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Abstract

This study investigates the script typology of early Qur’anic manuscripts, focusing on the analytical examination of Hijazi and Kufic scripts within the framework of Islamic palaeography. Drawing upon primary manuscript evidence from leading collections, including examples from Ṣanʿāʾ, Tashkent, Topkapi, and the Blue Qurʾān, the research delineates the morphological, structural, and aesthetic characteristics that distinguish these two formative styles of Qur’anic calligraphy. The Hijazi script, with its distinctive slant, angularity, and absence of diacritical marks, is examined in relation to its historical context in the first century AH, particularly in the Hijaz region. In contrast, the Kufic script, characterized by its rectilinear geometry, proportional balance, and ornamental variations such as Floriated, Knotted, and Square Kufic, is situated within the late 1st–3rd century AH Abbasid calligraphic tradition. The study integrates script typology with palaeographic analysis, comparing scribal practices, orthographic conventions, and decorative features, and evaluating their significance for dating and localizing early Qur’anic codices. This research further engages with scholarly debates—both classical and contemporary—on the evolution and classification of early Arabic scripts, referencing the works of François Déroche, Éléonore Cellard, Sheila Blair, and Alain George. The findings underscore the critical role of script typology in reconstructing the textual, artistic, and cultural history of the Qur’an, and highlight the necessity of integrating traditional manuscript studies with digital imaging and database tools for future scholarship.
Keywords:   Qur’anic manuscripts, script typology, Hijazi script, Kufic script, palaeography, codicology, Islamic calligraphy.