Nasai

937. Commentary: ➊ Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah, in his explanation of «سَبْعَةِ أَحْرُفٍ», has transmitted various opinions and, after presenting the objections and issues raised against these views, has refuted them. Then, giving preference, he has quoted the opinions of Imam Ibn Qutaybah and Imam Abu’l-Fadl al-Razi rahimahumallah, and has stated that Imam al-Razi has further clarified the statement of Imam Ibn Qutaybah. Fearing prolixity, we will mention here only the preferred opinion which Hafiz Ibn Hajar rahimahullah has cited in Fath al-Bari. According to Imam Ibn Qutaybah and Imam al-Razi, the difference of letters (huruf) in the hadith refers to the difference in recitations (qira’at). And by the seven letters is meant the seven types of differences in recitation. Thus, although the recitations are more than seven, the differences found among these recitations are confined to seven categories:

➊ Difference in nouns: In which the difference of singular, dual, plural, and masculine and feminine is included. For example, in one recitation it is: «﴿تَمَّتْ كَلِمَةُ رَبِّكَ﴾» and in another: «﴿تَمَّتْ كَلِمَاتُ رَبِّكَ﴾»

➋ Difference in verbs: That in one recitation the verb is in the past tense, in another in the present, and in another in the imperative. For example, according to one recitation: «﴿رَبَّنَا بَاعِدْ بَيْنَ أَسْفَارِنَا﴾» and in another: «﴿رَبَّنَا بَعِّدْ بَيْنَ أَسْفَارِنَا﴾»

➌ Difference in grammatical inflection (i‘rab): In which the vowels and sukun differ in various recitations. For example: «﴿وَلا يُضَارَّ كَاتِبٌ﴾» and «﴿وَلا يُضَارُّ كَاتِبٌ﴾» and «﴿ذُو الْعَرْشِ الْمَجِيدُ﴾»; in another recitation: «﴿ذُو الْعَرْشِ الْمَجِيدِ﴾»

➍ Difference in addition and omission of words: In one recitation a word is omitted, and in another it is present. For example, in one recitation: «﴿وَمَا خَلَقَ الذَّكَرَ وَالأنْثَى﴾» and in another: «﴿وَالذَّكَرَ وَالأنْثَى﴾»; in this, the word «﴿وَمَا خَلَقَ﴾» is not present. Similarly, in one recitation: «﴿تَجْرِي مِنْ تَحْتِهَا الأنْهَارُ﴾» and in another: «﴿تَجْرِي تَحْتَهَا الأنْهَارُ﴾»

➎ Difference in precedence and delay: That is, in one recitation a word is advanced, and in another it is delayed. For example: «﴿وَجَاءَتْ سَكْرَةُ الْمَوْتِ بِالْحَقِّ﴾» and in another: «﴿وَجَاءَتْ سَكْرَةُ الْحَقِّ بِالْمَوْتِ﴾»

➏ Difference of substitution: That is, in one recitation there is one word, and in another, in its place, there is another word. For example: «﴿نُنْشِزها﴾» and in its place in another recitation: «﴿نُنْشِرها﴾»; likewise, in place of «﴿فَتَبَيَّنُوا﴾» is «﴿فتئبتوا﴾», and in place of «﴿طَلْحٍ مَنْضُودٍ﴾» is «﴿طَلْع مَنْضُودٍ﴾»

➐ Difference in dialects: In which differences of tafkhim (emphasis), tarqiq (lightness), imalah (inclination), qasr (shortening), madd (lengthening), hamzah, izhar (clarity), and idgham (assimilation), etc., are included. The researcher Ibn al-Jazari, Imam Malik, and Qadi al-Baqillani rahimahumullah are also in agreement with this. And Allah knows best. For further details, see: [فتح الباري : 39-34/9، تحت حدیث : 4992، واصول تفسیر (اردو)، ص : 87-81، مطبوعة دارالسلام]

➋ It is permissible to apply the term “lying” (kidhb) to a mistake (khata’). Some people, due to not understanding the above reality, have denied such narrations, claiming that this casts doubts and suspicions upon the Noble Qur’an. However, the difference in dialects, etc., of various regions and tribes is a self-evident matter; it does not affect the original text, just as the various translations of the Noble Qur’an in other languages do not create any doubt regarding the Qur’an itself.