multiple readings / versions of the Quran?

[Ümit]

Hello,
I stumbled upon an issue where it appears to be 7 different versions of the Quraan. I am now confused a bit, because all the time I was sure of myself that there was only one version.
my concern is that this confusion comes from this hadeeth below which appears to be saheeh. Can someone please explain this to me? how should I interpret this? Do we really have 7 different versions of the Quraan?

Saheeh Bukhari,

Volume 3, Book 41, Number 601:
Narrated 'Umar bin Al-Khattab:
I heard Hisham bin Hakim bin Hizam reciting Surat-al-Furqan in a way different to that of mine.
Allah's Apostle had taught it to me (in a different way). So, I was about to quarrel with him (during
the prayer) but I waited till he finished, then I tied his garment round his neck and seized him by it
and brought him to Allah's Apostle and said, "I have heard him reciting Surat-al-Furqan in a way
different to the way you taught it to me." The Prophet ordered me to release him and asked Hisham
to recite it. When he recited it, Allah s Apostle said, "It was revealed in this way." He then asked me to
recite it. When I recited it, he said, "It was revealed in this way. The Qur'an has been revealed in seven
different ways, so recite it in the way that is easier for you."

Volume 6, Book 61, Number 514:
Narrated 'Umar bin Al-Khattab:
I heard Hisham bin Hakim reciting Surat Al-Furqan during the lifetime of Allah's Apostle and I
listened to his recitation and noticed that he recited in several different ways which Allah's Apostle
had not taught me. I was about to jump over him during his prayer, but I controlled my temper, and
when he had completed his prayer, I put his upper garment around his neck and seized him by it
and said, "Who taught you this Sura which I heard you reciting?" He replied, "Allah's Apostle taught
it to me." I said, "You have told a lie, for Allah's Apostle has taught it to me in a different way from
yours." So I dragged him to Allah's Apostle and said (to Allah's Apostle),
"I heard this person reciting Surat Al-Furqan in a way which you haven't taught me!" On that Allah's
Apostle said, "Release him, (O 'Umar!) Recite, O Hisham!" Then he recited in the same way as I
heard him reciting. Then Allah's Apostle said, "It was revealed in this way," and added, "Recite, O
'Umar!" I recited it as he had taught me. Allah's Apostle then said, "It was revealed in this way. This
Qur'an has been revealed to be recited in seven different ways, so recite of it whichever (way) is easier
for you (or read as much of it as may be easy for you)."

Volume 6, Book 61, Number 561:
Narrated Umar bin Khattab:
I heard Hisham bin Hakim bin Hizam reciting Surat-al-Furqan during the lifetime of Allah's
Apostle, and I listened to his recitation and noticed that he recited it in several ways which Allah's
Apostle had not taught me. So I was on the point of attacking him in the prayer, but I waited till he
finished his prayer, and then I seized him by the collar and said, "Who taught you this Surah which I
have heard you reciting?" He replied, "Allah's Apostle taught it to me." I said, "You are telling a lie; By
Allah! Allah's Apostle taught me (in a different way) this very Surah which I have heard you reciting."
So I took him, leading him to Allah's Apostle and said, "O Allah's Apostle! I heard this person reciting
Surat-al-Furqan in a way that you did not teach me, and you have taught me Surat-al-Furqan."
The Prophet said, "O Hisham, recite!" So he recited in the same way as I heard him recite it before.
On that Allah's Apostle said, "It was revealed to be recited in this way." Then Allah's Apostle said,
"Recite, O 'Umar!" So I recited it as he had taught me. Allah's Apostle then said, "It was revealed to be
recited in this way." Allah" Apostle added, "The Quran has been revealed to be recited in several different
ways, so recite of it that which is easier for you."

Volume 9, Book 93, Number 640:
Narrated 'Umar bin Al-Khattab:
I heard Hisham bin Hakim reciting Surat-al-Furqan during the lifetime of Allah's Apostle, I
listened to his recitation and noticed that he was reciting in a way that Allah's Apostle had not taught
me. I was about to jump over him while He was still in prayer, but I waited patiently and when he
finished his prayer, I put my sheet round his neck (and pulled him) and said, "Who has taught you
this Sura which I have heard you reciting?" Hisham said, "Allah's Apostle taught it to me." I said, "You
are telling a lie, for he taught it to me in a way different from the way you have recited it!" Then I
started leading (dragged) him to Allah's Apostle and said (to the Prophet), " I have heard this man reciting
Surat-al-Furqan in a way that you have not taught me." The Prophet said: "(O 'Umar) release
him! Recite, O Hisham." Hisham recited in the way I heard him reciting. Allah's Apostle said, "It was
revealed like this." Then Allah's Apostle said, "Recite, O 'Umar!" I recited in the way he had taught me,
whereupon he said, "It was revealed like this," and added, "The Quran has been revealed to be recited
in seven different ways, so recite of it whichever is easy for you ." (See Hadith No. 514, Vol. 6)

[AabiruSabeel]

:salam:

Please see the links given in the index thread:

The different recitations are not variants
[Uloom Al-Qur'an] The Qira'at and The Ahruf
The revelation of the Qur’aan in seven styles
[post] Can you prove that the Quran has been altered yaa ayyuhaal kafiroon?
Help in refutation
The Ahruf of The Qur’aan
The Qira’aat of the Qur’an
http://www.islamic-awareness.org/Qur...raat/hafs.html
http://www.call-to-monotheism.com/qur_anic_variants

[Abz2000]

Please always keep in mind that the Quran came down from Allah :swt: as direct revelation, and also wahi which is strong inspiration, that was compiled into complete book form as a kitaab after the Prophet :saws: , and that although the Quran is the most pristine and recent revelation available, the faith of Islam is not dependent on sound of it's letters (e.g Mounti Chudi and the absence of a "ch" sound in Arabic), but upon it's message and the programming it installs into the heart and mind of a believer - becoming a living guide inside the heart to the obedience of Allah :swt: in every action and choice in a holistic way.

Do not train yourself to have your faith shattered if you end up finding that there are bits missing or wrongly pronounced - but rather train yourself to submit to Allah,
And you won't find anything better than it as a literal guide to the simple and straight path until the day of judgement.

[Abz2000]

Also remember that pepsi also allow bebsi to be written and pronounced due to the absence of a "p" sound in Arabic - even though it's generally accepted as pepsi - but life goes on, and arguing that it's bebsi and not pepsi won't really change much other than the fact that the one who puts his faith on the writing on the can instead of looking at the essence - will feel betrayed by pepsico and might feel suspicious about drinking it after that.

See it as a guide to what pleases Allah or even the first words after "there's no doubt in it", and after describimg the righteous: "of a surety, those who reject the just truth, it is the same for them whether you warn them or warn them not, they will not believe" will leave you shocked and thinking all the recent reverts are ghosts from the matrix - or that Allah is unaware (a'oodhubiAllah), but if you see it as Allah's way of teaching you how to categorize, and telling you not to waste time debating and calling those with a certain mindset bent on continually rejecting the truth regardless of how stark and obvious it is - you'll get the gist.
Anyway, it is a recitation which was to become a book of guidance to straight walking and easy judgement on the scales of justice where strict give and take of credits and debits between people will be established ...

You'll probably know the meaning what i'm saying soon, but please remember what i said about priorities when it happens so as not to feel dismayed.

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[Ümit]

Please always keep in mind that the Quran came down from Allah :swt: as direct revelation, and also wahi which is strong inspiration, that was compiled into complete book form as a kitaab after the Prophet :saws: , and that although the Quran is the most pristine and recent revelation available, the faith of Islam is not dependent on sound of it's letters (e.g Mounti Chudi and the absence of a "ch" sound in Arabic), but upon it's message and the programming it installs into the heart and mind of a believer - becoming a living guide inside the heart to the obedience of Allah :swt: in every action and choice in a holistic way.

Do not train yourself to have your faith shattered if you end up finding that there are bits missing or wrongly pronounced - but rather train yourself to submit to Allah,
And you won't find anything better than it as a literal guide to the simple and straight path until the day of judgement.

Thanks for your advice...but it is the other way around...when I was in my teenage years, I got my faith shattered with every unlogical issue I stumbled upon....now Alhamdulillah, as I gained more knowledge over the years, I learned that even though something might not seem logical on the surface...there undoubtly lies a logical explanation underwater...

This issue just overpowered me because it seemed very unIslamic that there were multiple versions of the Quraan...but I trusted on my faith and knew there should be a good explanation for it...so I asked you guys to help me with that. My faith did not even dent because of this...

But again...thank you for your kind advice.

Also remember that pepsi also allow bebsi to be written and pronounced due to the absence of a "p" sound in Arabic - even though it's generally accepted as pepsi - but life goes on, and arguing that it's bebsi and not pepsi won't really change much other than the fact that the one who puts his faith on the writing on the can instead of looking at the essence - will feel betrayed by pepsico and might feel suspicious about drinking it after that.

See it as a guide to what pleases Allah or even the first words after "there's no doubt in it", and after describimg the righteous: "of a surety, those who reject the just truth, it is the same for them whether you warn them or warn them not, they will not believe" will leave you shocked and thinking all the recent reverts are ghosts from the matrix - or that Allah is unaware (a'oodhubiAllah), but if you see it as Allah's way of teaching you how to categorize, and telling you not to waste time debating and calling those with a certain mindset bent on continually rejecting the truth regardless of how stark and obvious it is - you'll get the gist.
Anyway, it is a recitation which was to become a book of guidance to straight walking and easy judgement on the scales of justice where strict give and take of credits and debits between people will be established ...

You'll probably know the meaning what i'm saying soon, but please remember what i said about priorities when it happens so as not to feel dismayed.

You are advicing me not to waste time on people who are closed to accept the truth. you know what the difficult part of this is? people do not wear labels with the inscription "closed for the truth"...so you can not easily recognize them.
So, you never know who is absolutely closed to the truth, and who still can be convinced. Of course I will not keep continuing to convince someone who deníes everything I have said. After a certain level it becomes obvious that this person is closed for the truth...but still...
you have to try every door handle in order to find out whether the door is locked or not.