robert spencer-did muhammad exist__ an inquiry into islams obscure origins-intercollegiate studies institute (2012) (1)

did not worry over such matters, why should his followers?
Ubayy bin Kab, whom a hadith had Muhammad praising as “the best reader (of the Qur'an) among my
people,” is made to recall his shock at Muhammad's lack of concern about these variations. The strange
incident began, according to the hadith, when Ubayy heard variant readings of the Qur'an recited in the
mosque: “I was in the mosque when a man entered and prayed and recited (the Qur'an) in a style to which
I objected. Then another man entered (the mosque) and recited in a style different from that of his
companion.” Ubayy decided to appeal to Muhammad himself: “When we had finished the prayer, we all
went to Allah's Messenger (may peace be upon him) and said to him: This man recited in a style to which
I objected, and the other entered and recited in a style different from that of his companion.”
But according to the hadith, Muhammad “expressed approval of their affairs”—that is, of their way of
reciting the Qur'an. Ubayy was troubled, recalling, “And there occurred in my mind a sort of denial which
did not occur even during the Days of Ignorance [before the revelation of the Qur'an].” His reaction
annoyed Muhammad: “When the Messenger of Allah (may peace be upon him) saw how I was affected
(by a wrong idea), he struck my chest, whereupon I broke into sweating and felt as though I were looking
at Allah with fear.” Muhammad explained that the variants, which he represented simply as differences in
the Arabic dialect used for recitation, were all parts of Allah's plan: “He (the Holy Prophet) said to me:
Ubayy, a message was sent to me to recite the Qur'an in one dialect, and I replied: Make (things) easy for
my people. It was conveyed to me for the second time that it should be recited in two dialects. I again
replied to him: Make affairs easy for my people. It was again conveyed to me for the third time to recite
in seven dialects.” 14
If variants and changes existed and had to be explained, this was as good an attempt to do so as any.
In another hadith, Umar is made to recall: “I heard Hisham bin Hakim reciting Surat Al-Furqan [sura
25 of the Qur'an] during the lifetime of Allah's Messenger and I listened to his recitation and noticed that
he recited in several different ways which Allah's Messenger had not taught me.” Umar, according to the
story, was incensed enough to treat Hisham roughly: “I was about to jump over him during his Salat
(prayer), but I controlled my temper, and when he had completed his Salat (prayer), I put his upper
garment around his neck and seized him by it and said, ‘Who taught you this Surah which I heard you
reciting?’”
Hisham's response was as surprising to Umar as Muhammad's casual reaction to the variants had been
to Ubayy: “He replied, ‘Allah's Messenger taught it to me.’ I said, ‘You have told a lie, for Allah's
Messenger has taught it to me in a different way from yours.’ So, I dragged him to Allah's Messenger and
said (to Allah's Messenger), ‘I heard this person reciting Surat Al-Furqan in a way which you haven't
taught me!’”
Muhammad, according to the hadith, backed up Hisham, commanding, “Release him, (O ‘Umar!)
Recite, O Hisham!” The prophet explained: “It was revealed in this way.” Then he turned to Umar and
told him to recite as well. Again Muhammad 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).” 15