Comparison between Madeenah Mushaf and Majeedi Mushaf

The Differences between the Madeenah Mushaf today and the Indo-Pak Majeedi Mushaf used in India and Pakistan.

Both produce the same results in terms of final pronunciation. However, each one uses a different system.

Both of the masaahif are printed by the King Fahd Qur'aan Printing Complex in Madeenah Saudi Arabia.

A few examples of differences:

NB. Due to not having access to all the specific typesetting fonts of the two masaahif some of the symbols and vowels do not appear exactly as they do in the Mushaf. Please check the mushaf for the exact representation. This is just a rough guide.

If in doubt about how to pronounce anything listen to a skilled reciter and imitate them.

You can download a programme called Ayat onto your desktop, mobile or ipad.

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	Madeenah  Mushaf Saudi Arabia Naskh Font Uthmaanee Spelling system	Majeedi Mushaf Indo Pak Subcontinent Nasta’leeq Font Uthmaanee Spelling system
1	Always writes hamzatul qat’ or wasl ﭐ ﺄ ﺇ ﺅ ﺉ ﺋ  ﺀ  ﻷ ﻹ	Does not use hamzatul qat' or hamzatul wasl.
2	The long vowel 'a' is sometimes not written and must be learned. The eg. Below is the closest I could find..but the head of the hamzah should be in between the laam and the alif and not on the alif. ﻷ ال أاصال = الأصال	A dagger alif or maddah sign is used الآصال
3	The lengthened hamzah is separate ء + ا القرءان ءامنوا ءاية	The lengthened hamzah is written with an alif with a maddah sign above it  آ  القرآن آمنوا آية
4	Silent letters carry a small circle أناْ  كفرواْ  أوْلئك	No sign on the silent letters…they must be learned انا  كفروا  اولءك
5	Long vowels are written without sukoon قالوا     قيل     قولوا	Long vowels have the sukoon written on them (due to fonts available they appear next to letter which is not correct) قاۡلوا     قيۡل     قوۡلوا
6	Small waw is placed after a word to indicate that it is lengthened ما له ۥ إنه ۥ	A backwards dammah is used to indicate lengthened vowel ما لهٗ انهٗ
7	Small ya is placed after a word to indicate that it is lengthened به ۦ ءايته ۦ إ  ۦلفهم	A vertical straight line under the long vowel is used بهٖ ءايتهٖ اٖ لفهم
8	Staggered tanween to indicate idghaam or ikhfaa tajweed rule	No difference made.
9	Idghaam of noon saakinah with wa or ya have no shaddah من وال	There is a shaddah placed on the wa and ya من وَّال
10	The second dhammah of tanween is removed and replaced by the letter ba صمُّۭ بكم	No difference made صمٌ بكم
11	No sign for the coming together of two vowelless letters. It has to be learned نوحٌ ﭐبنه	Noon qutni – a small letter noon is added to show how to read two vowelless letters نوحُ نِ ابنه

Comparison of the Appearance and Extras

	Madeenah  Mushaf	Majeedi Mushaf
1	Page numbers are centre bottom of the page	Page numbers are centre top of page
2	Al juz al awwal = 1st juz  right top	Name of the juz right top – الم ۱
3	Surah name only top left سورة البقرة	البقرة ۲ Top left surah name and number
4	Ayaah numbering and all page numbers etc are Arabic ٠١٢٣٤٥٦٧٨٩	Ayaah numbering and all page numbers etc are hindi/farsi (Number 7 should be on its side). ۰۱۲۳۴۵۶۷۸۹
5	Divided into 30 juz and 60 hizb each of which are further divided into quarters. Numbering appear in a decorated sign in the margin.	Divided into 30 juz written without a decorated symbol in margin. Divided into 7 manzil marked at the centre bottom of the page
6		Divided into ‘ruku’ paragraphs. Indicated by a large ع in the margin with numers on top (number of the ruku in that surah) and underneath (number of the ruku in the juz) and in the middle (number of aayaat in the ruku).
7	Sajdah is indicated by overlining and a small symbol at end of aayah and a decorated symbol in the margin.	Sajdah indicated in the margin without a symbol.

A Comparison of the Stopping Signs

As can be seen there are many more stop signs marked in the Majeedi Indo-Pak Mushaf than there are in the Madeenah Mushaf. 

		Madeenah  Mushaf	Majeedi Mushaf
1	ۘ	Must stop otherwise it will change the meaning	وقف لازم Must stop otherwise it will change the meaning
2	ج	Permissible to stop	Permissible to stop
3	ۖ	Permissible to stop but better to continue	Permissible to stop but better to continue
4	ۗ	Permissible to stop and better to stop	Permissible to stop and better to stop
5	ۛۛ	Either stop at the first set of dots or the second but not at both	مع معانقةEither stop at the first set of dots or the second but not at both
6	ط	-------	Stop because it is at the end of a thought or sentence
7	ز	-------	وقف مجوَّز no stop preferred
8	ص	-------	وقف المرخَّصPermissible to stop but go back to start
9	ق	-------	قد قيل it has been said to stop
10	صل	-------
11	قف	-------	Pause
12	س	Pause without taking breath	Pause without taking breath
13	وقفة	-------	Longer pause without taking a breath
14	لا	Do not stop	Do not stop
15	ك	-------	كذلك as before – see previous sign
16	وقف جبريل	-------	Where Jibreel stopped
17	وقف النبي	-------	Where the Prophet صلى عليه وسلم stopped
18	وقف غفران	-------	Stop of forgiveness

Some people say that the Indo-Pak Mushaf is easier for beginners as the script is bigger and in bold with more vowels added to ease pronunciation. However, personally speaking, whichever one you become used to and learn with a skilled teacher it should not make a difference. If the size of the script is an issue then the Madeenah Mushaf comes in A4 and even bigger.

One important point to note though is that if you start learning from the Madeenah Mushaf you have the advantage of easing the next step into the Arabic language as the hamzah's will be more apparent to you and the naskh script will help you to read Modern Arabic faster by Allaah's Permission. Allaahu alam.

 See the more detailed post in this link to understand more of the context. Click here.