:bism1: al-imâm nâfi`y ibn `abd ar-RaHmân ibn abî nu`aym, abû rûwaym al-laythî al-madanî (70 – 169 AH) al-imâm nâfi`y ibn `abd ar-RaHmân ibn abî nu`aym al-laythî raDiyAllâhu `anhû was a tab`yi originally from al-aSbahân and was the foremost imâm of the recitors (the qurra) of al madinatul munawwara. the number of tâbi`yeen who are reported to have had heard the qur`an from him number seventy. imâm mâlik raDiyAllâhu `anhû reports that imâm nâfi`y raDiyAllâhu `anhû was the imam of all people in qir`at. imâm ahmed ibn hambal raDiyAllâhu `anhû is reported to have said that according to him, the recitation of the people of madina was the most correct one. when imâm nâfi`y raDiyAllâhu `anhû used to talk a pleasent fragrance would emanate from his mouth. when it was asked of him, if he used to perfume himself before reciting the qur`an he said " i do not even touch any perfume, it was that I saw in a dream that sayyidna rasulallah `alaihi afDalus salatu was salam was reciting the qur`an into my mouth, since then I have noticed this fragrance emanate from my mouth" he used to teach the qur`an to the people for a long period of time. imâm mâlik raDiyAllâhu `anhû is also known to have studied the qir`at under his tutelage. the two famous recitations authenticated by imâm nâfi`y reach us through two main narrators, both through continous chains of numerous reciters of the last thirteen centuries. imâm nâfi`y raDiyAllâhu `anhû passed away in 169 al-hijri at the age of 90. the two narrators of his recitation are: 1. abû mûsâ `yîsâ ibn mînâ az-zarqî raDiyAllâhu `anhû (120 – 205/220 AH): imam nâfi`y raDiyAllâhu `anhû named him qâlûn, which meant "jayyid" i.e. skilled, proficient in the roman language. he used to be always found learning with his teacher, imam nâfi`y in madina munawwara, to an extent that he mastered the sciences of qir`at and tajweed and was known for it far and wide. it is reported that he (later) became deaf and could not hear anything, even the beating of drums went unnoticed to his ears but miraculously whenever the qur`an was recited to him he would become alert and would be able to listen to it. he lived a long life and passed away in 205 al-hijri ; some report that he passed away in 220 al-hijri. 2. `uthmân ibn sa`yîd al-quTbî al-maSrî raDiyAllâhu `anhû (110 – 197 AH) : He was of a very fair complexion and hence was named as warsh by imam nâfi`y. he had come all the way from egypt to imam nâfi`y to study the qur`an and finished the qur`an numerous times under his tutelage. like the recitors of egypt he was of a pleasent voice and a lot of students and seekers of the sacred word benefitted from him. he was born in 110 al-hijri and and passed away in 197 al-hijri, even today his maqâm, i.e. his place of rest, which is in egypt is thronged by the commoners and the elite who seek blessings from it.
