Muqaddimat fi Ilm al-Qiraat
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Muqaddimat fi Ilm al-Qiraat (Introductions to the Science of Quranic Readings) is a foundational textbook on Quranic readings (qira'at) co-authored by a group of contemporary scholars, including Ahmad Muhammad Muflih al-Qudah and Ahmad Khalid Shukri . Published by Dar Ammar in Amman, Jordan, the work was written as a structured pedagogical guide drawing on extensive instructional experience in the discipline .
Background and Methodology
The work was composed collaboratively by three scholars to provide a clear, systematic reference reflecting rigorous academic methodology, abundant primary and secondary sources, and precise resolution (tahrir) of longstanding scholarly debates within the field . The authors intended the text to present complex phonetic and transmission concepts in an accessible style while adhering strictly to verified evidence and transmitted reports .
Structure and Contents
The book is arranged into five main chapters covering theoretical foundations, historical development, biographies, linguistic rules, and literature in the field of qira'at:
- Chapter One: The Seven Ahruf and Their Relationship to the Ten Recitations: Examines the prophetic traditions regarding the revelation of the Quran upon seven ahruf ( سبعة أحرف ), the linguistic and technical definitions of harf, scholarly positions concerning their precise nature, concrete textual examples, and the underlying wisdom of easing recitation for the early Muslim community .
- Chapter Two: The Concept, Origins, and Stages of Ilm al-Qiraat: Discusses the definition of qira'at, the distinction between the Quran and its reading variants, the historical stages through which the discipline developed, the essential criteria for an acceptable reading (shurut al-qira'ah al-sahihah), and the classifications of readings, including mutawatir and anomalous (shadhdh) recitations .
- Chapter Three: Biographies of the Ten Readers and Their Transmitters: Outlines the life, teachers, students, and transmission lineages of the ten canonical reading masters (such as Nafi al-Madani, Asim al-Kufi, and Abu Amr al-Basri) and their primary narrators (ruwah) .
- Chapter Four: Foundations and Principles of the Ten Readers: Covers technical terminology and recurring systematic rules (usul)—as distinguished from isolated variant words (farsh)—including seeking refuge (isti'adha), the basmalah, elongation (madd) and shortening (qasr), assimilation (idgham), phonetic changes to the hamzah (tashil, ibdal, naql, and isqat), and inclination (imalah and taqlil) .
- Chapter Five: Literature of the Science of Qira'at and Related Disciplines: Surveys classical and secondary bibliographical works across various genres, including texts dedicated to single narrations, the seven readings, the ten readings, anomalous readings, and versified didactic poems and their commentaries .
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