Approaches to the orthography of the mushaf from past to present

This study aims to examine the development of the Qur'an, particularly in its written form, from the time of its revelation to the present day with a specific focus on the debates and scholarly approaches related to rasm al-Mushaf (the orthographic conventions of the Qur'anic text). In this context, it is aimed to systematically and academically explain how the revelation received during the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was transcribed by the Companions according to the seven ahruf, compiled between two covers during the caliphate of Abū Bakr within the same framework, transcribed during the caliphate of ʿUthmān with attention to the seven ahruf but primarily in the Quraysh dialect and sent to various regions, and how scholars have interpreted the orthographic differences found among the copies reproduced in that period. In this research, literature review, systematic analysis and critical evaluation methods have been employed. Classical and contemporary works related to rasm al-Mushaf and the history of the Qur'an serve as primary sources, while studies that address these subjects indirectly are considered secondary sources. This study consists of two main sections. The first section addresses the terminology related to rasm al-Mushaf, the process by which the Qur'an was recorded in writing from the time of its revelation, the compilation of previously written pages by the Companions into a single volume during the caliphate of Abū Bakr with attention to the order of verses and surahs, the reproduction and distribution of these codices to various regions during the caliphate of ʿUthmān, and the necessity of adhering to rasm al-Mushaf. The second section explores the rationale behind the variations in the written form of certain words -both within the same codex and across different codices- as well as the background of these differences and the scholarly interpretations concerning them. As a result, it has been determined that the Companions were well-versed in writing and orthography, and that the revelation was recorded in writing by them under the instruction and guidance of the Prophet himself. During the caliphate of Abū Bakr, the pages written by the Companions were systematically compiled by a committee and gathered between two covers. In the time of ʿUthmān, these pages were copied by an official commission and sent to different regions. There was a consensus (ijmāʿ) that following the rasm al-Mushaf is obligatory. However, it has also been observed that scholars differ on whether the rasm al-Muṣḥaf is divinely fixed (tawqīfī) or based on human reasoning (ijtihādī). In addition, although there is some disagreement as to whether the copied Mushafs were written using different dialects, there is a general view that they were transcribed in the Quraysh dialect. While these Mushafs were produced in a standardized format, complete consistency in their orthographic structure was not achieved. It has also been found that there are ten different scholarly approaches concerning the background of these orthographic variations and whether they were made intentionally based on certain wisdoms, each of which is presented in detail in the study. Anahtar Kelimeler: Mushaf, Kur'ân, imlâ, resm, cem'u'l-Kur'ân.