Akhlaq Ahl al-Quran
- Author died
- 360 AH
- Editions
- Dār al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah
Akhlaq Ahl al-Quran (also titled Akhlaq Hamalat al-Quran) is an Islamic treatise on the virtues, spiritual conduct, and pedagogical etiquette required of reciters, teachers, and students of the Quran, authored by the Baghdadi traditionist and jurist Abu Bakr al-Ajurri (d. 360 AH / 970–971 CE) .
Structure and Contents
The book opens with three foundational chapters setting out the merits of Quranic memorizers, the virtues of learning and teaching the text, and the reward of convening in mosques for its study, aiming to encourage recitation, practical compliance, and communal instruction .
Following these introductory chapters, al-Ajurri examines the moral character expected of bearers of the Quran:
- Personal and spiritual conduct: He stresses God-fearing piety in public and private, scrupulousness (wara') regarding livelihood, food, drink, and clothing, and the necessity of guarding one's speech and avoiding idle frivolousness. He emphasizes that reciters should engage with the Quran as a means of heart purification and deep reflection, aiming to comprehend divine admonition rather than merely hastening to complete a chapter .
- Dangers of worldly motives: He warns against treating the Quran as a commodity to obtain prestige, worldly wealth, or favors from rulers and affluent individuals, condemning those who memorize its letters while disregarding its limits, or who display arrogance over others by flaunting obscure variant readings .
- Etiquette of the instructor: He outlines the manners of the teacher (muqri'), who should maintain humility, treat wealthy and poor students equally, refrain from having students carry out personal chores or errands, listen attentively, and exercise patience and gentleness when students make mistakes .
- Etiquette of the student: He details the conduct of the learner, including sitting with reverence and humility before the instructor, enduring reprimand patiently, and requesting portions suited to their capacity without overburdening the teacher .
- Practical manners of recitation: He addresses the physical proprieties of recitation, including ritual purity, using the tooth-stick (siwak), and handling the physical copy of the scripture (mushaf) .
Method and Sources
Al-Ajurri structures his guidance around textual proofs, citing Quranic verses, Prophetic hadiths, and narrations from the Companions and early Muslim authorities (salaf) . Among the figures whose statements and practices he transmits extensively are Abdullah ibn Mas'ud, Abu Musa al-Ash'ari, al-Hasan al-Basri, and al-Fudayl ibn 'Iyad .
Editions and Abridgments
The work has been published across several critical editions, including those edited by Fawwaz Ahmad Zumarli, by Ghanim Qadduri, and by Ahmad Shahatah al-Alfi . It was also abridged by modern scholars such as Khalid al-Sabt to make its core ethical teachings accessible to teachers and students in Quranic study circles while omitting internal repetitions and weak narrations .
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