145 — Abū Bakr ibn Abd al-Hamīd also narrated to us, saying: Zuhayr ibn Muhammad narrated to us, saying: Abdullāh ibn al-Mubārak narrated to us, saying: Suwayd Abū Hātim narrated to us, from al-Qāsim ibn Abd al-Rahmān, from Abū Umāma, who said: While we were discussing the Quran at the door of the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—one of us adducing one verse and another adducing another, the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—came out to us looking as though vinegar had been poured over his face. He said, “O you people! Do not set one part of Allah’s Book against another. No nation ever went astray except when they were given to disputation.”

Muhammad ibn al-Husayn—may Allah have mercy on him—said: If someone asks, “We have learned of this disputation that constitutes disbelief, but what exactly is it?” ⦗471⦘ he is told: This Quran was revealed to the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—in seven modes, meaning seven dialects. The Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—would teach each Arab tribe the Quran in a manner suited to its dialect, as a concession from Allah Most High to the nation of Muhammad—may Allah bless him and grant him peace. Whenever they happened to meet, some of them would say to others, “This is not how the Quran is recited, nor is this how the Messenger of Allah—may Allah bless him and grant him peace—taught us,” and they would criticize one another’s recitation. They were therefore forbidden from doing this: “Recite as you were taught. None of you should reject another’s recitation, and beware of disputation ⦗472⦘ and contention concerning what you have learned.” The evidence for what we have said is