The Introduction of Dotted Letters by the Shia and its Role in Safeguarding the Correct Reading [of the Quran]

The writing of the Qurʾān is one of the fundamental issues discussed in the science of variant readings. For this reason, the knowledge of Qurʾānic scripts (rasm al-maṣāḥif) has an important place in relation to maintaining the authenticity and immutability of
the Qurʾān. Since after the death of the Holy Prophet (s) and the spread of Islam to far off lands, there existed the fear of obliteration or distortion of the Qurʾān. On the other hand, given the importance of vowelization in the structure of Arabic language, when non-Arabs joined the Islamic community, the idea of including vowelization points in the Holy Qurʾān was put forward. According to the famous accounts, Abul Aswad al-Duwalī carried out this task with the advice of Imam ʿAlī ibn Abī Ṭālib (a), and formulated the science of syntax i.e. the science of vowelization of the Qurʾān (iʿrāb al-qurʾān). In the present article, the complementary processes of vowelization and dotting of the Holy
Qurʾān by al-Duwalī and his disciples have been examined. Explicating the meanings of the different types of dotting and voweling as well as the script of the Qurʾān, the special features of the ʿUthmānī script and the stages of the development of Arabic epigraphy, the historical factors that led to the introducing of dots and the need for vowelization of the Qurʾān, as well as the personality, erudition and social status of al-Duwalī are among the issues discussed in this article.