Non-Arabic numerals for verse numbers in the Mus-haf
Fatwa No: 250564

Question

As-salaamu 3laikum, I was studying in a madrasa and they gave me a present of some excerpts from the Qur'an - each of them is one juz'. People use them when they are trying to memorize one hizb or one juz' and they don't want to carry the whole mushaf with them. I noticed that in these excerpts, the numbers at the end of each ayah are the European numerals not the Arabic ones. Is it permissible for me to use them and if not what should I do with them? Or could I change them and put the Arabic numbers instead? Jazaak Allahu khair

Answer

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad, sallallaahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, is His slave and Messenger.

There is no harm in using these excerpts and you do not have to change them. There is no evidence that writing the verse numbers in other than Arabic is forbidden. Writing the verse numbers in the Mus-haf started in later times and it was not part of the script of the 'Uthmaan Mus-haf. The digits are symbols of words that represent numbers and they are not equal to the letters of the alphabet.

Allaah Knows best.

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