Differences in the Qirāʾāt between the Mushaf of ʿAbdullāh Ibn Masʿūd and the Mushafs of ʿUthmān b. ʿAffān

Authors : Israa Mahmood Eıd Eıd

Pages : 441-469

Doi:10.52886/ilak.1744558

View : 105 | Download : 193

Publication Date : 2025-12-31

Article Type : Research Paper

Abstract :Abdullah b. Masʿūd spent a long period in the company of the Prophet (peace be upon him) and received seventy sūrahs directly from his lips. He served as a scribe of revelation and taught people the Qurʼān, its exegesis, and religious rulings. However, the readings transmitted from him occasionally differ from the established mutawātir canonical readings. This article aims to examine the stance of Abdullah b. Masʿūd (may God be pleased with him) during the compilation of the Qurʼān in the caliphate of ʿUthmān (may God be pleased with him). Ibn Masʿūd ultimately concurred with the majority of the Companions regarding the Imām Mushaf and continued to teach the Qurʼān to people using this codex until the end of his life. The chains of transmission for four of the ten canonical reading imams trace back to Ibn Masʿūd, and all of these readings are consistent with the ʿUthmānī codex. This study addresses the textual differences between the codex of Ibn Masʿūd and that of ʿUthmān. Using historical methodology, it examines Ibn Masʿūd’s approach during the ʿUthmānī compilation. An inductive method is employed to identify verse-level differences between the two codices, while a descriptive-analytical approach is used to assess these differences.The research identifies several key distinctions between the two codices. Ibn Masʿūd’s readings generally serve to clarify or interpret the mutawātir reading. For example, in Sūrat al-Māʾidah 5/38, the phrase ‘فَاقْطَعُوا أَيْدِيَهُمَا’ [cut off their hands] appears in Ibn Masʿūd’s codex as “their right hands,” thereby specifying the limb to which the penalty applies. Some readings elucidate ambiguous expressions: in Āl ʿImrān 3/7, the phrase ‘وَمَا يَعْلَمُ تَأْوِيلَهُ إِلَّا اللَّهُ’ [none knows its interpretation except God] appears in Ibn Masʿūd’s codex as ‘وَإِنْ حَقِيقَةُ تَأْوِيلِهِ إِلَّا عِنْدَ اللَّهِ’ emphasizing that the true interpretation belongs solely to God. Other readings elaborate concise or general expressions. Some variants in Ibn Masʿūd’s codex are semantically equivalent to the mutawātir reading but differ in wording or structure, consistent with Arabic’s rich synonymy. For instance, in Sūrat al-Qalam 68/51, the verb ‘لَيُزْلِقُونَكَ’ appears as ‘لَيُزْهِقُونَكَ’. Differences also occur in conjunctions, particles of emphasis or condition, and changes in word order. In Āl ʿImrān 3/156, the phrase ‘وَاللَّهُ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ بَصِيرٌ’ [and God is Seeing of what you do] appears in Ibn Masʿūd’s codex as ‘وَاللَّهُ بَصِيرٌ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ’. Verb forms likewise vary between past, present, and imperative, such as qātilū (kill/fight!) in place of yaqtulūn (they kill). Alternation between active and passive forms (e.g., (تُقْبَلُ / تَتَقَبَّلُ)) and singular versus plural (e.g., ‘ٱلشَّيَاطِينُ’ [devils] as ‘الشَّيطان’ [the devil] in al-Anʿām 6/71 also appears. Some variants reinforce the meaning of the mutawātir reading. For example, in al-Ḥashr 59/14, the phrase ‘وَقُلُوبُهُمْ شَتَّى’ [their hearts are divided] appears as ‘أَشَتّ’, intensifying the sense of disunity. Other variants introduce additional nuance without contradicting the canonical reading, such as ‘والنُّجومُ مُسَخَّرَاتٌ’ [and the stars are subjected] and ‘والرِّياحُ مُسَخَّرَاتٍ’ [and the winds are subjected], emphasizing God’s dominion. Similarly, in al-Ḍuḥā 93/9, the reading ‘تَكْهَرْ فَلَا’ conveys “do not frown at the orphan,” complementing the mutawātir ‘فَلَا تَقْهَرْ’ [do not oppress him]; both express a directive of kindness. The study presents numerous examples of such reading categories and concludes that the differences between the codex of Ibn Masʿūd and the ʿUthmānī codex fall within the scope of the authentic seven aḥruf. Although scholars differ regarding the precise meaning of these aḥruf, the Prophet permitted this variation as an act of mercy and facilitation for the community—an allowance alluded to in the verse ‘فَاقْرَءُوا مَا تَيَسَّرَ مِنْهُ’ [recite whatever is easy for you of it] (al-Muzzammil 73/20).
Keywords : Kıraat, Kuran, Osman Mushafı, Abdullah ibn Mes`ûd Mushafı, Kıraat Farklılıkları

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