best in reciting it?" He replied, "He who, when thou hearest him recite, appears to fear God." Ṭáus said, 'Ṭalq was such an one.'—Al Dárimi.
On the Various Readings of the Qurʾán
It is related from ʿOmar binuʾl-Khaṭṭáb that he said, 'I heard Hishám bin Ḥakím bin Ḥizám recite Súratuʾl-Furqán in a different way from which I recited it, and from which the Apostle of God taught me to recite it. And I wished to hasten upon him, but I gave him respite until he had completed the recital. After that I bound him with his cloak and took him to the Apostle of God and said, "O Apostle of God, verily I heard this man recite Súratuʾl-Furqán in a different manner from that in which thou taughtest me to recite it." The Apostle of God replied, "Let him go." (Then he said to him) "Recite." Then he recited in the way in which I had heard him recite. Then the Apostle of God said, "Thus it was sent down." After that he said to me, "Do thou recite!" Then I recited. And he said, "Thus it was sent down. Verily this Qurʾán was sent down in seven readings. Recite in whichever of them is easy for you."'—Muslim, Al Bukhárí.
It is related from Ibn Masʿúd that he said, 'I heard a man reciting the Qurʾán, and I heard the Prophet reciting differently from it. Then I brought him to the Prophet and informed him. And I perceived in his face signs of displeasure. Then he said, "Both of you are right, therefore do not contradict each other; for verily those who were before you differed and were destroyed."'—Al Bukhárí.
It is related from Ubai bin Kaʿb that he said, 'I was in a mosque, and there entered a man to pray. And he recited in a reading of which I disapproved. After that there entered another man, and he recited in a reading different from that of his companion. And when we had finished the prayers we all went in together to the Apostle of God, and I said, "Verily this man recited in a reading of which I disapproved; and this other came in and recited in a reading different from that of his companion." Then the Prophet commanded them both, and they recited. And he commended the reading of both of them. Then there entered my mind a desire to accuse of falsehood
