Fath al-Rabbani

Abdur Rahman bin Abis says: A man from Hamdan told us, he was a student of Sayyiduna Abdullah bin Mas’ud (may Allah be pleased with him), he did not mention his name, he narrated to us that when Sayyiduna Abdullah (may Allah be pleased with him) intended to depart from Kufa to Madinah Munawwarah, he gathered his students and said: By Allah! I hope that you are the best among the armies of the Muslims; you are learning religion, jurisprudence, knowledge, and reciting the Qur’an. This Qur’an was revealed upon seven modes of recitation. By Allah! Two men argue most severely about the Qur’an, but do not do so. When someone says that he taught me in such a way, then say to him that he says better. When another says that so-and-so taught me in this way, then say to both of them that they say better, because both have taught in different modes of recitation. Truth guides to righteousness, and righteousness leads to Paradise. Falsehood leads to evil, and evil leads to Hell. When any of you says to his companion that he has lied or committed immorality, and when someone has spoken the truth, then say to him: you have spoken the truth and done good. Surely, this Qur’an neither creates discord, nor does it become worn out, nor is it a contemptible thing, no matter how much it is repeated. Whoever recites it upon one mode, let him not abandon it out of disinterest, and whoever recites it according to those modes which the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) taught, then let him not abandon them out of disinterest either. Whoever denies one verse, it is as if he has denied all its verses; likewise is the matter of these modes of recitation. The difference in recitation is such as if someone said: I’jal, wa hayya halan. By Allah! If I knew that someone had more knowledge of what Allah Almighty revealed to Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) than me, I would surely seek him out so that I could increase my knowledge. Soon there will be people who will miss the prayers from their appointed times, but you should perform the prayer at its proper time, and if you get the opportunity with those who delay, then pray with them as well; this will be your voluntary prayer. The Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to review the Qur’an every Ramadan; in the year he passed away, I recited the Qur’an to him twice. He told me that I had done well, and I have heard seventy (70) surahs from the blessed mouth of the Noble Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).