Part of Ithaf Al-Barara with biographies of the ten reciters (series completed)
· Lesson 7 of 12
Ithaf Al-Barara with biographies of the ten readers | Episode (5) | Translated by Imam Asim Al-Kufi and his narrators Shu’bah and Hafs
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Transcript
Machine translation — may contain errors
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In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
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*Bestowing the Pious with Biographies of the Ten Reciters*.
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Biography of Imam 'Asim al-Kufi.
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He is Abu Bakr 'Asim ibn Abi al-Nujud,
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Al-Kufi al-Asadi,
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The freed slave of Banu Asad,
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The leading master of Quranic recitation in Kufa.
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No specific birth date has been recorded for him,
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But it was likely around the middle of the first century AH.
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He learned recitation directly from Abu 'Abd al-Rahman al-Sulami,
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Zirr ibn Hubaysh,
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And Abu 'Amr al-Shaybani.
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These three had studied directly under 'Abdullah ibn Mas'ud.
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Furthermore, both Abu 'Abd al-Rahman al-Sulami and Zirr had also studied under
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'Uthman ibn 'Affan
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And 'Ali ibn Abi Talib.
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Abu 'Abd al-Rahman al-Sulami had additionally studied
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Under Ubayy ibn Ka'b and Zayd ibn Thabit (may Allah be pleased with them).
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In turn, Zayd ibn Thabit, Ibn Mas'ud, 'Ali, 'Uthman, and Ubayy had all recited directly
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To the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).
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He is considered one of the Tabi'un.
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He was the Imam to whom leadership in Quranic recitation in Kufa ultimately passed
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After Abu 'Abd al-Rahman al-Sulami.
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He succeeded him in his position,
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Teaching in his place.
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People flocked to him to recite and learn from him.
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He combined eloquence, mastery, precision, and tajwid.
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He possessed one of the most beautiful voices among people when reciting the Qur'an.
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When he stood in prayer, he remained erect as though he were a fixed post.
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On Fridays, he would remain in the mosque until the 'Asr prayer.
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He was a devout worshipper, righteous, and constantly engaged in prayer.
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At times, he would head out to fulfill a personal need,
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But whenever he saw a mosque, he would say:
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"Turn aside with us, for our need will not pass us by."
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Then he would enter and pray.
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Abu Ishaq al-Sabi'i said:
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"I have not seen anyone with a better recitation than 'Asim ibn Abi al-Nujud."
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'Abdullah ibn Ahmad ibn Hanbal said:
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"I asked my father about 'Asim, and he replied:
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'A righteous, trustworthy, and good man.'"
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Ibn al-Jazari stated:
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"Abu Zur'ah and a group of scholars declared him trustworthy."
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Abu Hatim said: "His status is that of truthfulness."
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His hadiths are recorded in the Six Books.
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A vast number of students studied recitation under him,
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Among them Hafs ibn Sulayman
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And Abu Bakr Shu'bah ibn 'Ayyash,
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Who are his two most famous transmitters;
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As well as Hammad ibn Salamah,
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Sulayman ibn Mihran al-A'mash, and others.
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Abu Bakr Shu'bah ibn 'Ayyash related:
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"I visited 'Asim while he was on his deathbed,
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And he began repeating this verse,
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Reciting it with precise pronunciation as if he were actively praying."
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“Then are they restored unto Allah, their Lord, the Just. Surely His is the judgment. And He is the most swift of reckoners.” (6:62)
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He passed away (may Allah have mercy on him) at the end of the year 127 AH in Kufa.
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Biography of Imam Shu'bah,
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The first narrator from Imam 'Asim.
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He is Abu Bakr Shu'bah ibn 'Ayyash ibn Salim,
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Al-Hannat al-Nahshali al-Asadi al-Kufi.
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It was also said that his agnomen was his proper name.
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He was a grand leader, prominent scholar,
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Practicing authority, and reliable source,
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Among the major Imams of the Sunnah.
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He was born (may Allah have mercy on him) in the year 97 AH,
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Though there is some difference of opinion regarding that.
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He recited the Qur'an directly to Imam 'Asim,
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And reviewed his recitation before 'Ata' ibn al-Sa'ib
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And Aslam al-Manqari.
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He transmitted hadiths from Isma'il al-Suddi, Sulayman al-A'mash,
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And Salih ibn Abi Salih, the freed slave of 'Umar ibn Hurayth,
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Who narrated to him on the authority of Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him), among others.
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Ahmad ibn Hanbal said of him:
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"He was a man devoted to the Qur'an and goodness."
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The memorizer Ya'qub ibn Shaybah said:
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"Abu Bakr was renowned for righteousness;
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He possessed deep understanding in fiqh and knowledge of historical reports."
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Ibn al-Mubarak said:
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"I have not seen anyone quicker to adhere to the Sunnah
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Than Abu Bakr ibn 'Ayyash."
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Waki' said:
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"He is the scholar through whom Allah revived his generation."
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Those who presented their recitation of the Qur'an to him included
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Abu Ya'qub Ya'qub ibn Khalifa al-A'sha,
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Yahya ibn Muhammad al-'Ulaymi, and others.
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Those who transmitted letter variants from him through direct oral hearing—without formal presentation—included
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'Ali ibn Hamzah al-Kisa'i,
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Yahya ibn Adam, and others.
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When death approached him, his sister began to weep,
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So he said to her: "What makes you weep?
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Look at that corner over there;
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I have completed eighteen thousand recitations of the Qur'an in it."
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His passing (may Allah have mercy on him) took place
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In the year 193 AH.
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A sample recitation according to Shu'bah's transmission from 'Asim.
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I seek refuge in Allah from Satan, the accursed.
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In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
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◁ All praise is due to Allah, Who ▷
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“Praise be to Allah Who hath revealed the Scripture unto His slave, and hath not placed therein any crookedness,” (18:1)
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“Praise be to Allah Who hath revealed the Scripture unto His slave, and hath not placed therein any crookedness,” (18:1)
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◁ upright, to warn of ▷
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◁ a severe punishment ▷
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◁ from Him, and to give good tidings to the believers ▷
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◁ who do righteous deeds ▷
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“(But hath made it) straight, to give warning of stern punishment from Him, and to bring unto the believers who do good works the news that theirs will be a fair reward,” (18:2)
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◁ remaining therein forever, ▷
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◁ and to warn those who ▷
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◁ say, "Allah has taken a son." ▷
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◁ They have no knowledge of it, ▷
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◁ nor had their forefathers. ▷
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◁ Grave is the word ▷
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◁ that comes out of their mouths; ▷
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“(A thing) whereof they have no knowledge, nor (had) their fathers, Dreadful is the word that cometh out of their mouths. They speak naught but a lie.” (18:5)
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◁ Then perhaps you would kill ▷
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◁ yourself with grief over their footsteps, ▷
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“Yet it may be, if they believe not in this statement, that thou (Muhammad) wilt torment thy soul with grief over their footsteps.” (18:6)
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◁ out of sorrow, ▷
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Biography of Imam Hafs,
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The second transmitter from Imam 'Asim.
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He is Abu 'Amr
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Hafs ibn Sulayman ibn al-Mughirah,
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Al-Asadi al-Kufi, known as Al-Bazzaz—
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A title attributed to selling *bazz*,
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Meaning garments and textiles.
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He was born in the year 90 AH.
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He was the stepson of Imam 'Asim,
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The son of his wife.
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He recited the complete Qur'an to 'Asim ibn Abi al-Nujud
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Numerous times.
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He also narrated hadiths from 'Alqamah ibn Marthad,
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Thabit al-Bunani,
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And Abu Ishaq al-Sabi'i.
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Al-Dani stated:
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"He is the one who conveyed 'Asim's recitation
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To the people for active recitation.
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He settled in Baghdad
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And taught recitation there,
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And he resided in Mecca
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And taught recitation there as well."
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Al-Dhahabi said:
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"As for Quranic recitation,
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He is a trustworthy, established authority
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Who possessed complete mastery of it.
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The early scholars used to consider him
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Superior to Abu Bakr ibn 'Ayyash,
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And they described him as having precise retention of the letters
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Which he had recited
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To 'Asim.
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He taught Quranic recitation to people for a whole era."
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Among those who recited to him were 'Umar ibn al-Sabbah,
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'Ubayd ibn al-Sabbah,
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And Abu Shu'ayb al-Qawwas.
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Hadiths were narrated from him by
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Bakr ibn Bakkar,
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Adam ibn Abi Iyas,
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Hisham ibn 'Ammar,
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And others.
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He passed away (may Allah have mercy on him)
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In the year 180 AH.
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A sample
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Of Hafs's transmission
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From 'Asim.
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I seek refuge in Allah from Satan,
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The accursed.
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In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious,
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The Most Merciful.
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◁ Indeed, those who ▷
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◁ have believed and done ▷
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◁ righteous deeds— ▷
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◁ they will have the Gardens ▷
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◁ of Firdaws ▷
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◁ as a lodging, ▷
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◁ abiding therein eternally. ▷
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◁ They will not desire ▷
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◁ any transfer from it. ▷
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◁ Say, "If ▷
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◁ the ocean were ink ▷
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◁ for the words of my Lord, ▷
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◁ the ocean would surely be exhausted ▷
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◁ before ▷
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◁ were exhausted ▷
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◁ the words of my Lord, ▷
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◁ even if We brought ▷
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◁ the like of it ▷
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◁ as a supplement." ▷
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◁ Say, ▷
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◁ "I am ▷
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◁ only ▷
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◁ a human being ▷
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◁ like you, ▷
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◁ to whom it has been revealed ▷
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◁ that ▷
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◁ your God is ▷
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◁ One ▷
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◁ God. ▷
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◁ So whoever ▷
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◁ hopes for ▷
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◁ the meeting with his Lord—let him do ▷
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◁ righteous ▷
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◁ deeds ▷
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◁ and not associate ▷
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◁ in the worship of his Lord ▷
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◁ anyone." ▷
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◁ ▷
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in the worship of
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his Lord."
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anyone."
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May Allah reward with all good
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on our behalf the imams
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who for us
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transmitted the Qur'an,
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pure and sweet.