"I had no confusion in my mind from that time I embraced Islam, except when I recited a verse and another man recited it differently. I said: 'The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) taught me this.' And the other man said: 'The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) taught me too.' So I went to the Prophet (ﷺ) and said: 'O Prophet of Allah, did you not teach me such and such a verse?' He said: 'Yes.' The other man said: 'Did you not teach me such and such a verse?' He said: 'Yes. Jibril and Mika'il, peace be upon them, came to me, and Jibril sat on my right and Mika'il on my left. Jibril, peace be upon him, said: "Recite the Quran with one way of recitation.' Mika'il said: 'Teach him more, teach him more- until there were seven modes of recitation, each of which is good and sound.'"
The Book of the Commencement of the Prayer - Sunan an-Nasa'i
Hadith Reference: Sunan an-Nasa'i 941
Context and Background
This narration addresses the divine origin of the seven modes (ahruf) of Quranic recitation, resolving a companion's confusion when encountering different recitations.
The companion's initial perplexity demonstrates the early Muslim community's commitment to preserving the exact revelation as taught by the Prophet.
Scholarly Commentary
The presence of both Jibril and Mika'il signifies the importance of this matter, with Jibril representing revelation and Mika'il emphasizing facilitation for the ummah.
The phrase "each of which is good and sound" establishes that all seven modes are equally valid and divinely sanctioned, eliminating any hierarchy among them.
The seven modes accommodate different Arab dialects and facilitate easier memorization and recitation for various tribes, demonstrating Allah's mercy in making the Quran accessible.
Legal and Theological Implications
This hadith validates the diversity in Quranic recitations while maintaining the sanctity and divine origin of all variations.
Scholars note that these seven modes refer to linguistic variations in pronunciation, diction, and minor grammatical differences, not to contradictory meanings.
The Prophet's affirmation of both companions' recitations teaches us to respect legitimate differences in transmission and avoid unnecessary conflict over valid variations.
Practical Application
Muslims should learn Quran from qualified teachers while recognizing the legitimacy of various authentic recitation methods.
This narration encourages tolerance toward differences in recitation that fall within the established canonical readings.
The incident demonstrates the proper approach to resolving religious doubts: directly consulting authoritative sources rather than engaging in disputation.