Colored Tajwid Mushaf: Color Code Analysis of the Ministry of Home Affairs, Malaysia

Mushaf al-Quran or Quranic manuscript is the core instrument used by Muslims to recite, read and reflect on Quranic contents. Alongside technological development, it is now available in both physical and digital forms. In addition, the existing physical mushaf al-Quran has also been innovated to increase comprehension for the reader. The most prevalent innovation among publishers and the Muslim community in Malaysia is a colored tajwid mushaf. However, publishing companies in Malaysia have different preferences for innovation, which has caused readers confusion due to the different colors used. Furthermore, the color selection does not cover the law of Tajwid holistically but only a few basic laws, in addition to disagreement regarding the practice of coloring Quranic fonts with colors other than black. Hence, this article discusses the history of colored Quranic fonts used by past scholars. It will also discuss the rationale for coloring the Quranic fonts by Islamic scholars. Therefore, the rulings have been refined by Al-Quran Text Control Department (Lajnah Tashih Al-Quran), Ministry of Home Affairs (MoHA) to resolve confusion through the Guidelines of Colored Tajwid Code which have been adjusted for general use. This article will also clarify the standard of rulings to avoid further misunderstandings and act as an explanation as well as exposure to the readers regarding the steps and efforts taken by the Ministry of Home Affairs to maintain the sanctity of Al-Quran.