What the readings change

One reader read this verse as “Because you have thrown me out of the way, lo!

la’ajlisanna (“I will sit”) in wait for them on your straightway....” While it is true that

the two words “lie” and “sit” are close in meaning, the replacement of one word with

another indicates that the reader who read the verse had a role in choosing which word

he would use.

If the Qur’ān was composed by just one author, we would not have so many variances.

This issue of using synonyms or “close enough” words is widespread throughout Q 7:

Q 7.47: “But when their sight is turned towards the fellows of the Fire [the damned]”

was read by Ibn Mas‘ūd and other readers with a word that has a similar meaning.

The word surifat of the current Arabic Qur’ān was replaced with the word qulibat

for “turned.”

Q 7.131: “...and if they befell them an evil, they took the augury.” This verse was

read with a similar meaning by replacing the word yattayyarū (“they took the

augury”) with the word tashā’amū (“they ascribed it to evil omens”) in the verse.

Q 7.154: “And when Moses’ wrath calmed down” was read by Ibn Mas‘ūd and others

with the word sakata (“calmed down”) replaced with the similar word sakana in

the verse.

Q 7.201: “Verily, those who fear God, if a wraith from the devil touch” appears in the

codex of Ubayy Ibn Ka‘b with the word t.āfa instead of the similar word massahum (“touch”) in the current Arabic Qur’ān.

It is told that Muhammad recited rīshan (“plumage”) in the plural riyāshan.

Ubayy Ibn Ka‘b read his Qur’ān with a different word, replacing rīshan with zīnatan (“adornment”).

Please note these differences:

First, the plural, which was the way Muhammad recited the verse, is not the

form that is written down in the current Arabic Qur’ān.

Second, there is a difference between rīshan and zīnatan. The first word rīshan

mentioned in the verse of the current Arabic Qur’ān means “goods and money.” In

other renderings, it means “clothes” only. Whereas, zīnatan means everything that is used for adornment, or it can mean jewelry.

Ubayy Ibn Ka‘b read the verse by adding the word farīqayn (“two sects”) before

the first word farīqan (“A sect”). His reading of this verse is based on the expression

“...shall ye return. A sect He guides,” meaning, “shall ye return as two [opposite] groups:

happy and miserable”.

The difference in the variant readings of these verses leads to two matters:

First, it is not permissible to pause at the word “return”. Instead, the two verses

must be read as one continuous, related thought.

Second, the reading of these verses as given in the codex of Ubayy Ibn Ka‘b is

clearer and distinguishes three groups: the happy, the miserable, and those who deserve to be led astray.

Ubayy Ibn Ka‘b and others read the verse with ta’tiyannakum (“comes to you”) in the

singular feminine, grammatically applied to the apostles as a group. The current Arabic

Qur’ān, on the other hand, uses the masculine ya’tiyannakum (“come to you”),

because it is followed by the word rusulun (“apostles”), who are males.

The difference here indicates that the readers read the verse using their own personal choice of words, because one group used a feminine verb referring to a group of apostles and another used a masculine verb referring to rusulun (“apostles”).

The majority read the word as it appears in the current Arabic Qur’ān: na‘am (“yea”).

This reading was supported by al-Tabarī because it was the most common reading in

the Muslim countries at that time.

However, some read na‘im (“yes”) with a kasra (an “i” accent) on the middle letter ‘ain.

It is said that even Muhammad himself, ‘Umar Ibn al-Khattāb, and ‘Alī Ibn Abī Tālib

used to read it with the kasra. They read it as such so it could be distinguished from another word, na‘am, which is a name for camels, cattle, and sheep. Ibn Mas‘ūd read it as naham (“uh-huh”), replacing the letter ‘ain (ع) with the letter ha (ح).

This issue is repeated in Q 7.114: “He said, ‘Yea! and ye shall be of those who draw nigh unto me”.

This verse in the current Arabic Qur’ān is read with the word yat.ma‘ūna (“they

so desire”). In addition to the above rendering, some read the same above word as

Yutāmi‘ūna. There are also other renderings: tāmi‘ūna and sākhitūna.

The current Arabic Qur’ān shows the word yatmā‘ūna, meaning “to hope for

something.” The rendering yutāmi‘ūna means that they make one another covet.

Another rendering, sākhituna, expresses a situation different than hoping. Instead, it

means “angry” or “disgruntled”.

Many read this verse with the word tastakthirūna (“to deem excessive,” as in excessive

time or money), which comes from the word kathra (“abundance, large quantity”).

The current Arabic Qur’ān uses tastakbirūna (“[to be] so big with pride”) which

means “to be haughty,” while the variant reading means “to find it to be much or to begrudge.” This difference in the rendering of the word is repeated again in Q 7.48.

The current Arabic Qur’ān uses the word khufyatan (“secretly”). There are some

readers, however, who use the word khifyatan. But to call [Allah in prayer] khifyatan

means to call on him in fear and reverence. Calling on God ought to be in reverence,

whether one calls on him privately or publicly. However, both renderings do not require

the presence of the two conditions simultaneously. One demands reverence, while the

other commands it to be in private. Based on what the text appears to say, a Muslim

might call on Allah in private but not necessarily in a state of reverence.

This problematic issue with word choice is repeated in Q 7.205: “And remember thy

Lord within thyself humbly and with fear,” where the word khiyfatan (“with fear”), this time, is read by some as khufyatan (“secretly”).

One group read this expression from the current Arabic Qur’ān as bushran (“heralds

[of glad tidings]”). This reading has several forms: bushuran, bashran, and bushra.

All these forms mean “to give glad tidings”. In this verse, the “winds that give glad

tidings” are the ones that give the good news that rain is coming.

Ibn Mas‘ūd and Ibn ‘Abbās also read the verse with nushran (“widespread”) instead

of bushran. This phrase also has several forms: nushuran, nushran, and nasharan.

All these different forms mean “spreading.”

Question: Does the wind spread the rain or does it herald the glad tidings that are Coming?

The majority of the readers read this expression from the current Arabic Qur’ān as

ālihataka (“thy gods”), which is the plural of the word ilah (“god”). It is a reference

to the gods that Pharaoh worshipped. Ibn Mas‘ūd, ‘Alī Ibn Abī Tālib, and Ibn ‘Abbās also read it as ilhataka, with two explanations:

“Pharaoh, the people cease to worship [deify] you.” This is the opinion of Ibn ‘Abbās, who criticized the reading of the current reading using “gods,” as he said that Pharaoh “was worshipped; he did not worship.”

They also said ilhataka is in reference to the sun that Pharaoh used to worship, as

the sun was called ilha.

Question: Is the verse here talking about Pharaoh as the one who is worshipped, or is it talking about the gods that Pharaoh worshipped?

The majority read this expression from the current Arabic Qur’ān as anjaynākum

(“we saved you”), using the “n” of magnification (in reference to Allah). The Iraqi

school followed this path. But in the codices of al-Shām (Syria) and Hijāz, it is read

as anjākum (“he rescued you”). The difference is that the first reading is given in the

first person with Allah as the speaker, whereas the second is given in the third person, speaking about Allah.

The majority read this expression from the current Arabic Qur’ān as anjaynākum

(“we saved you”), using the “n” of magnification (in reference to Allah). The Iraqi

school followed this path. But in the codices of al-Shām (Syria) and Hijāz, it is read

as anjākum (“he rescued you”). The difference is that the first reading is given in the

first person with Allah as the speaker, whereas the second is given in the third person, speaking about Allah.

Ibn Mas‘ūd read this as “Verily, my patron is God, who hath sent down the Book in truth,” by adding bilhaqqi (“in or with truth”).

Ibn Mas‘ūd read fariqat and Ubayy Ibn Ka‘b read fazi‘at. Both of the readings mean

“to be frightened.”

The word used in the current Arabic Qur’ān, wajilat (“sink with fear [out of reverence]”), differs from the above two readings because it indicates the feeling of the fear and reverence that is due to the greatness of Allah.

Question: When Allah is mentioned, does the Muslim sense the majesty of Allah or is he frightened by Him?

Ibn Mas‘ūd read this verse with the passive form buyyina (“was made clear”). The

reading of the current Arabic Qur’ān tabayyana (“was made [lit., became] plain”)

means that the truth appeared to them in themselves or in their own heart and mind. But the reading of Ibn Mas‘ūd means that someone revealed the matter to them.

Ibn Mas‘ūd read it by adding another lā (“not”) before the word takhūnū (“be treacheous”) to the Arabic text, which is not present in the current Arabic Qur’ān. The word “nor” was added by Palmer to the above verse before “be treacherous”.

The majority of the readers read the verse with the word liyuthbitūka (“to detain

thee a prisoner”), meaning to hold you captive.

Some also read liyubayyitūka from bayāt, meaning “to raid you at night”.

Ibn ‘Abbās read it liyuqayyidūka from qayyada, meaning “to bind you”.

It is told that a group of readers read liyu‘bidūka from a‘bada, meaning a person

becomes a slave or is enslaved.

Question: Were the enemies of Muhammad plotting to jail him, attack him at night, bind him, or enslave him?

Ibn Mas‘ūd read al-suflā (“the lowest”) instead of al-qus.wā (“the far side”) found in

the current Arabic Qur’ān.

Question: Were they in the farthest or the lowest area?

The current Arabic Qur’ān reads yanqusūkum (“failed you”), and those who read

accordingly say that it appropriately corresponds to ilayhim (“to them”). Another group

of readers read yanqudūkum (“violated or breached [a treaty] with you”), saying that

it appropriately corresponds to the mention of al-‘ahd (“the covenant”) in the verse.

The variations in the choice of words reflect the differences among the readers. The

group that saw that the context included the act of completion as explained above, chose yanqusūkum as their verb when they read it. But, the second group considered that the word had to appropriately correspond to the word al-‘ahd, so they read yanqudūkum.

This dissimilarity is a result of a difference in understanding, an issue that is repeated

in more than one location in this sūra:

Q 9.28: “it is only the idolaters who are unclean....”.

The Arabic word najasun (“unclean”) is used, meaning “filthy.” But others read it with the Arabic word nijsun, meaning they are intrinsically unclean as a people group or a race. Yet, a third group read anjāsun, in the plural.

Q 9.81: “Say, ‘The fire of hell is hotter still, if ye could but discern!” The Arabic word used in the current Arabic Qur’ān is yafqahūna (“they discern”).

Ibn Mas‘ūd read it as ya‘lamūn (“they know”) instead.