Sulaiman ibn Jummaz Recitation-تلاوة سليمان بن جماز

While Warsh and Qālūn dominate discussions of Nāfiʿ’s transmission, Sulaymān ibn Jummāz (d. 170 AH) represents a third authentic chain (ṭarīq) from the great Medinan imam. This less-documented but critically important narration preserves unique features of early Hijazi Quranic recitation.


The Transmitter and His Legacy

  1. Sulaymān ibn Jummāz al-Madanī

    • Direct student of Nāfiʿ ibn ʿAbd al-Raḥmān

    • Contemporary of Imam Mālik ibn Anas

    • Flourished during Medina’s golden age of Quranic scholarship

    • Died just one year after his teacher (170 AH)

  2. Transmission Chain
    Prophet (ﷺ) → Ibn ʿAbbās → Ubayy ibn Kaʿb → Abū Jaʿfar → Nāfiʿ → Sulaymān ibn Jummāz

  3. Historical Status

    • Recognized in early sources like Ibn Mujāhid’s Kitāb al-Sabʿa

    • Included in later works of Ibn al-Jazarī

    • Maintained in scholarly circles until 5th century AH


Distinctive Recitational Features

Phonological Characteristics

  1. Vowel System

    • Extended madd in unexpected positions

    • Unique shortening of certain long vowels

    • Special rules for alif al-waṣl

  2. Consonant Treatment

    • Stronger articulation of qāf

    • Lightened rāʾ in specific contexts

    • Distinct idghām patterns for nūn sākinah

  3. Pausal System

    • 32 documented variations from Warsh

    • Special rules for stopping on hāʾ al-kināya

    • Unique treatment of alif maqṣūra endings


Comparative Table: Nāfiʿ’s Transmissions

FeatureSulaymān’s WayWarsh’s WayQālūn’s Way
HamzaFully pronouncedOften droppedLightened
QāfEmphaticStandardLight
Madd al-Līn4 counts2 counts3 counts
Waqf32 unique formsStandard18 variants

Textual Variations

Documented in Ṭayyibat al-Nashr:

  1. Surah Al-Baqarah 2:125

    • Reads waʿahidnā vs Warsh’s waʿahadnā

  2. Surah Al-Fātiḥah 4

    • Mālik vs Malik controversy

  3. Surah Yūsuf 12:11

    • Unique fa-arsilhu form


Preservation and Modern Access

  1. Manuscript Evidence

    • Fragmentary notes in Cairo’s Dār al-Kutub

    • References in Andalusian Quranic marginalia

    • Cited in Al-Dānī’s al-Muqniʿ

  2. Modern Scholarship

    • Research projects at Umm al-Qura University

    • Digital reconstruction efforts

    • Included in King Fahd Complex’s comparative studies

  3. Learning Resources

    • Specialized classes at Al-Azhar

    • Mauritanian mahḍara curricula

    • The Muṣḥaf al-Tajwīd al-Jamīl references


Why This Recitation Matters Today

  1. Historical Window

    • Shows Medinan recitation diversity

    • Preserves lost Hijazi features

    • Connects to early tafsīr traditions

  2. Academic Value

    • Key for Quranic textual studies

    • Reference for manuscript authentication

    • Important for linguistic research

  3. Spiritual Significance

    • Maintains an authentic Prophetic chain

    • Expands understanding of Quranic revelation

    • Preserves a legitimate variant reading


How to Study This Recitation

For serious students:

  1. Begin with al-Shatibiyyah with Sulaymān’s notes

  2. Compare Surah Yāsīn across transmissions

  3. Seek specialized teachers in:

    • Mauritania (Nouakchott mahāḍir)

    • Egypt (Al-Azhar’s Qirāʾāt Department)

    • Saudi Arabia (Medina’s Quranic colleges)