lowers of the seven readings, that all of these readings have been transmitted from the seven readers without interruption, in chains of single authorities reporting successively from one another. Moreover, they maintain that it is incumbent to accept as conclusive that all of them have been revealed by God. We, too, believe in this, but only with regard to such of their readings on which there is a consensus among the chains of transmitters and the various religious groups, [these] having become widespread and well known without being refuted by anyone. This is the minimum condition for ac‌ cepting a reading that has not been transmitted without interruption ٩

٥. Al-Suyuti writes:

The best person who expressed his opinion on this matter is the leading reader of his time, the teacher of our teachers, Abu ai-Khayr b. al-Jazan. At the beginning of his book, al-Nashr, he writes: "Any reading that accords with one of the levels (wajh) of Arabic grammar and complies with one of the Uthmanic codices ... then it should be considered a sound reading."

He goes on to quote in full the same passage we quoted above, then adds, "The imam
Ibn al-Jazari was extremely well-versed in this matter."١٠

٦. Abu Shamma writes in his book Kitab al-Basmala:

We are not one of those who insist on uninterrupted transmission for the words on which there is a difference of opinion among the readers; rather, all readings are based on uninterrupted as well as interrupted transmissions. This is clear to anyone who is fair and knowledgeable, and who has examined the readings and the chains of their transmission.١١

٧. Some other scholars, [according to Abu Shamma],

have mentioned that none of the leading scholars oflegal theory (u, uliyyan)
that the readings have been transmitted uninterruptedly. On the other hand, there are those who maintain that investigations have shown that the seven readings have been uninterruptedly transmitted from those seven authorities; but it is questionable if the uninterrupted transmissions go back to the Prophet (peace be upon him). The chains of transmission going back to the seven readers can be found in the books of readings. They are chains of single narrators, reporting successively from one another.١٢
٨. Some later authorities on the traditions have said: Some scholars of legal theory (ahl al-u ul)
ings has been reported by uninterrupted transmission, and others have claimed that for all the ten readings. For this opinion there is no trace of research .... Moreover, a group of readers has reported that there is a consensus that each of the readings is based on uninterrupted transmission as well as on single narrations. No one in this latter group maintains that each one of the seven readings, let alone the ten, is entirely based on un‌ interrupted transmission. The latter view is the opinion of some legal theorists. How‌ ever, the people most knowledgeable [about] a subject are the ones who practice it. ١٣
٩. In the course of discussing this subject, Makki says, among other things: Sometimes they [some legal theorists] defer to what A im
the readings of these two authorities are the most preferable and have the soundest chains
of authority, and the most eloquent Arabic style.١٤