The Lives and Legacies of the Quraah

(Introduction)

Have you ever thought about the history of Quranic recitation and who laid the foundation for Muslims to practice this rewarding act of dhikr? Azharul Jannah is excited to take you on a learning journey during Ramadan 2023, insha'Allah. We are presenting a new series called Legacy of Qurrah in Ramadan 2023.

Before we begin, let's define some key terms:

Qur'an: The Quran (ٱلۡقُرۡءَانُ‎) is the speech of Allah (ﷻ), revealed to Prophet Muhammed (ﷺ) and transmitted through tawattur. Its words are miraculous and its recitation is considered an act of worship. It was written in masāḥif (parchments) from the beginning of Surah al-Fatiha to An-Nas.

Qirā'āt: The Qirā'āt (قراءات) refers to the differences in the pronunciation of letters or the manner of reciting the Quran. It is derived from the verb قَرَأَ يَقْرَأُ which means "to read." The science of Qirā'āt discusses the changes in the words of the Quran and who transmitted these changes.

Qurrā': During the time of Tabi'un, certain individuals became popular for their precision in recitation and knowledge. These individuals were called the Qurrā' (قُرَّاء), and they were from various regions such as Mecca, Medina, Sham, Kufa, and Basra.

Ruwāt: These are the most eligible and prominent individuals who narrate from one of the Qurrā', either through direct transmission or not. There are ten Qurrā' and two transmitters were chosen for each, resulting in 20 narrators.

Riwāyah: This refers to narration or transmission. One who transmits from any of the Qurrā' is known as a Riwāyah.