Recitation in the Context of “Ḥamzah’s Recitation" from the Perspective of Nasafī: Content Analysis

Abstract

The purpose of this article is to focus on the recitation of Ḥamza ibn Habib al-Zayyat (d. 156/773), by highlighting reading variations in the enriched commentary of Abū al-Barakāt Nasafī’s (d. 710/1310) at a micro-level. The research is confined to passages in this tafsir where the term "Ḥamza's recitation (قراءة حمزة)" is mentioned. The fact that such research has not been conducted before is the evidence of its originality. The content analysis method, focusing on "message content" features, has been used to evaluate the acquired data. According to the findings of the research, the names of Ḥamza and his student Alī (al-Kisā'ī) frequently appear in Nasafī's commentary. The inclusion of Ḥamza's recitation in Nasafī’s commentary is in line with Nasafī's methodology and style of interpretation. Furthermore, this research contributes to the literature on Nasafī's commentary and emphasizes the significance of Ḥamza's recitation in Nasafī's interpretation.