The Qira'at

Versions of Quran recitation

Even though the effort by Uthman (r.a) was to standardize the Quran in the Quraishy tongue, he still allowed some other ways of recitation into the Mushaf since it was the Prophet s.a.w who requested the recitation up to "7 Ahrufs" (Refer to Hadith here on why the Prophet s.a.w requested for it). 

Some examples of the "7 ahruf"

The original Mushaf Uthmani were written with letters without any diacritical marks so that the same word can be pronounce in another way. Eg. 

can be recited as Zayyana or Zuyyina  زين

رفث  can be recited as Rafatha or Rafathun

At some instances, a word is added or removed that does not deviate from the intended message. The way different tribes saying the same sentence may not exactly be the same. Eg.

تَجۡرِى مِن تَحۡتِهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَـٰرُ flows from below it, rivers
تَجۡرِى تَحۡتَهَا ٱلۡأَنۡهَـٰرُ flows below it, rivers

For the Non Arabs and the Muslim Masses, the scholars had made it simpler for us to follow the recitation of any one of the official Qira'at in the Islamic Tradition.

The Qira'at
(The Recitations)
Qiraa’ah (singular) = قِرَاءَةٌ 
Qiraa’aat (plural) = قِرَاءَاتٌ

Below are the official 10 main Imam Reciters.
Each Imam has his own Qiraa'ah (Recitation). These are 10 official Qiraa’aat in the Islamic Tradition. 

Each Imam is associated with 2 students (Transmitters) under him. The recitation of each student under the same Imam is not exactly the same with each other but the differences is very little. If we take all minor differences into consideration, we actually get 20 different recitations. The way the common people recite must be in accordance to any one of the 20 listed below. Some people know how to recite all 20 versions!

The 10 Imams and Student Transmitters

A student "Transmitter" is one who popularized his teacher's recitation. He transmits the way his Teacher recite to his followers.

1.      Imam Nafi = (1) Qaaloon,   (2) Warsh

2.      Imam Ibn Katheer = (1) Bazzi,   (2) Qunbul

3.      Imam Abu 'Amru = (1) Duri, (2) Susi

4.      Imam Ibn 'Amir = (1) Hisham,   (2) Ibn Zakwaan

5.      Imam 'AaSim = (1) 1) Syu'bah,   (2) HafS

6.      Imam Hamzah = (1) Khalaf ,  (2) Khallad

7.      Imam Al-Kisaa'ie = (1) Abul Haarith, (2) Duri

(1) to (7) = Recitations based on "Toriq As-Shatibi" : Imam As-Shatibi compiled the recitation of 7 Imams (and their students) which he himself having chain of teachers leading to the Imams.

8.      Abu Ja'far Al-Madani = (1) Ibnu Wardan, (2) Ibnu Jammaz

9.      Ya'qub Al-Basri = (1) Ruwais,    (2) Rauh

10.    Khalaf Al-'Asyir = (1) Ishaq,     (2) Idris

(1) to (10) = Recitations based on "Toriq Al-Jazari" : Imam Al-Jazari compiled the recitation of 10 Imams (and their students) which he himself having chain of teachers leading to the Imams.

Let say you are reciting:
(1) The way Imam 'ASim recited
(2) Which is transmitted as narrated (Riwayah) by his student Imam HafS
(3) As it was compiled from the Toriq (chain of narrations) by Imam As-Syatibi,

We say that you are reciting following:
Riwayah HafS 'an 'ASim min Toriqi Shatibiyah
In English = "The Riwayah of HafS of 'ASim from the Toriq of Shatibiyah"

Mix and Match of the 7 Ahrufs

The way the 10 Imams recited were heavily influenced by the dialect of each Imam's chain of teachers up to the Prophet s.a.w. Each Qira'ah also has his own way of matching the "7 Ahruf".

Example:
The "riwayah" of HafS (student of Imam 'Asim) has a few "Ahruf" that are common in another Imam's recitation but not common in his own recitation via his Teacher. Eg. Surah Hud ayah 41:

بِسْمِ ٱللهِ مَجۡر۪ٮٰهَا وَمُرۡسَٮٰهَآ‌ۚ
Bismillahi majreha wa mursaha.

"re" is an "imalah" pronunciation that is not common in his own recitation. He mixed and match a bit from the 7 Ahrufs. However the mix and match is very little.  

The most recited Qira'ah  

The most popular as a standard for the Muslims for many generations is the Qiraa'ah of Imam 'AaSim via his student Imam HafS. Imam HafS had lots of students. Hence he was the Narrator (Rawi) or Transmitter for the Qiraa'ah of 'AaSim known as "Riwayah of HafS". 

We got to learn how to recite the "Riwayah of HafS" through the compilation of Imam Syatibi (Toriq As-Shatibi) via his poem collection of "Matn ash-Shatibiyyah (fi Qiraat as-Sab'a)".

Note that there exist very slight differences in the recitation of "Riwayah of HafS" via Toriq Al-Jazari (mainly that Toriq Al-Jazari do not have the tajwid ruling of "Mad Jaiz MunfaSil") 

The Chart below shows how the Riwayah of HafS was passed down and compiled by As-Syatibi and by Al-Jazari.

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