Mustadrak al-Hakim — Hadith 2941

Imam al-Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him) said: I recited to Isma'il bin Qustantin, and he used to say: "Al-Quran" (the Qur'an) is a name, and it is without a hamzah; this word is not derived from "qara'tu" (I read), because if it had been derived from "qara'tu", then everything that is read would be called a Qur'an. Rather, it is a specific name for the Speech of Allah, like the Torah and the Injil. When we say "qara'tu" we pronounce it with a hamzah, but when we say "al-Quran" we do not pronounce a hamzah in it. (It should be noted that Imam al-Shafi'i learned the recitation from Isma'il, he from Shibl, he from Abdullah bin Kathir, he from Mujahid, he from Ibn Abbas, and Ibn Abbas from Sayyiduna Ubayy bin Ka'b (may Allah be pleased with him), and Ubayy received the recitation directly from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him).)