مغلیہ دور کی کتب قرأ ت کا منہجی مطالعہ

A Methodological Study of Qur'anic Recitation (Qira'at) Books from the Mughal Era

Abstract

This research paper presents a methodological study of the books on Qur'anic recitation (Qira'at) produced during the Mughal era in the Indian subcontinent (1526–1857 CE). The Mughal period is widely regarded as a golden age of religious and scholarly activities, during which numerous works on Qur'anic sciences emerged. Alongside tafsir, usul al-tafsir, and tajwid, the field of Qira'at received significant attention from scholars who compiled rules and principles of the seven and ten canonical readings, wrote commentaries on classical texts, and produced treatises and manuals that remain authoritative to this day. The patronage of Mughal emperors and the establishment of religious institutions greatly facilitated these scholarly endeavors. These works include texts such as Rawdah al-Qura' wa Jannah al- Udaba' by Shaykh 'Abd al-Haqq Muhaddith al-Dihlawi (d. 1052 AH), Manafi' al-Qura' fi Sharh al-Durar al-Lawami', and various anonymous or attributed epistles (rasa'il) on Qira'at. This study examines the methodological approaches adopted by these scholars, analyzing their treatment of the principles of the seven and ten readings, the chains of transmission (asanid), the articulation points of letters (makharij), the rules of tajwid, and the spiritual dimensions of recitation. Special attention is given to Shaykh 'Abd al-Haqq's emphasis on the spiritual and ethical status of the Qur'anic reciter, his insistence on the authenticity of all canonical readings, and his integration of theoretical knowledge with practical training. The research concludes that the Mughal-era Qira'at literature not only preserved and transmitted the science of Qur'anic recitation but also established a distinctive pedagogical and spiritual tradition that continues to influence the subcontinent's Qur'anic heritage.