"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) taught me a surah, and when I was sitting in the masjid I heard a man reciting it in a way that was different from mine. I said to him: 'Who taught you this surah?' He said: 'The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).' I said: 'Stay with me until we go to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).' So we came to him and I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, this man recites a surah that you taught me differently.' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Recite, O Ubayy.' So I recited it, and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to me: 'You have done well.' Then he said to the man: 'Recite.' So he recited it and it was different to my recitation. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to him: 'You have done well.' Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'O Ubayy, the Quran has been revealed with seven different modes of reciation, all of which are good and sound."
The Book of the Commencement of the Prayer - Sunan an-Nasa'i
Hadith Reference: Sunan an-Nasa'i 940
Hadith Text
"The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) taught me a surah, and when I was sitting in the masjid I heard a man reciting it in a way that was different from mine. I said to him: 'Who taught you this surah?' He said: 'The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).' I said: 'Stay with me until we go to the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ).' So we came to him and I said: 'O Messenger of Allah, this man recites a surah that you taught me differently.' The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'Recite, O Ubayy.' So I recited it, and the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to me: 'You have done well.' Then he said to the man: 'Recite.' So he recited it and it was different to my recitation. The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said to him: 'You have done well.' Then the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) said: 'O Ubayy, the Quran has been revealed with seven different modes of recitation, all of which are good and sound."
Scholarly Commentary
This noble hadith establishes the divine wisdom behind the multiple authentic recitations of the Quran. The seven modes (ahruf) were revealed to accommodate the various dialects among the Arab tribes, making memorization and recitation easier for the early Muslim community.
The scholars explain that these seven modes refer to variations in pronunciation, grammatical forms, and occasional word substitutions - all while preserving the same essential meaning. This divine concession demonstrates Allah's mercy upon His servants.
The Prophet's affirmation of both recitations shows that differences in authentic qira'at are not contradictions but rather divinely-sanctioned variations. This incident also teaches us the proper etiquette when encountering differences in recitation - to refer the matter to knowledge rather than dispute.
The preservation of these multiple authentic recitations throughout Islamic history stands as a miraculous proof of the Quran's divine protection and the precision of its transmission from generation to generation.