This fascinating and important book attempts to investigate the nature of the seven Ahruf in which the Qur’an has been revealed and the reason for the variations in readings among the Qurraa of the Quran. It studies, examines, and discusses: the revelation of the Qur’an in the seven ahruf concluding that they represent seven linguistical ways of recitation; the compilation of the Quran during the lifetime of the Prophet and the preservation of the Quran in the memories of the Companions as well as in written form, the compilation during the time of Abu Bakr, and the further compilation during the time of Uthman; the problem of naskh to demonstrate the completeness and trustworthiness of the Quran and that no verses are missing or were read and abrogated by naskh al-tilawah either with or without hukm; the Uthmanic masahif and their relation to the seven ahruf; the language of the Quran and whether it includes one, several, or all the dialects of the Arabs; the origin of the qiraat and conditions governing accepted readings; and ikhtiyar (i.e., the selection of one reading rather than another) and the rules governing the Qurraa’ who selected a reading.
Title
Variant Readings of the Qur'an: A Critical Study of Their Historical and Linguistic Origins
Professor Dr. Ahmad Ali al-Imam is hafiz of the Quran and one of a few distinguished scholars of the Quran worldwide. He holds a PhD from Edinburgh University on the topic of variant readings of the Quran, served as a lecturer at Omdurman Islamic University, Sudan and is founder and rector of the University of the Holy Quran and Islamic Sciences in Sudan. Specializing in Quranic Sciences with special focus on criticizing the work of Orientalists on the language and history of the Quran, Sheikh Ahmad has published a number of books and articles tackling issues related to Quranic sciences, implementation of Shariah, and the future of Islam. He has also contributed to various international seminars and conferences on the Quran. He was an advisor to the Sudanese president for strategic planning and former head of the Islamic Fiqh Complex in Sudan. He has authored many research studies in Arabic and English in the sciences of the Quran and Islamic studies including Ahl Al-Dhikr (The People of Remembrance), Sahat Al-Jihad (The Arenas of Jihad Struggle), Nazarat Mo`asera fi Fiqh Al-Jihad (Modern Views in the Jurisprudence of Jihad Struggle), Al-Shahada w hayat Al-Shohadaa (Martyrdom and the Life of the Martyrs), and Tatbik Al-Sharia Al-Islamiya w Atharoh fi Islah Al-Mujtama` (The Application of Islamic Sharia and its Impact in Social Reform).