Does writing "الصلاة" with a waw instead of an alif, and an alif on top of the waw, in some Quranic verses, have a special meaning?
The orthography of the Qur'an is a followed and divinely ordained practice, upon which the Companions unanimously agreed. It must remain preserved in its script and orthography, just as it is preserved in its pronunciation and recitation. It is not permissible to write the using modern spelling, because the difference of some words from the spelling known today is not an error but a divine wisdom, and it is one of the secrets of the Qur'an's miraculous nature. The writing of the word "الصلاة" (prayer) with a waw might be to draw attention to different modes of recitation or to indicate the origin of the word. The small alif above the waw in the Mushaf is from the ضبط (vocalization/notation) and not from the رسم (orthography). Scholars placed it after the Companions to indicate that the waw is not pronounced. However, if the waw is pronounced, the alif is placed before it to extend it (as a madd).
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Reviewed by El Fatwa's sharia committee.
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