What is the ruling on using punctuation marks in writing the Mushaf?

Punctuation marks in the Mushaf are a contemporary issue, and scholars have differed between permitting and prohibiting them. The Council of the Board of Senior Scholars issued a research paper that leans towards taking the more cautious approach, which is to retain the Uthmani script, prioritizing the prevention of harm over the attainment of benefits.

Some scholars have permitted this, such as Muhammad Rashid Rida, who printed his Tafsir (Al-Manar) using the Uthmani script along with modern punctuation marks, and Sheikh Muhammad Tahir al-Kurdi, who believed that they do not alter the essence of the letters and words and improve writing.

As for those who were reserved, such as Ahmad Zaki Pasha, he saw no justification for their use in the Holy Quran, as the scholars of Qira'at (recitations) had already sufficed in this regard.

There are also those who elaborated on the issue, approving their use in Quranic quotations within books and lectures to clarify meaning, such as Dr. Yusuf al-Qaradawi and Dr. Nasser al-Majid, while emphasizing caution when writing the entire Mushaf. Some believe that punctuation marks might restrict the vast meanings of the verses.

The respondent believes that the issue deserves jurisprudential and scholarly discussions to reach a collective ijtihad (independent reasoning) that regulates it.