Muslim

Hadith Commentary:
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It is stated in Sahih Muslim that the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam said to Jibril alayhis salam to make things easy for his ummah in this matter.
(Sahih Muslim, Salat al-Musafirin, Hadith: 1904(820))
In another narration, it is mentioned that my ummah does not have the strength for this matter.
(Sahih Muslim, Salat al-Musafirin, Hadith: 1906(821))
In the narration of Abu Dawud, it is stated that an angel said to me to request to recite in more than one mode, so I was granted permission to recite according to seven modes (sab‘ah ahruf).
(Sunan Abi Dawud, al-Witr, Hadith: 1477)
This hadith is famous among the hadith scholars as “sab‘ah ahruf” (seven modes), and the imams of hadith have mentioned it in their compilations and have given it the status of mutawatir (mass-transmitted). Thus, more than twenty-two (22) companions radi Allahu anhum ajma‘in have narrated this hadith.
In any of the chains of this mutawatir hadith, there is no explicit act of worship that would determine the meaning of sab‘ah ahruf, whereas Allah and His Messenger sallallahu alayhi wa sallam do not delay clarification of a matter when there is a need for it.
The likely reason for this is that at the time of the Qur’an’s revelation, the meaning of sab‘ah ahruf was so well-defined and clear to all the companions radi Allahu anhum ajma‘in that no one felt the need to ask the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam about it, nor did they require anyone’s help to understand it.
If any confusion had arisen in their minds, they would have sought a solution from the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam.
In fact, they were so sensitive regarding the Noble Qur’an that if anyone heard a recitation from another reciter in a different manner regarding sab‘ah ahruf, out of fear of any difference occurring in the Qur’an, they would immediately refer to the Messenger of Allah sallallahu alayhi wa sallam, as will be mentioned in the following hadith.
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In any case, it is clear from this hadith that all these modes of recitation (qira’at) are revealed from Allah the Exalted.
There is no human effort or endeavor involved in them. Furthermore, the differences in these modes are not contradictions or inconsistencies, but rather are variations and additions in meaning.
There are countless benefits to this diversity, which have been discussed in the science of the explanation of qira’at, and independent books have been written on this subject.
The scholars of the ummah have given such importance to memorizing these recitations that the science of qira’at has become an independent discipline.
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According to our inclination, the mutawatir recitations (qira’at) are part of divine revelation (wahy ilahi).
To deny any one of them is to deny the Noble Qur’an.
And Allah knows best.

Hadith Commentary:
This is a reference to the seven modes of recitation (qira’at) of the Noble Qur’an.
Their detailed evidence is established through authentic narrations and hadiths.
Just as in every language, there are differences in dialects from various regions,
in Arabia, each tribe lived in its own distinct world, and differences in idioms—even down to the minutest vowel markings—were observed to the highest degree. The purpose is that although the Noble Qur’an is one,
in terms of recitation (qira’at), Allah the Exalted Himself has established its seven modes of recitation.
The reason for mentioning this hadith here is to affirm the existence of Jibril (alayhis salam) and to describe his various roles.
In particular, he is the well-known angel appointed to bring revelation.
This is established by various verses and hadiths.
There is consensus of the Ummah on the seven modes of recitation (qira’at sab‘ah) of the Noble Qur’an.
The commonly practiced and well-known recitation is the one that is prevalent among the people.

Hadith Commentary:
1.
Those unfamiliar with the science of Qira’at say that the seven modes of recitation (Qira’at Sab‘ah) — God forbid — are the “mischief” of the reciters. In our view, this is a grave mockery of the science of Qira’at. In this regard, scholars are agreed upon two points. The meaning of reciting the Noble Qur’an in seven modes (huruf sab‘ah) is not that every word of the Qur’an may be recited in seven different ways, because apart from a few words, most words do not fall under this principle. The seven ahruf do not refer to those seven established recitations that became famous in the science of Qira’at, because the first person who undertook to compile these seven recitations was Ibn Mujahid, who belonged to the fourth century Hijri.

2.
It should be clear that for any recitation (qira’ah) to be considered authentic in the Noble Qur’an, the following rule applies: Any recitation that conforms to the rules of Arabic grammar, even if only by possibility; that matches one of the copies of the ‘Uthmani codices, even if this conformity is by possibility; and that is established by a mutawatir (mass-transmitted) chain of narration. According to this principle, any recitation that fulfills these conditions is a sound recitation (qira’ah sahihah) and is among those seven ahruf upon which the Noble Qur’an was revealed. It is obligatory for Muslims to accept it, and if there is any deficiency in any of these three conditions, then that recitation will be considered anomalous (shaadh), weak (da‘eef), or invalid (baatil). ( al-Nashr 1/9) The reality is that the text of the Noble Qur’an accommodates all mutawatir recitations. People of knowledge know that the words of the present-day codices are written according to the ‘Uthmani script (rasm ‘Uthmani). The excellence of this script is that it allows for the reading of all mutawatir recitations, and all these recitations fit within the script of the copies sent by ‘Uthman radi Allahu anhu to the various regions of the world.

3.
Imam Bukhari rahimahullah, in this hadith, has established the various roles of Jibril alayhis salam, especially that this very angel is appointed to bring revelation, as is proven by numerous and diverse ahadith. And Allah knows best.