The Historical Traces of the Hafs Qira'at in the Indonesian Archipelago

Factors of Dominance and Comparison with the Various Qira’at of the Qur’an

Abstract

Qira'at Hafs is the most widely used Qur'anic recitation narration in Indonesia, so in practice it is often considered the main standard reading. This condition makes the existence of other qira'at less visible in society even though historically Islam in the archipelago has recognized a diversity of reading traditions. This article aims to examine the early history of the introduction of Qira'at Hafs in the archipelago, explain the factors of Hafs' dominance, and compare it generally with several other qira'at. The research was conducted using a qualitative descriptive method based on a review of relevant reading literature. The results show three main findings. First, the entry of Qira'at Hafs into the archipelago is related to the da'wah journey and the scientific relations between Indonesian and Middle Eastern scholars, so this narration was accepted by the community earlier. Second, the dominance of Hafs is strengthened by its ease of reading, the role of Islamic boarding schools (pesantren) and madrasahs (madrasahs), and the spread of printed mushafs and da'wah media that widely use this narration. Third, a comparison with other qira'at shows several differences in reading choices, but Hafs is considered more stable and easier to apply in basic Qur'anic learning.