The Tawātur of Qur’anic Readings: A Comparative Analysis of the Views of Abū al-Qāsim al-Khūʾī and Jalāl al-Dīn al-Suyūṭī

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Assistant Professor, Al-Mustafa Al-Alamiyah University, Qom, Iran,

2 Member of the Scientific Association of the Quran and Orientalists of the Seminary, Qom, Iran,

3 Corresponding Author, PhD scholar in Quran and Sciences, Education Department, Higher Education Complex for Quran and Hadith, Al-Mustafa Al-Alamiyah University,

Abstract

Objective: This study aims to provide a comparative analysis of the views of Ayatollah Abū al-Qāsim al-Khūʾī and Jalāl al-Dīn al-Suyūṭī on the issue of tawātur (mass transmission) of Qur’ānic readings. The significance lies in the fact that the acceptance or rejection of the tawātur of the Seven and Ten Readings directly affects Qur’ānic interpretation, jurisprudence, and pedagogy.
Method: The research employed a descriptive–analytical approach based on library sources. The opinions of al-Khūʾī and al-Suyūṭī on tawātur were first collected and then examined comparatively, with attention to their criteria and arguments for the authenticity of the readings.
Results: The findings indicate that both scholars reject the absolute tawātur of all Qur’ānic readings. Al-Khūʾī explicitly argues that no readings have been transmitted mutawātir from the Prophet (PBUH), and that most are the result of qurrāʾ’s personal reasoning or solitary reports. He stresses the distinction between the tawātur of the Qur’ānic text itself and the lack of tawātur in the variant readings. In contrast, al-Suyūṭī considers the Seven Readings (and, to a lesser degree, the Ten) to be mutawātir, but only if they conform to Arabic grammatical rules, correspond with the ʿUthmānic codices, and possess reliable transmission chains. Otherwise, they are classified as anomalous or weak.
Conclusions: The comparative analysis reveals that while both scholars agree on rejecting absolute tawātur of all readings, they employ different criteria for validating them. Al-Khūʾī relies primarily on principles of ijtihād and solitary transmission, whereas al-Suyūṭī emphasizes conformity with the ʿUthmānic codices and Arabic linguistic norms. These differing approaches highlight the need for a re-examination of the criteria of authenticity in Qur’ānic readings and contribute to resolving scholarly debates on this issue. 

Keywords

References

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  • Receive Date: 23 June 2022
  • Accept Date: 04 June 2025

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