red ink

Ingredients

colored ink

Preparation Steps

Original Recipe Text

Red ink was used for the 'formalization' of the words (p. 3). It served as a declension indicator through pointing, a method initiated by Abu al-Aswad al-Du'ali (d. 69 AH / 688 AD) (p. 13, 15). In the London Quran, surahs' titles and the number of verses are written in red (p. 14). In the Tubingen Quran, circular signs of tithing were drawn in red and black ink at the end of each ten verses (p. 14). Verse separators in the Berlin Quran used disconnected pointed circles in a different color (p. 13).

Evidence

"The use of pointing in the Quran manuscripts (samples of study) is found in red ink, which is different in color from that of writing, indicating the diacritics on some letters"

Remarks

The study reveals that most of the tithing marks and pointing were later additions to the early Quran manuscripts after their initial copying (p. 2, 17). The red ink for pointing (diacritics) was used to facilitate reading and distinguish between similar letters (p. 15, 16). The presence or absence of these red marks is a criteria for dating the manuscripts (p. 17).