connection, to either choose a sura for which there are no variant readings, or com‌
bine the variant readings as explained above.
But from the standpoint of instructions-that have been proven authentic-[in which] the infallible Imams [told] to their readers to adopt any reading that was well known in their time, it doubtless follows that a single reading is sufficient for the prayer. Indeed, the various readings were well known during the lifetime of the Imams, and it has not been reported that they prohibited any of them. Had there been any prohibition, it would have reached us through uninterrupted transmission, or, at least, through a single transmission. On the contrary, it has been related, on their author‌ ity, that they had approved these readings through their declaration: "Read as the people [in general] do. Recite as you have been taught."٣٣ Accordingly, there is no sense in limiting the permission to the seven or ten readings. Yes, the permission must take into consideration that the reading should not be rare, and established by a transmission that is regarded as untrustworthy by Sunni authorities, nor should it be invented. As for rare readings, an example is to say, Malaka yawma al-dfn (He owned the day of judgment), with the verbmalaka (owned) in the past tense andyawm (day) in the objective case.٣٤ As for invented readings, an example is, Innama yakhsha Allahil min ibadihi al- ulama a (God fears among His bondsmen only the learned), with the word A!Hih (God) in the subjective case and ulama (learned men) in the objective,٣٥ in accordance with the reading of al-KhuzaI, who reported it on the authority of Abu I:Ianifa.
The essence of all this is that it is permissible to recite in the daily prayer any reading
that was well established during the lifetime of ahl al-bayt [i.e., the infallible Imams of the Prophets family] (peace be upon them all).

NOTES

١. Al-Muta im
١٩١٥) p. ١٠٦.
٢. Ibn Muhdis full name is Abd al-RaJ:!man b. MuhdL Ibn I:Iajar al-Asqalani reports thatAJ:!mad b. Sinan said that he heard Ali b. al-Madani say, "Abd al-RaJ:!man b. Muhdiwas the most learned person." He said this repeatedly. According to al-Khalili, "He was a leader without a contender." Al-ShafiI said, "I do not know an equal to him in the whole world." See Ibn I:Iajar, Tahdh!b al-Tahdhfb, vol. ٦, p. ٢٨٠.
٣. Jazairi, Tibyan, p. ٨٧.
٤. By this, Ibn al-Jazari means, as he later explains, that the reading must fully accord with Arabic grammar on one of the following levels: the very eloquent, the eloquent, the generally accepted, and, finally, the level on which there is an inconsequential disagreement. See Ibn al-Jazari, Al-Nashr, vol. ١, p. ١٠.-Trans.
٥. Ibn Al-Jazari, here, has in mind the slight discrepancies of wording in the Uthmanic codices. See ibid., p. ١١.-Trans.
٦. Ibn A!-Jazari is allowing here for the possibility that the reader of the Quran may fol‌ low one of the Uthmanic codices on hearsay, not having seen it himself. See ibid, p. ١١.‌ Trans.
٧. For a discussion of this controversial term, see chapter ٦. Lexically, the word f:ulrfmeans
the extremity of a thing, its border, margin, brink, side, edge. Thus, it is sometimes taken to signify a style or manner or way of doing a thing. (Cf. Q. ٢٢:١١, "And among mankind is he