AN INTRODUCTION TO THE

5CIENCE5 OF THE QURAN

English]
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ln the |lght of the G|orlous Qurn and the (
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Abu Ammar YasIr a!-QadhI
Chaptcr 1 frnm "An IntrnductInn tn thc 5cIcnccs nf thc Qur'n"
vvv.sunnahonIine.con
Is!amic Prnpagatinn OIIicc in Rabwah, Riyadh
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Is!am at Ynur Fingcrtips
2008-1429

IN THL NAML OI ALLAH THL MOST CRACIOUS AND THL MOST MLRCIIUL
An IntrnductInn tn 'U!nnm A!-Qur'n
Alu Annai Yasii aI-Qadhi
Chaplei 1 fion "An Inlioduclion lo lhe Sciences of lhe Qui'n"
I. DcfInItInn nf 'U!nnm a!-Qur'n
The knovIedge of U|ccn A|-Qur'an, oi 'The Sciences of lhe Qui'n',
deaIs vilh lhe knovIedge of lhose sciences lhal have a diiecl leaiing on lhe
iecilalion, hisloiy, undeislanding and inpIenenlalion of lhe Qui'n. Il is,
lheiefoie, a vasl fieId of IsIanic schoIaiship, and one lhal if of piinaiy
inpoilance.
Thus, foi exanpIe, vilh iegaids lo iecilalion, U|ccn A|-Qur'an deaIs
vilh lhe science of pionuncialion (|ajuccd), lhe diffeienl nelhodoIogies of
ieciling lhe Qui'n (lhe qira'aa|), lhe lIessings of ieciling lhe Qui'n, and lhe
eliquelle of ils iecilalion.
Wilh iegaids lo lhe hisloiy of lhe Qui'n, U|ccn A|-Qur'an deaIs vilh
lhe slages of ieveIalion of lhe Qui'n, lhe conpiIalion of lhe Qui'n, lhe ail
and hisloiy of viiling lhe Qui'anic sciipl (rasn a|-nasaanif), and lhe
pieseivalion of lhe Qui'n.
Wilh iegaids lo ils undeislanding and inpIenenlalion, U|ccn A|-
Qur'an coveis lhe causes of ieveIalion (asoaao an-nuzcc|), lhe knovIedge of
na|cc and nadancc ieveIalions, lhe knovIedge of lhe vaiious foins (anruf) il
vas ieveaIed in, lhe undeislanding of ils aliogaled iuIings and veises
(naasi|n ua a|-nanscc|n), lhe knovIedge of lhe vaiious cIassificalions of ils
veises (nun|an and nu|asnaaoin, aan and |naas, nu||aq and nuqqaqad, elc.),
lhe knovIedge of ils inleipielalion (|afsccr), lhe giannalicaI anaIysis of lhe
Qui'n (iraao a|-Qur'an) and lhe knovIedge of lhose voids vhose usage has
lecone unconnon ovei line (gnarcco a|-Qur'an).
Il has leen said lhal lhe knovIedge of U|ccn A|-Qur'an is in ieaIily lhe
knovIedge lhal one is iequiied lo knov in oidei lo piopeiIy inleipiel lhe
Qui'n. Theiefoie, lo caII lhis lianch of IsIanic knovIedge 'The Iioceduie
and MelhodoIogy of Inleipielalion' (||n Uscc| a|-Tafsccr) inslead of U|ccn A|-
Qur'an vouId nol le fai fion lhe liulh. |1j Hovevei, U|ccn A|-Qur'an aIso
incIudes lopics lhal have veiy IillIe oi no leaiing of |afsccr, such as
conpiIalion of lhe Qui'n, and lhe deveIopnenl of lhe sciipl of lhe Qui'n.

Theiefoie, lhe knovIedge of lhe U|ccn A|-Qur'an is noie geneiaI lhal ||n
Uscc| a|-Tafsccr.
II. BcncfIts nf 5tudyIng 'U!nnm a!-Qur'n
Theie aie nany lenefils lo lhe knovIedge of U|ccn A|-Qur'an.
IiislIy, il enalIes lhe ieadei lo ieaIize lhe veaIlh of knovIedge and
insighl lhal exisls vilh iegaids lo lhe ook of AIIh. As sone of lhe schoIais
of lhe pasl said, "Tiue knovIedge is lo knov one's ignoiance." OnIy vhen a
peison ieaIizes vhal he does nc| knov viII he appieciale hov IillIe he dccs
knov.
SecondIy, il enalIes lhe sludenl of knovIedge lo lellei undeisland lhe
Qui'n, in lhal he viII le faniIiai vilh lhe hisloiy of ils ieveIalion and
coIIeclion, and lhe vaiious aspecls lhal aids ils conpiehension. When he
ieads lhe looks of |afsccr, he viII le alIe lo undeisland lhe leins used, and
lenefil fion lhe knovIedge in lhen lo a giealei exlenl. In olhei voids, he
viII le equipped lo fuilhei inciease his knovIedge and lo Ieain aloul his
ieIigion.
ThiidIy, il inciease a peison's leIief (ccnaan), lecause he viII ieaIize
lhe leauly of lhe Qui'n and lhe gieal lIessings lhal he has leen given
lhiough ils ieveIalion. He viII nol le fooIed ly lhe faIIacious cIains of ils
enenies, and his heail vilh le al ease vilh iegaids lo ils aulhenlicily. He viII
undeisland lhe niiacuIous naluie of lhe Qui'n, and lhus lellei cheiish lhe
giealesl ook lhal nankind has leen given.
IouilhIy, he viII le alIe lo defend lhe Qui'n againsl his enenies,
since he viII le equipped vilh lhe liue and piisline knovIedge of lhe Qui'n,
unaduIleialed ly lhe piejudices of ils opponenls.
Il is no exaggeialion lo say lhal, once a peison Ieains lhe essenliaIs of
his ieIigion and vhal is iequiied foi hin lo knov, lhe fiisl knovIedge he
shouId luin his allenlion lo is lhe knovIedge of lhe Qui'n and ils sciences.
As AIIh says |2j in lhe Qui'n,
||(This is a) ook lhal We have senl dovn lo you, fuII of lIessings, so lhal lhey
nay pondei ovei ils veises, and lhal nen of undeislanding nay ienenlei.
(Quian, 38:29)
III. Thc HIstnry nf 'U!nnm a!-Qur'n
Like aII lhe sciences of IsIn, lhe knovIedge of U|ccn A|-Qur'an
inilialed vilh lhe Iiophel Muhannad (saIIaIIaahu 'aIayhi va saIIan) hinseIf.

The Conpanions of lhe Iiophel Muhannad (saIIaIIaahu 'aIayhi va saIIan)

aloul any concepl lhal lhey did nol undeisland in lhe Qui'n. Ioi exanpIe
conceining lhe veise,
||Those vho leIieve and do nol nix lheii leIief vilh injuslice, onIy lhey viII
have secuiily, and lhey aie guided. (Quian, 6:82)
They asked, "O Messengei of AIIh! Who anongsl us does nol do
injuslice (lo his souI)`" They had undeislood lhal lhe veise vas iefeiiing lo
lhose leIieveis vho did nol connil any injuslice, oi sin. The Iiophel
Muhannad (saIIaIIaahu 'aIayhi va saIIan) iepIied lhal lhe injuslice iefeiied
lo lhis veise vas snir|, oi lhe associalion of pailneis vilh AIIh . |3j
Such vas lhe enlhusiasn of lhe Conpanions in seeking lhis
knovIedge lhal lhey veie alIe lo nol onIy expIain any veise in lhe Qui'n,
lul aIso give ils hisloiy and lhe cause of ils ieveIalion.
Iln Masood said, "I sveai ly AIIh, lesides vhon lheie is no olhei
god, lheie is no sccran in lhe Qui'n excepl lhal I knov vheie il vas ieveaIed!
And lheie is nol a singIe veise in lhe Qui'n excepl lhal I knov lhe ieason
lehind ils ieveIalion! If lheie veie any peison lhal knev noie aloul lhe
Qui'an lhan I did, and il vas possilIe foi ne lo ieach hin, I vouId iide (on
ny caneI) lovaids hin (lo gel his knovIedge." |4j
AIee iln Alee TaaIil loId his sludenls, "Ask ne! Ioi I sveai ly AIIh,
lheie is nolhing lhal you viII ask ne excepl lhal I viII ansvei you. Ask ne
conceining lhe ook of AIIh! Ioi I sveai ly AIIh, lheie is nol a singIe veise
in lhe Qui'n excepl lhal I knov vhelhei il vas ieveaIed al nighl oi duiing
lhe day, oi on a nounlain oi on a pIain!" |5j
Theie veie nany Conpanions vho veie fanous foi lheii knovIedge
of lhe Qui'n, anong lhen veie lhe foui Knu|afaa ar-Raasnidccn, |6j
AlduIIaah iln Mas'ood (d.32 A.H.), AlduIIaah iln Allaas (d.68 A.H.),
Ulay iln Kaal (d.32 A.H.), Zayd iln Thaalil (d.45 A.H.), Aloo Moosaa aI-
Ashaiee (d.5O A.H.), AlduIIaah iln Zulayi (d.73 A.H.) and Aa'ishah (d.57
A.H.).
The geneialion lhal cane aflei lhe Conpanions, lhe Successois,
sludied eageiIy undei lhe vise guaidianship of lhe Conpanions. These
sludenls look ovei lheii piedecessois iesponsiliIilies, and passed lhis
knovIedge failhfuIIy lo lhe nexl geneialion. Iln Allaas sludenls, Saeed iln
}ulayi (d.95 A.H.), Mujaahid iln }ali (d.1OO A.H.), Ikiinah aI-ailaiee
(d.1O4 A.H.), Taavoos iln Kaysaan (d.1O6 A.H.), and Alaa' iln Ralaah (d.114
A.H.), veie aII fanous in Makkah, Ulay iln Kaal's sludenls, Zayd iln
AsIan (d.63 A.H.), Aloo aI-AaIiyah (d.9O A.H.) and Muhannad iln Kaal
(d.12O A.H.), veie lhe leacheis of Madinah, and in Iiaq, AlduIIaah iln
Masood Iefl lehind his gieal Iegacy lo AIqanah iln Qays (d.6O A.H.),

Masiooq iln aI-Ajda (d.63 A.H.), aI-Hasan aI-asiee (d.11O A.H), and
Qalaadah as-Sadoosee (d.11O A.H.). These lhiee pIaces, Makkah, Madinah,
and Koofah, veie lhe Ieading cenlies of aII lhe sciences of IsIn, incIuding
|afsccr and u|ccn a|- Qur'an.
Thus lhe knovIedge of lhe Qui'n vas passed on '...ly lhe liuslvoilhy
(schoIais) of lhe unnan, vho piolecled il fion lhe aIleialion of lhe heielics,
lhe faIse cIains of lhe Iiais, and lhe faIse inleipielalions of lhe ignoianl.' |7j
LaiIy schoIais did nol viile on U|ccn A|-Qur'an in geneiaI, lul ialhei
viole sepaiale liacls on each science of lhe Qui'n. This vas due lo lhe facl
lhal, duiing lhe eaiIy slages of IsIanic hisloiy, lhe oiaI liansnission of
knovIedge occupied a noie inpoilanl slalus lhal lhe viillen liansnission. In
addilion, lhe geneiaI IeveI of knovIedge vas high, and did nol vaiianl lhe
exlensive viiling dovn of knovIedge.
The fiisl and nosl inpoilanl of lhe lopics lo le viillen on vas |afsccr.
Ioi exanpIe, each of lhe foIIoving schoIais viole a |afsccr of lhe Qui'n,
conposed of slalenenls fion lhe Iiophel Muhannad (saIIaIIaahu 'aIayhi va
saIIan) and lhe Conpanions: Sufyaan alh-Thaviee (d.161 A.H.), Sufyaan iln
Uyaynah (d.198 A.H.), Wakee iln aI-}aiaah (d.197 A.H.), and Shu'lah iln aI-
Hajjaaj (d.16O A.H.).
IoIIoving his piedecessoi's foolsleps, Muhannad iln }aieei al-
Talaiee (d.31O A.H.) viole lhe nonunenlaI ]aani a|-8aqaan an Ta'ucc| aaq a|-
Qur'an, a |afsccr lhal aII Ialei schoIais vho lenefil fion. Olhei eaiIy |afsccrs
veie viillen ly Aloo aki iln Mundhii an-Naysalooiee (d. 318 A.H.), Iln
Alee Haalin (d.328 A.H.), Iln Hillaan (d.369 A.H.), aI-Haakin (d.4O5 A.H.)
and Iln Maidavayh (d.41O A.H.). AII of lhese |afsccrsveie lased on iepoils
fion lhe Iiophel Muhannad (saIIaIIaahu 'aIayhi va saIIan) and lhe
Conpanions and Successois, and incIuded lhe chains of naiialion (isnaad) of
lhe iepoils.
Aflei lhe looks of |afsccr foIIoved a pIelhoia of looks on lhe olhei
sciences of lhe Qui'n: AIee aI-Madeenee (d.234 A.H.), lhe leachei of Inaan
aI-ukhaii, viole a look on Asoaao an-Nuzcc|, Aloo Ulayd aI-Qaasin iln
SaIIaan (d.224 A.H) viole lvo looks, one on lhe science of lhe Qira'aa|
(vhich vas one of lhe fiisl of ils kind), and one on aliogalion in lhe Qui'n,
Naasi|n ua a|-Manscc|n, Iln Qulaylah (d.276 A.H.) viole a look on iaie
voids in lhe Qui'n, Musn|i| a|-Qur'an,
Aloo Ishaaq az-Zajjaaj (d.311 A.H.) viole a giannalicaI anaIysis of
lhe Qui'n, |raao a|-Qur'an, Iln Daislavayh (d.33O A.H.) conposed a liacl on
lhe niiacuIous naluie of lhe Qui'n, |jaaz a|-Qur'an, Aloo aki as-Sijislaanee
(d.33O A.H.) viole anolhei look on iaie voids in lhe Qui'n, Gnarcco a|-
Qur'an, Aloo aki aI-aaqiIIaanee (d.4O3 A.H.) viole his fanous liealise, aIso
ieIaled lo lhe niiacuIous naluie of lhe Qui'n, |jaaz a|-Qur'an, Inaan an-

Nasaa'ee (d.3O3 A.H.), lhe aulhoi of lhe Sunan, viole one on lhe neiils of lhe
Qui'n, |adaa'i| a|-Qur'an, Aloo aI-Hasan aI-Waahidee (d.468 A.H.) viole his
fanous look on Asoaao an-Nuzcc|, IIn ad-Deen as-Sakhaavee (d.634 A.H.)
viole one on lhe vaiious qira'aa|, and so on.
Il nusl aIso le nenlioned lhal, in addilion lo lhese looks, nany of lhe
looks of anadi|n, such as lhe Sanccns of aI-ukhaii and MusIin, incIuded
seclions on vaiious lopics of U|ccn A|-Qur'an. Ioi exanpIe, nosl of lhe
looks of lhe Sunnan have chapleis on lhe |afsccr of lhe Qui'n, lhe lenefils of
ieciling lhe Qui'n, lhe hisloiy of ils conpiIalion, and olhei lopics.
IinaIIy, lhe schoIais of lhe Ialei geneialions slailed conpiIing aII of
lhese sciences inlo one look, and lhus legan lhe eia of lhe cIassic voiks on
U|ccn A|-Qur'an. The fiisl voiks of lhis naluie veie acluaIIy neanl lo le
voiks of |afsccr. One of lhe fiisl voiks lhal is iepoiled in Ialei iefeiences (lul
is nol exlanl) is lhal of Aloo aki Muhannad iln KhaIaf iln aI-Maizalan
(d.3O9 A.H.), enlilIed 'a|-Haaucc fcc U|ccn A|-Qur'an.' |8j Anolhei voik, of
vhich nanusciipl copies of fifleen of a lolaI of lhiily voIunes aie exlanl, is
lhal of AIee iln Iliaheen Saeed (d.33O A.H.), olheivise knovs as aI-Hoofee,
vhich he enlilIed, 'A|- 8urnaan fcc U|ccn A|-Qur'an'. This look is piinaiiIy
one on |afsccr, lul aIso discusses aII ieIaled aspecls of a veise. So, foi exanpIe,
aflei each poilion of lhe Qui'n, il incIudes infoinalion aloul lhe veises'
neaning, ils inleipielalion, ils puipose of ieveIalion, ils piopei nelhod of
iecilalion, lhe diffeienl qira'aa| of lhe veises and hov lhey affecl lhe neaning,
vheie lo slop and vheie nol lo, and so foilh. This voik is consideied lo le
lhe fiisl of ils kind in ils expansive appioach lo aII lhe ieIaled sciences of lhe
Qui'n. |9j
Theie appeaied aflei lhis, looks of a siniIai naluie, unliI finaIIy adi
ad-Deen az-Zaikashee (d.794 A.H.) appeaied vilh his nonunenlaI A|-
8urnaan fcc U|ccn A|-Qur'an (lhe sane lilIe as aI-Hoofee's voik). This is one
of lhe gieal cIassics on U|ccn A|-Qur'an avaiIalIe in piinl. A IillIe ovei a
cenluiy Ialei, anolhei cIassic appeaied, lhal of }aIaaI ad-Deen as-Suyoolee
(d.911 A.H.), enlilIed A|-||qaan fcc U|ccn A|-Qur'an. These lvo voiks aie
consideied lhe slandaid iesouice voiks on U|ccn A|-Qur'an, and lolh have
leen piinled a nunlei of lines duiing lhe Iasl fev decades.
ooks on UIoon AI-Qui'n conlinued lo appeai lhioughoul lhe
cenluiies, |1Oj and lhese Iasl fev decades have leen no exceplion. The lellei
knov looks of lhis eia have leen Manaani| a|-|rfaan fcc U|ccn a|-Qur'an ly
Shaykh Muhannad Ald aI-Adheen az-Zaiqaanee, a|-Madn|na| |i Dirasaa| a|-
Qur'an a|-Karccn ly Muhannad Aloo Shahnah, and lhe lvo looks, lolh of
vhich aie enlilIed Maoaani|n fcc U|ccn A|-Qur'an, one ly Di. Sul hee SaaIih
and lhe olhei ly Di. Mannaa aI-Qallaan.
UnfoilunaleIy, lheie does nol seen lo le gieal inleiesl in LngIish
ciicIes conceining lhis lopic. Olhei lopics, such as nadcc|n and fiqn, have leen

given giealei allenlion. |11j In LngIish, lhe onIy voik piesenl |12j is Ahned
Von Denffei's look, U|ccn A|-Qur'an. An |n|rcduc|icn |c |nc Scicnccs cf |nc
Qur'an. |13j Il is a usefuI look in lhal il piesenls a sunnaiy of nany concepls
of U|ccn A|-Qur'an, and is neanl foi a young aduIl audience. Hovevei,
piolalIy due lo lhe naluie of lhe audience, lhe aulhoi does nol go inlo gieal
delaiI.
IOOTNOTLS:
1. cf. ai-Roonee, Iahd iln Ald aI-Rahnaan iln SuIaynaan: Dirasaa| fi U|ccn a|-
Qur'an, Maklalah al-Tavlah, Riyadh, 1994, p.33, vho equales U|ccn a|-Qur'an vilh
Uscc| a|-|afsccr.
2. Il shouId le poinled oul lhal lhe Qui'n is onIy in Aialic, and is lhe speech (|a|aan)
of AIIh, as shaII le pioved and eIaloialed upon in lhe nexl chaplei. Theiefoie, lhe
uncondilionaI phiase, "AIIh says," vhen used in lhis look (oi any look), onIy iefeis
lo lhe Qui'n. When lhis phiase is used in a Ianguage olhei lhan Aialic, il conlains
an addilionaI inpIicil cause, lhal shouId le undeislood ly lhe audience, and lhis
cIause is, "lhe neaning of vhich is," since lhe Qui'n is onIy in Aialic. Theiefoie, lhis
phiase shouId le undeislood as, "The Meaning of vhal AIIh has said is..."
3. Repoiled ly aI-ukhaii.
4. Repoiled ly aI-ukhaii.
5. ai-Roonee, p.37.
6. A Lerm LIuL meuns 'TIe rIgILIy guIded CuIIpIs', used Lo denoLe LIe IIrsL Iour cuIIpIs,
Aboo Bukr, `Umur, `ULImuun und `AIee.
;. A purupIruse oI un uuLIenLIc Hcdith oI LIe PropIeL (suIIuIIuuIu 'uIuyII wu suIIum),
reporLed by bn `Adee und bn `AsuukIr. TIe begInnIng oI LIe Hcdith Is, 'TIIs
knowIedge wIII be currIed by LIe LrusLworLIy oI LIe Ummch, wIo wIII proLecL...'
8. ur-Roomee, p.q, quoLIng bn Nudeem's IIrIsL, p.zq.
q. uz-Zurquunee, MuIummud `Abd uI-`AdIeem: Mcncchil cl-'Irjccn ji 'Uloom cl-
Qur'cn, Dur uI-Ikr, CuIro, n.d., p. und QuLLuun, Munnu`: Mcbchith ji 'Uloom cl-
Qur'cn, MuususuL uI-RIsuIuL, BeIruL, 1q8, p.1q.
1o. See ur-Roomee, pps.q1-q8, wIere Ie IIsLs LIe mosL ImporLunL works In LIIs IIeId Irom
every cenLury oI LIe hijrch, sLurLIng Irom LIe second cenLury unLII LIe presenL one.
11. n hcdeeth, LIe besL works ouL Ior InLroducLory-IeveI sLudenLs ure Hcdith Litercture:
Its Driins, Detelopment cnd Specicl Iecture by MuIummud Zubuyr SIddIqI
(sIumIc TexLs SocIeLy, ondon, 1qq), und SLudIes on Hcdith Methodolo cnd
Litercture by MuIummud MusLuIu AzumI (AmerIcun TrusL PubIIcuLIon, ndIunupoIIs,
1q;;); In 'Usool cl-Iiqh, u good work Is by MuIummud HusIIm KumuII, Principles oj
Islcmic 1urisprudence (sIumIc TexLs SocIeLy, 1qq1).
1z. TIIs Is LIe onIy book LIuL LIIs uuLIor cume ucross concernIng LIIs LopIc Irom u
MusIIm uuLIor. TIere Is, Iowever, u LrunsIuLIon oI bn TuymIyyuI's An Introduction
to the Principles oj Tcjseer (uI-HIduuyuI PubIIsIIng und DIsLrIbuLIon, BIrmIngIum,
1qq).
1. PubIIsIed by, 'TIe sIuumIc ounduLIon,' eIcesLer, 1q8.