The Critique of the Article Valid Recitations (Qira’at) in the Narrations of the Ahl al-Bayt (A.S.) and Its Relationship with Hafs’s Recitation (Qira’at)

Some contemporary scholars have attempted to portray Hafs’s recitation (Qira’at) as a valid and foundational recitation (Qira’at) according to Ahl al-Bayt (A.S.) by analyzing certain narrations of interpretation (tafsir). They have claimed, by selecting seventeen narrations, that the only recitation (Qira’at) in complete conformity with the interpretation of the Ahl al-Bayt (A.S.) and serving as its basis is Hafs’s recitation (Qira’at). Given that this claim attributes a connection to the Ahl al-Bayt (A.S.) and ascribes a recitation (Qira’at) as valid and accurate concerning the Holy Quran, it is crucial to examine the validity of this assertion. The current research is aimed at investigating this claim and evaluating the narrations and analyses presented in support of it. The conducted research reveals that out of the seventeen narrations presented, sixteen of them do not provide any evidence for the conformity of the recitation (Qira’at) of the Ahl al-Bayt (A.S.) with Hafs’s recitation (Qira’at) in Hafs’s specific version. One remaining narration contradicts another narration in the same verse. Additionally, it becomes evident that even these seventeen selected narrations, which lack substantial evidence for the claim, were cherry-picked while numerous narrations of interpretation contradicting Hafs’s recitation (Qira’at) are regarded; for instance, in this research, twenty narrations are presented in the interpretation of thirteen verses, and none of them align with Hafs’s recitation (Qira’at), confirming that the recitation (Qira’at) of the Ahl al-Bayt (A.S.) cannot be based on the recitation (Qira’at) of one of the reciters.