On seven letters

This research is concerned with studying the history of the emergence of the Qur'anic readings and their development from the time of the revelation of the seven letters until they culminated in the ten readings; by highlighting the phenomenon of (choice), which played a decisive role in this matter. The meaning of (choice) is that the expert Imam in the methods of reciting the Qur'an and its narrations would adopt a specific method—among what he recited—that he would follow throughout the entire Mushaf. This method was accompanied by the narration of the Qur'an from the beginning of the revelation of the letters, and it contributed to shaping the features of the science of readings until it reached its final form, represented by the ten mutually transmitted Qur'anic readings. The choice was authorized by the Prophet, peace be upon him, when he ordered the recitation of the Qur'an according to the revealed letters, allowing Muslims to choose whichever they wished, and he informed that whoever recited according to any of them had indeed been correct. He also forbade disagreement over the Qur'an, but with the spread of Islam across the earth, signs of disagreement and discord among people regarding the Qur'an appeared, due to their ignorance of the fact that the Qur'an was revealed in seven letters. Since adopting the revealed letters was a concession granted by the Lawgiver for the nation, the companions chose to restrict themselves to one comprehensive letter for the nation. The companions did not neglect anything established from the Messenger of Allah concerning the Qur'an; rather, they transmitted it pure, unaltered from how the Prophet, peace be upon him, recited it before his death. It is not permissible to have bad thoughts about them, for they were the most eager people to preserve the Qur'an, and what they did was solely to protect Muslims from fighting. Therefore, understanding this noble science, its rules, its history of emergence, and its stages, is among the most important concerns of those engaged in the sciences of recitation. Every student of Islamic knowledge should familiarize themselves—albeit briefly—with this information, most of which is included in this research. I hope this book will serve as a foundation for the satisfied and a beginning for the seeker.