Learn Ten Qirat
Join IQRA QURAN Academy, an online platform connecting students with experienced teachers from Egypt, to delve into the art of Quran recitation. Gain knowledge of the 10 recognized methods of Qira’at, commonly referred to as the "readings" in Quran. It is essential to understand that each of the 10 Qirat is named after a distinguished reciter of the Holy Quran. With IQRA QURAN Academy, enhance your proficiency and comprehension of Quran recitation by learning the 10 Qirat online.
How to learn qirat
The Quran's Ten Qirats refer to minor discrepancies in pronunciation, letters, and Harakat, rather than distinct vocal or stylistic variances. Such differences resemble those found between various Quranic copies, rather than dissimilarities between voices or styles. It is imperative to comprehend the historical backdrop in which this concept originated. At the time of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), many individuals were uneducated and spoke diverse Arabic dialects according to their respective tribes. Similar to the discrepancies between British and American English, these Arabic dialects exhibited subtle variations in spelling and pronunciation, but the intended meaning remained unchanged.
How qirat evolved
During the Quranic revelation, the angel Gabriel (AS) recited the Quran to Allah's Prophet, who in turn recited it back in one dialect. The Prophet then asked Gabriel to increase the number of dialects, which he did, resulting in seven dialects. These dialects had the same meaning but had differences in pronunciation.
As per Hadith, Allah commanded the Prophet (PBUH) to recite the Quran in one dialect to his people, but he believed that they couldn't handle it. Therefore, Gabriel increased the number of dialects to seven. The Prophet (PBUH) stated that any dialect used to recite the Quran would be considered correct.
The Companions understood and spread these dialectical variations after the Prophet's death. However, when Islam expanded, people from diverse regions encountered these differences. Companion Usman Bin Affan (RA) suggested to the Khalifah that the Ummah should be united under one Mushaf (Book). The Khalifah chose the Qureshi dialect, and the other dialects were forgotten. Nevertheless, the seven recitations continue to exist in society, only in the form of reading, and not in books.
Types of qirat
Mutawatir: This type of transmission has multiple, independent sources of authority that make it highly unlikely for errors to occur. It is also widely accepted by the scholars of that time.
There are 7 Mutawatir Qira’at:
- Nafi’ (d. 169/785)
- Ibn Kathir (d. 120/737)
- Abu ‘Amr ibn al-‘Ala’ (d. 154/762)
- Ibn ‘Amir (d. 154/762)
- ‘Asim (d. 127/744)
- Hamza (d. 156/772)
- al-Kisa’i (d. 189/904)
Mashhur: While not as widely transmitted as Mutawatir, this type of transmission still has a significant number of sources and is highly unlikely to contain errors.
There are three mashur
- Abu Ja’far (d. 130/747)
- Ya’qub (d. 205/820)
- Khalaf (d. 229/843)