The Ten Reciters
Allah – glorified and exalted be He – has preserved the Holy Quran from any alteration or modification. As He stated: ﴿Indeed, We have sent down the Reminder, and indeed, We will preserve it﴾. Among the ways Allah safeguarded the Quran is by providing the Islamic nation with dedicated individuals who transmitted the Quran with remarkable precision. The Quran was conveyed through the methods of continuous narration, oral reception, as well as written transmission that adhered to the highest scientific standards. Notable readers and transmitters emerged within the community, and their methods of recitation became associated with their names. There are ten prominent reciters whose readings have been widely accepted by the community. Each reciter has several transmitters, but scholars have identified two prominent transmitters for each reciter. Below is a detailed overview.
Nafi’ Al-Madani (70-169 AH)
Nafi’ ibn Abdur-Rahman ibn Abu Naim Al-Laythi, known as Abu Ruhm, hailed from Isfahan. He was the chief reciter of Medina and served as an Imam in the Prophet’s Mosque for sixty years. Nafi’ stated, “I learned from seventy of the Tabi’in,” and Imam Malik described him as “the leader of the people in reading, with a scent of musk emanating from his mouth.”
His two primary transmitters are:
- Qalun: ‘Isa ibn Mina Al-Madani (120-220 AH). The Qalun recitation is the official reading in Libya and much of Tunisia.
- Warsh: ‘Uthman ibn Sa’id Al-Masri (110-197 AH). Warsh’s recitation is prevalent in the Maghreb region, including Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, and parts of West Africa such as Senegal, Niger, Mali, Nigeria, as well as some areas of Egypt, Libya, Chad, and southwestern Tunisia.
ibn Kathir Al-Makki (45-120 AH)
Abdullah ibn Kathir, known as Abu Mabad, was a prominent reciter from Mecca. He was a Tabi’i and served as the chief judge of the community in Mecca, where he worked in the perfumery trade. He was of Persian descent, born and died in Mecca.
His two main transmitters are:
- Al-Bazzi: Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn Abu Bazza Al-Makki (170-240 AH).
- Qunbul: Muhammad ibn Abdur-Rahman Al-Makki (165-280 AH).
Abu ‘Amr Al-Basri (68-154 AH)
Abu ‘Amr, known as Zaban ibn Al-‘Ala Al-Basri, received education in Mecca, Medina, Kufa, and Basra. He studied under many Sahaba, including Anas ibn Malik – may Allah be pleased with him – and learned from Al-Hasan Al-Basri. A devout scholar, he would complete recitations every three days and was renowned in grammar, Arabic, and literature, having passed away in Kufa.
His two primary transmitters are:
- Ad-Duri: Hafs ibn ‘Umar ibn Abdur-Rahman (150-246 AH).
- As-Susi: Saleh ibn Ziyad (died 261 AH).
ibn ‘Amer Ash-Shami (21-118 AH)
Abdullah ibn ‘Amer Ash-Shami Al-Yahsubi was a Tabi’i and the leading reciter in the Levant. Born in Balqa, specifically in the village of Rahab, part of present-day Jordan, he moved to Damascus following its conquest. He studied under Abu Al-Dardaa and Al-Mughira ibn Shu’bah – may Allah be pleased with them – and served as the chief judge of Damascus during the caliphate of Al-Walid ibn Abdul-Malik, passing away in Damascus.
His two key transmitters are:
- Hisham ibn ‘Amar Al-Dimashqi (153-245 AH).
- ibn Dhakwan: Abdullah ibn Ahmad Al-Qurashi (173-242 AH).
A’sim ibn Abi Al-Najood (127 AH)
A’sim was a Tabi’i and the chief reciter of Kufa. He studied the Quran under Abu ‘Abdur-Rahman As-Sulami and Zar ibn Hubaysh Al-Asadi, from whom he narrated. Abdullah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal stated, “I asked my father which recitation he preferred. He replied: The reading of the people of Medina; if not that, then A’sim’s.” He passed away in Kufa.
His two notable transmitters are:
- Shuba: Abu Bakr ibn ‘Ayash Al-Kufi (95-193 AH).
- Hafs: Hafs ibn Sulayman Al-Bazzaz Al-Kufi (90-180 AH).
During the Ottoman Empire’s rule over the Arab regions in the 10th Hijri century, Hafs’s narration of A’sim became widespread throughout much of the Islamic world. This prevalence was attributed to the Ottoman state’s adoption and publication of the Quranic text according to this narration, and it saw remarkable growth in contemporary times due to the increase in printed copies and audio recordings.
Hamzah ibn Habib Al-Zayyat (80-156 AH)
Hamzah was known for his oil trading from Kufa to Halwan. He was a devoted Imam of the Quran, pious, knowledgeable in Hadith and Islamic obligations, and of Persian origin, passing away in Halwan during the caliphate of Abu Ja’far Al-Mansur.
His two primary transmitters are:
- Khalaf ibn Hisham Al-Bazzar (150-229 AH).
- Khalad ibn Khalid Al-Sirafi (129-220 AH).
Al-Kisai Al-Kufi (119-189 AH)
Ali ibn Hamzah ibn Abdullah Al-Kufi, known as Abu Al-Hasan Al-Kisai, was a master in language, grammar, and recitation from Kufa. He was born and educated there and later moved to Baghdad, where he passed away at the age of seventy. He served as a teacher to Caliphs Al-Rashid and Al-Amin, earning the surname “Al-Kisai” after wearing a garment for Ihram.
Imam Al-Shafi’i once remarked: “He who wishes to delve into grammar is in need of Al-Kisai,” while Ibn Al-Anbari noted, “He was the most knowledgeable person in grammar, unique in the rare nuances, and unrivaled in knowledge of the Quran, and people gathered around him to study and meticulously record what he taught.”
His two main transmitters are:
- Abu Al-Harith Al-Layth ibn Khalid (died 240 AH).
- Hafs Al-Duri (150-246 AH), who also narrated from Abu ‘Amr Al-Basri.
Abu Ja’far Al-Madani (128 AH)
Yazid ibn Al-Qa’qaa was a Tabi’i from Medina known as Abu Ja’far. He served as the leading reciter in the city and was acknowledged for his scholarly opinions in Islamic jurisprudence, passing away in Medina.
His two notable transmitters are:
- ibn Wardaan: ‘Isa ibn Wardaan Al-Madani (died 160 AH).
- ibn Jamaz: Sulayman ibn Jamaz (died 170 AH).
Ya’qub Al-Basri (117-205 AH)
Ya’qub ibn Is-haq Al-Hadhrami Al-Basri served as the chief reciter in Basra and belonged to a scholarly family renowned in Arabic language and literature. He was well-known for having authored several significant works, including “Al-Jami'” which compiled many differing recitations of the Quran and attributed each letter to its reader. Another notable work is “Ways of Recitations.”
His two key transmitters are:
- Ruways: Muhammad ibn Al-Mutawakkil Al-Lu’lu’i (died 238 AH).
- Ruh: Ibn Abdul-Mu’min Al-Basri (died 234 AH).
Khalaf Al-Ashar (150-229 AH)
Khalaf ibn Hisham Al-Bazzar Al-Baghdadi was a knowledgeable, pious figure renowned in Baghdad, where he eventually passed away amidst the tensions of the Jahmiyyah controversy.
His two prominent transmitters are:
- Isa ibn Ibrahim Al-Warraq (died 286 AH).
- Idrees ibn Abdul-Karim Al-Haddad (died 292 AH).