52- Muḥammad ibn Ḥumayd al-Rāzī narrated to me, he said: Ḥakkām narrated to us, from ʿAnbasa, from Layth, from Mujāhid: that he used to recite the Qur'an according to five modes (aḥruf).

53- Ibn Ḥumayd narrated to us, he said: Ḥakkām narrated to us, from ʿAnbasa, from Sālim: that Saʿīd ibn Jubayr used to recite the Qur'an according to two modes.

54- Ibn Ḥumayd narrated to us, he said: Jarīr narrated to us, from Mughīra, he said: Yazīd ibn al-Walīd used to recite the Qur'an according to three modes (1).

Do you think that the one who claims that the interpretation (tāʾwīl) of the statement of the Prophet—peace and blessings of God be upon him: "The Qur'an was revealed according to seven modes," is only that it was revealed according to the seven aspects that we mentioned, of command, prohibition, promise, threat, argumentation, stories, and parables—held that Mujāhid and Saʿīd ibn Jubayr did not recite of the Qur'an except what pertained to two or five of its aspects to the exclusion of the rest of its meanings? If he harbored such a thought about them both, he certainly thought about them something contrary to what is known of their status regarding the Qur'an and their knowledge of the verses of the Criterion!

55- And Yaʿqūb ibn Ibrāhīm narrated to me, he said: Ibn ʿUlayya narrated to us, he said: Ayyūb narrated to us, from Muḥammad, he said: I was informed that Gabriel and Michael came to the Prophet—peace and blessings of God be upon him—and Gabriel said to him: "Recite the Qur'an according to two modes." So Michael said to him: "Ask him for more." So he said: "Recite the Qur'an according to three modes." Michael said to him: "Ask him for more." He said: Until it reached seven modes. Muḥammad said: They do not differ regarding lawful or unlawful, nor command nor prohibition;