Preserving The Uniformity of the Muṣḥaf: International Challenges and Management from the Uthmanic Codification to the Contemporary Era

Abstract

The preservation of the sanctity of the Qur'anic text represents one of the most enduring endeavours in human civilization, evolving from the physical codification during the caliphate of ʿUthmān ibn ʿAffān to the complexities of the contemporary digital age. This article examines the continuity and divergence in efforts to maintain the homogeneity of the Muṣḥaf, with particular attention to the transition towards digital applications that now dominate access to the Qur'an. The primary aim of this research is to identify the critical challenges arising from the decentralization of digital publishing and the absence of a central authority capable of verifying the Qur'anic text in cyberspace. Employing a qualitative library-based research design, the study synthesizes historical data, policy documents, and contemporary scholarship on Qur'anic orthography and information technology. The findings indicate that while the Uthmanic tradition achieved a unification of dialectal diversity (ahruf) through the codification of the physical text, the modern digital environment is characterized by a form of textual anarchy, wherein font-encoding inconsistencies, dabt (diacritical marks) irregularities, and software malfunctions collectively threaten the integrity of the sacred text. The study further identifies geopolitical tensions in Muṣḥaf governance, particularly between the hegemony of the Madinah Muṣḥaf and the local manuscript traditions of the Nusantara and Indo-Pak regions. In conclusion, this paper advocates for the establishment of an international accrediting body and a standardized Digital Muṣḥaf Protocol to operate in parallel with the Uthmanic Rasm, thereby ensuring that this heritage of preservation is not eroded by the forces of technological globalization.