and of Hishām ibn Ḥakīm’s recitation of the same sūrah. Otherwise, how could it be correct for the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—to say of each of the two readings, though they differ, “Gabriel taught it to me like this,” unless Gabriel had actually taught him once in this form and once in that? On that understanding we explain what is related from Anas. When he recited, “Indeed, the vigil of the night is most effective and most accurate in speech,” people said to him, “But we recite, ‘and most upright in speech.’” Anas replied, “ ‘Most accurate in speech,’ ‘most upright in speech,’ and ‘most fitting’ all convey one meaning.” The point is that these variants have been transmitted from the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him. Were anyone free to invent a reading at will, the meaning of Allah’s statement, “Indeed, We sent down the Reminder, and indeed We shall surely preserve it” (Q 15:9), would be rendered void.

Al-Bukhārī, Muslim, and others transmit from ʿUmar ibn al-Khaṭṭāb—may Allah be pleased with him—who said: “I heard Hishām ibn Ḥakīm reciting Sūrat al-Furqān in a manner different from the way I recite it, and the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—had taught it to me himself. I was about to pounce on him, but I held back until he finished. Then I seized him by his cloak and dragged him to the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—and said, ‘Messenger of Allah, I heard this man reciting Sūrat al-Furqān differently from the way you taught me!’ The Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—said, ‘Release him. Recite.’ He recited as I had heard him, and the Prophet said, ‘That is how it was revealed.’ He then said to me, ‘Recite.’ I recited, and he said, ‘That is how it was revealed. This Qur’an has been sent down upon seven aḥruf, so recite from it whatever is easy for you.’

I add: A report conveying the same sense as ʿUmar’s ḥadīth is the one Muslim narrates from Ubayy ibn Kaʿb—may Allah be pleased with him—who said: “I was in the mosque when a man entered and prayed, reciting in a way I did not recognize. Then another man came in and recited differently from the first. After we had concluded the prayer we all went to the Messenger of Allah—peace and blessings be upon him—and I said, ‘This man recited in a manner unfamiliar to me, and another man came in and recited differently from his companion.’ The Prophet ordered them both to recite, and they did so; he approved of them both. A doubt entered my heart—something I had never experienced even in the Time of Ignorance. When the Prophet—peace and blessings be upon him—saw what had overcome me, he struck my chest and I broke into a sweat, as though I were looking upon Allah in awe. He then said to me: ‘O Ubayy, a messenger came to me saying, “Recite the Qur’an on one ḥarf.” I replied, “Make things easier for my community.” The message returned a second time: “Recite it on two aḥruf.” I again replied, “Make things easier for my community…”’