Abstract

The Qur’an was formed into the book and took the name muṣḥaf during the caliphate of Abu Bakr. Naturally, this muṣḥaf, recorded with the script of the period, was subjected to various arrangements over time in terms of its script and form. Activities such as the dots that help to separate letters from each other, lines that make the movements specific, the intervals (fāṣila) separating the verses from each other and the punctuations can be mentioned among them. In this article, it is discussed when, by whom and for what reason the verse numbers were formed for the first time as separate digits, either in the interlude marks that were added to the muṣḥaf over time and used to separate the verses from each other or at the beginning or end of the verses. In this context, the aim is not to discuss the issue of determining the number of verses, but try to reveal the date and purpose of writing the numbers of the Qur’anic verses, the number of which is already known, in the muṣḥaf. In the research, carried out by data collection, analysis and evaluation method, some of accessible manuscripts and printed muṣhafs will be reviewed and the history and historical background of the writing of verse numbers in the muṣḥaf will be tried to be explored. As a result, it has been achieved that Abraham Hinckelmann was the first person who added the number of all verses to muṣḥaf in 1694.