This question has become a significant one for Muslims in this era. For those whose professions are not directly tied to the study, practice, or propagation of Islam (that is, ordinary Muslims) but who still seek to understand the Quran, this issue often arises sharply. It is typically raised by professional religious scholars and echoed by their followers.
The claims made by these religious professionals are as follows:
- There is only one authentic standard for Quranic recitation (Qira’at) that has been in practice since the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). Without adhering to this specific pronunciation and style of recitation, one cannot even read the Quran, let alone understand it. They assert that only they possess the knowledge and ability to correctly perform this Qira’at.
- To truly understand the Quran, one must comprehend it directly from its original Arabic text. They argue that translations cannot capture the full meaning of the Quran. These religious professionals claim to extract and interpret the meanings of the Quran directly from its Arabic Qira’at and then convey these meanings to us. Therefore, those of us who rely on translations have no real chance of understanding the Quran.
Ultimately, their underlying demand remains the same: You should not attempt to understand the Quran on your own. You must accept the interpretations we provide as the only correct understanding.
Main Point – Mastery of Correct Quranic Recitation is a Prerequisite for Understanding the Quran!
Ordinary Muslims often have various professional and familial responsibilities, making it nearly impossible for them to consistently practice and maintain the skill of proper Quranic recitation in today’s fast-paced world. Yet, understanding the Quran is a divine obligation from Allah. Alongside this, He has instructed believers to engage in reflection (tafakkur) and contemplation (tadabbur) over its verses.
As a result, many Muslims, unable to master flawless recitation, attempt to comprehend the Quran through translations. However, religious professionals often dismiss this effort outright, arguing that without the ability to recite the Quran perfectly, one’s understanding is invalid. This dismissive attitude can even lead to ridicule and mockery, creating a sense of inadequacy among ordinary believers.
A few such incidents have compelled me to delve deeper into this matter. I hope my exploration will be of benefit to you as well.
Let’s examine how much substance there truly is to this argument from religious professionals.
The Reality of Single Pronunciation and Recitation:
The question arises – was the Quran revealed in a single, uniform version, pronunciation, and recitation, and are we still reading it that way today?
Those familiar with the Quran will know that it was revealed in seven Ahruf. Scholars have differing opinions about the exact meaning of Ahruf, but it is often translated into English as editions, styles, dialectical variations, or ways. However, the core understanding, as clearly evidenced by Hadith, is that the Ahruf differed in their auditory expressions (Musnad Ahmad, Hadith 17199, graded as Sahih by Al-Suyuti. Also, Sahih al-Bukhari 2419, In-book reference: Book 44, Hadith 9, USC-MSA web (English) reference: Vol. 3, Book 41, Hadith 601). From early Islamic traditions, it appears that these variations were allowed to accommodate the linguistic diversity of different tribes.
The concept of the seven Ahruf demonstrates that, at the very beginning, Muslims were reading the Quran in at least seven different forms. This fact alone challenges the notion of a single, uniform version or pronunciation from the outset.
If we trace the history of the Quran’s compilation, propagation, and preservation, we find that among these seven Ahruf, Caliph Abu Bakr (RA) produced a manuscript in the Quraysh dialect, known as the Mushaf of Siddiqi. However, this version did not gain widespread use, and today, no scholar can definitively describe its exact form or structure.
Even during the time of the third Caliph, Uthman ibn Affan (RA), this Mushaf of Siddiqi was not strictly followed. Disputes over the correct way to recite the Quran among the Sahabah (RA) led to the need for a more standardised text. To address this, Uthman formed a committee of the Prophet’s scribes and ordered the preparation of a new, definitive manuscript – the Uthmani Mushaf. He then commanded that all other copies be destroyed, ensuring consistency across the Muslim world.
Yet, by the third century of the Islamic calendar, scholars noticed that the standardised Uthmani Mushaf had itself given rise to significant regional variations in recitation, leading to misunderstandings and even conflicts over the correct meaning of Quranic verses. In response, a group of scholars selected seven prominent Qaris (reciters) as authoritative sources, thus creating what effectively became seven recognised Qira’at (forms of recitation). Note that this means a single Mushaf, when interpreted differently, produced seven distinct styles.
Later, three more Qaris were added to this list, resulting in a total of ten recognised Qira’at. This means that, despite minor differences, Muslims were now reading the Quran in ten distinct forms.
By the 7th century, these ten Qira’at became the foundation for teaching subsequent generations. Among these reciters was Asim ibn Abi al-Najud, whose student, Hafs ibn Sulayman al-Kufi, transmitted a version of the Quran that is now the most widely recited form in the world, including the Middle East, South Asia, Southeast Asia, and Central Asia.
Of the original ten Qira’at, only a few remain widely practiced today. For instance, the Qira’at of Warsh is still prevalent in Libya, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Mauritania, West Africa, Sudan, Central Africa, East Africa, and Yemen.
The differences between these Qira’at can still be observed today by comparing the Hafs and Warsh Quran, where variations in tense, gender, plurality, and grammar are evident.
Furthermore, in the early 20th century, scholars at Al-Azhar University in Cairo faced a dilemma when it became clear that even Hafs Qurans from different regions contained notable discrepancies. This led to the establishment of a commission that reviewed and standardised the Hafs Quran, culminating in the 1924 Cairo edition, which became the basis for the globally distributed Quran produced by the King Fahd Complex in 1985.
This history clearly shows that even as recently as a century ago, not all Muslims reading the Hafs Quran were reciting it in exactly the same way.
The lesson here is that when Muslim scholars recognised these ten Qira’at, they acknowledged that the precise pronunciation and style of recitation are not the main concern. Rather, the message of the Quran remains the most critical aspect. The primary goal is to convey the Quranic message accurately, regardless of the nuances in pronunciation or recitation.
Therefore, the claim of a single, uniform Qira’at in this context is born out of ignorance.
The Reliability of Recitation vs Written Manuscripts:
There is no denying that in the early period, preservation and dissemination primarily occurred through recitation. Hence, the main reliance was on pronunciation. However, it has been observed that through dialectical differences, people gradually deviated from the core message. The reliance on recitation or Qur’anic recitation gave rise to disputes. In order to resolve this, efforts were repeatedly made to preserve written manuscripts.
What is noteworthy here is that every time, writing was undertaken to establish authenticity, and the written form itself was considered the authentic reference. When, in the third century of the Hijra, the Qur’anic recitations were written down or compiled into manuscripts, these writings were preserved, and whenever proof was required, reference was made to these manuscripts. Since they were written down, no new recitation emerged due to any disputes thereafter.
Therefore, it can be seen that the written version is more reliable than the recitation.
Reliance on Recitation in the Present Day:
With the availability of paper, people’s reliance on written copies of the Qur’an has increased, and the dependence on recitation or vocal delivery has decreased. As a result, with the diminished reliance on recitation, reliance on pronunciation has naturally decreased as well. This is why, in the last century, we have seen many prominent Islamic scholars and researchers who did not have the entire Qur’an memorised cover to cover.
In the modern world, educated scholars are relying on written texts for dissemination, propagation, and research. Therefore, in today’s world, except for recitation during prayers and competitions, recitation has very little use in the propagation of Islam.
In this context, to understand the Qur’an today, the written text is the most authentic, not recitation.
The Process of Understanding the Qur’an through its Arabic Text:
Step 1:
The Qur’an is written in Classical Arabic, not the modern Arabic used today. This means that although the characters, diacritical marks, and punctuation are the same, and the text is readable with modern Arabic knowledge, understanding its meaning is almost impossible.
For these reasons, even native Arabic speakers must learn Classical Arabic in order to understand the Qur’an’s language. Alongside learning Classical Arabic grammar, they must familiarise themselves with the full lexicon or dictionary of Classical Arabic.
Additionally, the Qur’an contains words from at least 13 other languages. To accurately interpret these words, one must have knowledge of these languages. Without this, one must rely on repeated translations and dictionaries.
In addition to this knowledge, the translator must also be highly skilled in the language they are translating into.
However, the qualifications outlined above are only necessary to understand the words and phrases of the Qur’an. They are for the literal translation of each verse.
Step 2:
But will the religious professionals who challenge these views accept a literal translation to understand the Qur’an? Will they acknowledge that this method of understanding the Qur’an is sufficient? They will never accept it. To understand the verses of the Qur’an, they will bring in the context. The moment they do that, they will refer to the Seerah (biography of the Prophet). In the case of the Seerah, the works of Ibn Hisham and Ibn Abbas must be studied.
To properly contextualise the Seerah, Hadiths are necessary. Therefore, alongside the Seerah, one must read at least two collections of Hadiths (Bukhari and Muslim). Although many people believe it is essential to read the entire Kutub al-Sittah (the six major Hadith collections), there are over 30,000 Hadiths, and even if they are repetitive, each Hadith must be studied with its chain of narration and its different interpretations.
To properly understand these Hadiths, books on Hadith terminology are essential. Moreover, to fully grasp each Hadith collection, one must read at least two commentaries of each collection (for example, Fath al-Bari or Umdat al-Qari for Bukhari).
You surely know how extensive the Hadith collections and their commentaries are, and how many years it would take to thoroughly study them.
Step 3:
It must be remembered that the books mentioned above were written during a time when the Arabic language had passed through three major phases of change. If we consider the 10th century as the final stage of these changes, at that time there were at least six different Arabic dictionaries in circulation, each with distinctions in synonyms and homonyms. Therefore, a deep understanding of these three stages of linguistic change is necessary.
Now, consider for yourself –
Do those who claim to understand the Qur’an through its Arabic language have even gone through 10% of the preparation required? Is there any real connection between their claims and reality?
Therefore, I humbly suggest that those who make these claims around us have also learned the meaning of the Qur’an through reading common translations. But while reciting the Qur’an in Arabic, when they explain the meanings they have learned from the translation, ordinary people may think they are deriving the meanings directly from the Arabic. And they take advantage of this misunderstanding to continue their claims.
By now, you should understand the actual reality of their claims.
You will understand even better when you learn about the qualifications of accepted translators of the Qur’an.
The Qualifications of Acceptable Translators of the Qur’an:
Now, let us learn about an acceptable translator. Mirza Abul Fazl translated the Qur’an into English. He was a Hafiz (memoriser of the Qur’an) by heritage. He held a PhD in the 18th century. He was an expert in Arabic, English, and Sanskrit. In addition to Classical Arabic, he knew Syriac and Aramaic. He was familiar with the dialectical differences in the Qur’an and the variations found in Algeria and Morocco. He was aware of the linguistic evolution over time. He was fluent in Bengali and Urdu as well. Many people have translated the Qur’an, but those whose translations have been accepted generally share qualifications of a similar level.
Measuring Qualifications:
Now, compare the qualifications of Mirza Abul Fazl with those of the religious scholars around you who challenge the understanding of the Qur’an through its Arabic language. The difference should become clear to you.
You will easily understand whose translation should be read and whose translations should be avoided.
So, from where should we understand the Qur’an?
Read the information above carefully and make your own decision.
However, in my opinion, the best way to understand the Qur’an is to read the finest translation in the language you are most proficient in. If possible, read multiple translations. This way, you will be able to see the Qur’an through the eyes of the most educated and respected scholars.
A Special Request:
All the information I have provided is publicly available online. To keep the text concise, I have not reiterated everything here. There are many articles online on these topics, and anyone can read them. However, if anyone has any doubts or cannot find information on a certain subject, they may leave a comment, and I will add the references.
Finally, I would like to say that, to the best of my knowledge, I have provided this information, but ultimately only Allah knows the true reality. Therefore, I seek forgiveness from Him for any mistakes I may have made due to my ignorance.