The Shiites and the Knowledge of ‘Recitation’ in the Three First Centuries of Islam

The knowledge of ‘recitation’ is one of the sciences formed among Muslims in relation with the Quran and much spread out gradually.  The importance of the Quran among Muslims has caused the importance of the sciences related to it, and the knowledge of ‘recitation’ is no exception. The role of the Shiites in this knowledge and the level of their efforts are among items not considered much, and even sometimes completely ignored. The present article uses a descriptive-analytical method and library data, and seeks through introducing the most important Shiite reciters of the three first centuries to explain some part of the Shiite efforts in that knowledge. To do so, it is enough to refer to the efforts by the Shiite Imams in regard with teaching recitation and educating pupils in that discipline, to the extent that some of the best-known Muslim reciters are enumerated among the Shiites or the disciples of the purified Imams. Besides, the Shiites have composed numerous books in that regard. On the other hand, based on the studies conducted, the idea of ‘Shiite beliefs of some well-known reciters such as ‘Asem, Hamza and Kasa‘i’ – proposed since long ago and accepted in later centuries – is challenged; and, finally, a list of the Shiite-Imami reciters (25 persons), Zeydi reciters (5 persons), and reciters with a Shiite proclivity (9 persons) is presented.