القرآن ورش عن نافع

The Holy Qur’an narrated by Warsh on the authority of Nafi’ in the voice of the finest reciters

Warsh’s narration on the authority of Nafi’:

Warsh’s narration on the authority of Nafi’ of the Holy Qur’an is considered the second reading in the Islamic world after Hafs’ narration, and it remained in first place for many centuries in the Maghreb.

Who is Warsh bin Nafi?

Although this venerable imam is known throughout the Islamic world as “Warsh bin Nafi,” his real name is Othman bin Saeed bin Abdullah bin Amr bin Suleiman, and he is nicknamed Abu Saeed. As for the story of the name “Warshan,” it is a nickname given to him by his teacher, Imam Nafi’ bin Abi Naim. He called him “Warshan,” which is a type of wild pigeon with a sweet voice. He used to say to him: “Come, Warshan! And read, Warshan! And where is Warshan?” Then the name was later reduced to “warsh”, and it was said that the reason for this nickname was the whiteness of Othman bin Saeed, as warsh is something made from milk.

Regardless of the reason for the naming, this nickname stuck with him throughout his life and he became known only by it. It was one of his favorite nicknames given that his teacher was the one who gave it to him. It is also clear that he had great reverence for his teacher, Imam Nafi’, to the point that he nicknamed himself by his name, so he became known as By Sheikh Warsh bin Nafi.

It is reported that Warsh traveled to Medina specifically to meet with Imam Nafi’, where he stayed there for one month, during which he recited many verses in the ears of Imam Nafi’.

The life and death of Warsh bin Nafi:

Warsh bin Nafi was born in Egypt in the year 110 AH (728 AD), specifically in one of the Qift neighborhoods south of Qena Governorate in Upper Egypt. “Al-Qifti” was one of his nicknames in reference to his city. He was also called “Al-Awami” as one of his grandfathers was a loyalist of Al-Zubayr. Bin Al-Awam.

Warsh bin Nafi lived poor in Qift, and he sold cattle heads there, and in reference to this work he was also nicknamed “Al-Rawas.”

When Ibn Nafi learned the recitations of the Qur’an, he traveled to Fustat and settled there for a period of time, as he gathered students around him in the Amr Ibn Al-Aas Mosque to teach them recitation.

Among his students were Abu Al-Rabi’ Al-Mahri, Ahmed bin Saleh, Yunus bin Abdul-Ala, Daoud bin Abi Taibah, Yusuf Al-Azraq Abu Yaqoub, Abdul-Samad bin Abdul-Rahman bin Al-Qasim, Amer bin Saeed Abu Al-Ash’ath Al-Jurashi, Muhammad bin Abdullah bin Yazid Al-Makki and others.

As for his teachers, the most famous of them were Imam Nafi bin Abi Naim, Imam Ismail Al-Qust, Abu Omar Al-Tamimi, and Hafs Al-Kufi, the famous author of reading.

It is mentioned that Warsh bin Nafi was considered the sheikh of reciters in Egypt. He was distinguished by his sweet voice and beautiful reading. He was one of the trustworthy people in reading and one of those who are relied upon in that time and to this day. He even assumed the “presidency of reciters in the Egyptian lands.”

Sheikh Warsh bin Nafi’ died in Egypt at the age of eighty-seven years in the year 197 AH, and was buried in the Imam Al-Shafi’i cemetery at the foot of Mokattam.

Read Warsh bin Nafi’

Warsh gained his fame in the Islamic world due to his reading, which he transmitted from Sheikh Nafi’, to become the most widespread novel in North and West Africa, and in Andalusia. It has become popular in Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco, Mauritania, Senegal, Libya, Chad, Niger, Nigeria and others. It remained the most famous reading in Egypt for several centuries until the Ottomans entered it in 1517, when the Ottomans popularized the reading of Hafs, which was distinguished by being easier and smoother, to become the most widespread reading since then.

Today, Warsh’s reading ranks second in the Islamic world after the narration of Hafs on the authority of Asim.

Among the characteristics of Warsh’s recitation is reducing the hamza of the qat’, and tilting the letter alif to ya’ at the end of some words.