Hadithcore
Sahih al-Bukhari, 2410
sahih

Narrated `Abdullah:

I heard a man reciting a verse (of the Holy Qur'an) but I had heard the Prophet (ﷺ) reciting it differently. So, I caught hold of the man by the hand and took him to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) who said, "Both of you are right." Shu`ba, the sub-narrator said, "I think he said to them, "Don't differ, for the nations before you differed and perished (because of their differences). "

حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو الْوَلِيدِ، حَدَّثَنَا شُعْبَةُ، قَالَ عَبْدُ الْمَلِكِ بْنُ مَيْسَرَةَ أَخْبَرَنِي قَالَ سَمِعْتُ النَّزَّالَ، سَمِعْتُ عَبْدَ اللَّهِ، يَقُولُ سَمِعْتُ رَجُلاً، قَرَأَ آيَةً سَمِعْتُ مِنَ النَّبِيِّ، صلى الله عليه وسلم خِلاَفَهَا، فَأَخَذْتُ بِيَدِهِ، فَأَتَيْتُ بِهِ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَقَالَ ‏"‏ كِلاَكُمَا مُحْسِنٌ ‏"‏‏.‏ قَالَ شُعْبَةُ أَظُنُّهُ قَالَ ‏"‏ لاَ تَخْتَلِفُوا فَإِنَّ مَنْ كَانَ قَبْلَكُمُ اخْتَلَفُوا فَهَلَكُوا ‏"‏‏.‏

References2 variants
In-Book Reference
Book 44, Hadith 1
USC-MSA web (English) reference
Vol. 3, Book 41, Hadith 593 (deprecated numbering scheme)
Sharh · explanationclick to expand
Allah, Exalted is He, revealed different modes of recitations of the Noble Quran to make it easier for all Arabs (who spoke different dialects) to read it and miraculously challenge their command of their own language. In this hadeeth, ‘Abdullah ibn Mas‘ood (may Allah be pleased with him) stated that he heard a man reciting a ayah from Al-Ahqaaf chapter (no.46) with a different recitation that what he (may Allah be pleased with him) had heard from the Prophet ﷺ. Each of them informed the other that he had heard it from the Prophet ﷺ as he was reciting it, as narrated in Musnad Ahmad. ‘Abdullah(may Allah be pleased with him) took the man, went to the Prophet ﷺ, and each of them recited the ayah differently. Thereupon, the Prophet ﷺ said: "Both of you are right," meaning that both modes of recitation were correct. He ﷺ added: “Do not differ, for the nations before you differed and perished (i.e., because of their differences).” This means that they had incurred their own destruction, because their differences led them to distort and change their Scripture, following their whims, and this fueled disputes and incurred the punishment of Allah, Exalted is He. In addition, the Islamic Laws of Islam promotes affinity among Muslims and warns against disunity and dissension within the Muslim community. He ﷺ meant that Muslims should recite the Quran, adhere to unity and agreement, and if there should be any doubts that call for disagreement and disunity, give them up, and rather adhere to the established facts of Islam that promote affinity, and beware of falling into blameworthy disagreement and disunity like the previous nations, incurring their own destruction. Moreover, it is impermissible to disagree about the correct modes of recitation, because since it is allowable to recite the Quran with any of the correct modes of recitation as per the laws of Islam, if someone denied any of these modes of recitation, he would be denying the Quran. It is also impermissible to speak of the Quran based on one’s personal opinions, because the recitation of the Quran is an act of Sunnah, and Muslims must adhere to the reported Sunnah of the Prophet ﷺ in this regard. Rather, the disputing people should consult a more knowledgeable person about the disagreed-upon matter. The hadeeth forbids disunity and disagreement. .
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