some tribes were happier and held a larger share of it than others.

He also cited the ḥadīth of Ibn Shihāb, from Anas, that when ʿUthmān ordered the Companions to prepare the codices he told them, “Whenever you and Zayd differ over anything, record it in the dialect of Quraysh, for the Qur’an was revealed in their dialect.” This was related by al-Bukhārī, who likewise mentioned the ḥadīth of Ibn ʿAbbās: “The Qur’an was revealed in the language of the two Kaʿbs—Kaʿb of Quraysh and Kaʿb of Khuzaʿah.” He was asked, “How is that?” He replied, “Because they lived in the same quarter.”

Abū ʿUbayd explained, “Khuzaʿah were neighbors of Quraysh, so they adopted their speech.”

Qāḍī Ibn al-Ṭayyib, may Allah be pleased with him, said: “ʿUthmān’s words, ‘It was revealed in the tongue of Quraysh,’ mean that most of it was; there is no conclusive proof that the whole Qur’an came down solely in the Qurayshi dialect, for within it are words and forms that depart from Qurayshi usage. Allah the Exalted says, ‘Indeed, We have made it an Arabic Qur’an’ (Q 43:3); He did not say ‘a Qurayshi one.’ This shows that it was revealed in the full range of Arabic speech. No one may claim that He intended Quraysh to the exclusion of the other Arabs, any more than he may claim that He meant the dialect of the Adnānīs but not the Qaḥṭānīs, or of Rabīʿah but not Muḍar, for the term ‘Arabs’ encompasses all these tribes alike.

Ibn ʿAbd al-Barr said: “In my view, the statement that the Qur’an was revealed in the dialect of Quraysh means ‘for the most part’—and Allah knows best—because the sound, established readings contain fully articulated hamzahs and similar features, whereas Quraysh do not pronounce the hamzah.”

Ibn ʿAṭiyyah said: “The Prophet’s words, ‘The Qur’an was revealed upon seven modes,’ mean that it contains the diction of seven tribes whose collective language formed the Qur’an. Thus the same meaning may sometimes be expressed in the wording of Quraysh, at other times in that of Hudhayl, or in that of another tribe, according to what is most eloquent and succinct.

“Consider the verb faṭara: among tribes other than Quraysh it means ‘to begin’—that is, to create a thing and set it in motion. It occurs in the Qur’an, yet Ibn ʿAbbās did not grasp its sense until two Bedouins came before him disputing about a well and one of them said, ‘I am the one who faṭartu-hā (started digging it).’ Ibn ʿAbbās then said, ‘At that moment I understood Allah’s statement, “Originator of the heavens and the earth” (Q 6:14).’

“He also said, ‘I did not know the meaning of Allah’s saying, “Our Lord, decide between us and our people in truth” (Q 7:89) until I heard the daughter of Dhī Yazan say to her husband, “Come, let me ufātiḥka,” meaning, “Let me take you to arbitration.”’

“Likewise, ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb admitted that he did not understand the verse, ‘Or He might seize them while they are in fearful expectation’ (Q 16:47)—that is, while they are being gradually diminished.

“The same thing happened to Quṭbah ibn Mālik when …”