Investigation of Common Reading in Interperative Books of Primary Centuries as well as Its Role in Preference of Reading

One of the criteria proposed in the exegetic texts of the first Islamic centuries for preference of one reading to others is "Common Reading". Some of the contemporary scholars, accusing famous readings of not referring back to the Prophet, consider the Ħafṣ transmission of ʽĀṣim's reading as the Common Reading. Studying the exegetic texts of the first Islamic centuries and especially Maǰāz al-Qurʼān of AbūʽUbaydaMaʽmar ibn Muthannā (d. 210 or 211) as the most important reflection of Quran studies in the 2nd century, we concluded that firstly "Common Reading" is the one that is recited by the majority of Muslims and not necessarily by the authorities of this discipline, and secondly, not necessarily does it conform to the Ħafṣ transmission and therefore this transmission doesn’t enjoy preference to other readings in this respect. Moreover it is recommended to investigate this preference like other preferences in each letter of the disputed cases of Qurʼānic readings separately.