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Biography
Abu Bakr ‘Aasim Ibn Abi al-Najud al-'Asadi (died 127AH/745CE), commonly known as ‘Aasim ibn Abi an-Najud, was one of the seven primary transmitters of the Qira'at, or variant readings of the Qur'an. Of Persian origin, his method of reciting the Qur'an as transmitted by Hafs is the most common and popular way of reciting the holy book in the Muslim world in general.
Though he lived much of his life in Kufa, he was associated with Banu Asad ibn Khuzaymah due to a pact. His fellow recitation transmitter Abu 'Amr ibn al-'Ala' also studied under him.
Despite being from Kufa, Aasim's reading was not popular there at first. Unlike most reciters in Kufa, he did not accept the pre-Uthmanic version of the Qur'an written by the companion of the Prophet, Abdullah ibn Masud; most of the people of Kufa continued reciting based on that version for a period even after the Uthmanic version became canon. Eventually this changed with the standardization of the mushaf, and in time Aasim's reading became the norm for the Muslim world. In fact, of the seven primary methods of recitation, only two have become particularly common in the Muslim world: that of Nafi‘ al-Madani in much of Africa outside of Egypt and that of Aasim in the rest of the Muslim world in general.
He died in the year 745CE, corresponding to the year 127AH.