Q: It is said that the diversity of Qira'at (recitation styles) of the Qur'an result in difference in the Qur'an, as it may imply a second meaning, such as Ayah (13) in Surah AlIsra', saying:
ﻭَﻧُﺨْﺮِﺝُ ﻟَﻪُ ﻳَﻮْﻡَ ﺍﻟْﻘِﻴَﺎﻣَﺔِ ﻛِﺘَﺎﺑًﺎ ﻳَﻠْﻘَﺎﻩُ ﻣَﻨْﺸُﻮﺭًﺍ [(meanings of which are translated as:) And on the Day of Resurrection, We shall bring out for him a book which he will find wide open].
A: It is authentically reported from the Prophet (peace be upon him) that the Qur'an was divinely revealed in seven acceptable styles of recitations, i.e. seven Arab accents and dialects out of mercy and facilitating recitation. The recitations of the Qur'an have been transmitted by Tawatur (a significant number of reliable narrators whose agreement upon a lie is impossible). The consistency of the Qur'an confirms this. All the Qira'at of the Qur'an are based on revelation from Allah, the AllWise, the Praiseworthy.
Therefore, the diversity of Qira'at does not mean perversion, alteration, or ambiguity in the meanings of the Qur'an. Likewise, it does not imply contradiction or disorder in the objectives intended. In fact, each part of the Qur'an confirms and explains the other. Certain meanings according to some Qira'at may differ, yet this difference aims at achieving a goal in the Shari'ah (Islamic law) or providing a benefit for people, while remaining consistent in meaning, agreeing in objectives, forming a part of one complete, perfectly accurate legislation body, without the slightest blemish of conflict or contradiction among them.
ﻭَﻛُﻞﱠ ﺇِﻧْﺴَﺎﻥٍ ﺃَﻟْﺰَﻣْﻨَﺎﻩُ ﻃَﺎﺋِﺮَﻩُ ﻓِﻲ ﻋُﻨُﻘِﻪِ ﻭَﻧُﺨْﺮِﺝُ ﻟَﻪُ ﻳَﻮْﻡَ ﺍﻟْﻘِﻴَﺎﻣَﺔِ ﻛِﺘَﺎﺑًﺎ ﻳَﻠْﻘَﺎﻩُ ﻣَﻨْﺸُﻮﺭًﺍ
ﻓِﻲ ﻗُﻠُﻮﺑِﻬِﻢْ ﻣَﺮَﺽٌ ﻓَﺰَﺍﺩَﻫُﻢُ ﺍﻟﻠﱠﻪُ ﻣَﺮَﺿًﺎ ﻭَﻟَﻬُﻢْ ﻋَﺬَﺍﺏٌ ﺃَﻟِﻴﻢٌ ﺑِﻤَﺎ ﻛَﺎﻧُﻮﺍ ﻳَﻜْﺬِﺑُﻮﻥ [(meanings of which are translated as:) In their hearts is a disease (of doubt and hypocrisy) and Allâh has increased their disease. A painful torment is theirs because they used to tell lies].