Quran. When Umar heard Hisham reciting Surah al-Furqan differently, his immediate concern was preserving the purity of revelation. His bringing the matter to the Prophet exemplifies the Companions' vigilance in protecting the Quran from alteration.
Scholarly Commentary on the Seven Modes
The seven modes (ahruf) represent divinely-approved variations in pronunciation, diction, and grammatical forms that facilitate recitation for different Arab tribes. This concession demonstrates Allah's mercy in making Quranic recitation accessible while maintaining the revelation's essential meaning.
Classical scholars like Imam Ibn al-Jazari explain these variations include differences in case endings, verb forms, and slight lexical substitutions - all preserving the Quran's miraculous nature and legal rulings. The preservation of multiple authentic recitations through continuous transmission (tawatur) ensures the Quran's protection from corruption.
Legal and Spiritual Implications
This hadith establishes the permissibility of reciting according to any of the seven canonical recitations. The scholars of usul al-fiqh derived from this that multiple authentic transmissions of the same text can coexist without contradiction.
The incident teaches Muslims to approach differences in recitation with knowledge rather than haste. Umar's initial reaction, though correct in intention, was corrected by the Prophet's wisdom - teaching us to verify matters with proper authority before judgment.