History of the modes of reading

This study aims to provide a more accurate reading and understanding of the history of the modes of reading. It provides an in-depth examination of their first phase in the earliest days and their development throughout their history up until the time of the famous reciter Ibn al-Jazari. The current study shows that the modes of reading were learned from Muhammad and that the companions transmitted them, or at least some of them, to the next generation. Not all modes of reading have reached us. Some are available in books but are not used in reading the Qur'an in practice mainly because they lost the condition of a connected chain of transmitters. Certain events directly affected the modes of reading such as the death of many of the reciters in the Apostasy War during the caliphate of Abu Bakr. This incident led to the notion of writing the Qur'an along with its all modes of reading. The first collection of its kind which took place during Abu Bakr's caliphate was a new concept since the Qur'an had been collected under the order and supervision of Muhammad according to one mode of reading. During the caliphate of Uthman, the modes of reading caused a dispute amongst people from different regions. For this reason the caliph and the companions available at that time, after a consultation, agreed to unite people on one mode of reading and they therefore wrote several copies and distributed them to the main regions of the Muslim world . Since this event, the condition of the compatibility with the Uthmanic codex was introduced. Contrary to common belief, it is demonstrated that there was no difference between the codices written under the order of Uthman. In this research, an emphasis is placed on the period between the collection during Uthman's caliphate and the time of Ibn Mujahid. This provides an insight into the historical development of the modes of reading. This study reflects and sheds light on the contributions of the most influential reciters Ibn Mujahid, al-Dani, and Ibn al-Jazari. Also this research addresses the controversial matter of irregularity and its relationship with the Qur'an. By analysing the term (tawatur), it is concluded that this term should not be used to differentiate between what is Qur'an and what is not. Therefore, a more positive attitude towards irregular modes of reading is achievedEThOS - Electronic Theses Online ServiceGBUnited Kingdo