A Computational System to Analyse the Layer of Tajwīd Notation in Contemporary Qurʾānic Orthography

Contemporary Qurʾānic Orthography (CQO) relies on a precise system of phonetic notation originating in the early Islamic period, when the Qurʾān was primarily oral and early writings served as memory aids. Early diacritical marks on the Qurʾānic Consonantal Text (QCT) led to the development of a detailed phonetic system representing tajwīd—the rules of recitation. We examined the systematicity of the notation of tajwīd rules in the Cairo Qurʾān using a fully encoded digital edition. We developed a Python module that can add or remove the tajwīd notation layer from the CQO text. These rules cover the entire Cairo Qurʾān, providing a precise tool to study its phonetic and prosodic features. Computationally, the Cairo Qurʾān’s text can serve as a basis for comparing Qurʾānic manuscripts, facilitating the exploration of textual phenomena across manuscripts. This framework aids the study of the diacritic notation systems added to the consonantal text.