Katika karne ya tatu baada ya Hijra (karne ya tisa ya Enzi ya Kawaida), wanaandishi wa maandishi ya mkono walianza kushindana wao kwa wao katika kupamba Qur'aan. Mitindo kadhaa ya maandishi yenye mapambo mengi ilibuniwa, na alama mbalimbali za kutofautisha zilionekana. Ilikuwa katika kipindi hiki ndipo alama “ ّ ”, inayoonyesha konsonanti iliyorudiwa (tashdeed), ilianza kutumika kwa mara ya kwanza.

In the third century after the Hijrah (9th century C.E.), calligraphers began competing with each other in the beautification of the Qur’aan. A number of flowery scripts evolved and a variety of distinguishing marks appeared. It was during this period that the sign “ ّ ”, indicating a doubled consonant (tashdeed), first came into use.

Baada ya hayo, waandishi wa maandishi ya mkono walianza desturi ya kuandika jina la sura na idadi ya aya zilizomo ndani yake mwanzoni mwa kila sura. Kwa kuwa Mtume (ﷺ) alitaja baadhi tu ya sura kwa majina, na ilikuwa ni desturi miongoni mwa Maswahaba kuzipa sura majina kulingana na maneno ya utangulizi (kwa mfano, Sura Ara'ayta sasa inajulikana kama Sura Maa‘oon), majina mbalimbali ya sura moja yakaenea. Alama zinazoonyesha mwanzo na mwisho wa aya, alama zinazoonyesha mgawanyo wa Qur'aani kwa juz' (mojawapo ya sehemu 30), hizb (nusu ya juz') au rukoo‘, pamoja na alama mbalimbali za uakifishaji, ziliongezwa kwenye maandishi katika kipindi hiki.18

Following that, calligraphers began the practice of writing the name of the soorah and the number of verses in it at the beginning of each soorah. Since the Prophet (ﷺ) only mentioned a few of the soorahs by name and it was the practice among the sahaabah to entitle the soorahs according to the introductory phrases (e.g. Soorah Ara’ayta is now known as Soorah Maa‘oon), a variety of names for the same soorah became common. Signs indicating the beginning and ending of verses, signs showing the division of the Qur’aan according to juz’ (one of 30 parts), hizb (half a juz’) or rukoo‘, as well as a variety of punctuation marks, were added to the text during this period.18

Wanazuoni wa wakati huo walipinga nyongeza hizi, wakihofia kuingizwa kwa maneno ya kigeni (nyongeza) katika maandishi kuu ya Qur'ani. Upinzani wao pia ulitegemea kauli ya sahaba Ibn Mas'ood, "Iweke Qur'ani huru kutokana na nyongeza, wala usichanganye chochote nayo." 19 Hata hivyo, wanazuoni wengi hawakupinga nukta na alama zilizoonyesha irabu na kutofautisha herufi zinazofanana kimaandishi, kwani hizi zilikuwa jambo la lazima kwa usomaji sahihi na kulinda maandishi ya Qur'ani dhidi ya kupotoshwa. Al-Hasan al-Basree, Ibn Seereen na Rabee'ah (wanazuoni miongoni mwa wanafunzi wa masahaba) wameripotiwa wakisema kwamba nukta (za kutofautisha herufi zinazofanana) na tashkeel (alama za irabu) zinakubalika. 20 Baada ya muda, nyongeza na mapambo mengi ya wanaondika maandishi yalienea sana hadi tahadhari za mwanzo za wanazuoni zikasahaulika. Maandishi ya Qur'ani ya leo ni ushahidi wazi kwamba upinzani wa wanazuoni ulipuuzwa, lakini hofu ya kuingizwa kwa nyongeza za mapambo katika maandishi haijatokea, hasa kutokana na mapokeo endelevu miongoni mwa Waislamu ya kuhifadhi moyoni maandishi yote ya Qur'ani katika usafi wake wa asili.

The scholars of the time were opposed to these additions, fearing interpolations (additions to the main text). They based their opposition also on the statement of the sahaabee Ibn Mas‘ood, “Keep the Qur’aan free from additions and do not mix anything with it.” 19 Most scholars, however, were not against the dots and dashes to indicate vowelling and differentiate between lookalike letters, as these had become a real necessity for correct recitation and protection of the Qur’aanic text from distortion. Al-Hasan al-Basree, Ibn Seereen, and Rabee‘ah (scholars among the students of the sahaabah) were all reported to have said that the nuqtah (dots for distinguishing look-alike letters) and tashkeel (vowel markings) were acceptable.20 In time, the widespread additions and decorations of calligraphers became so commonplace that the early objections of the scholars were forgotten. The Qur’aanic texts of today are clear evidence that the opposition of the scholars was ignored, but the feared interpolation of decorative additions has not occurred, due mainly to the continuing tradition among Muslims of memorizing the whole text of the Qur’aan in its original purity.