Surah Mulk IndoPak: How It Differs From the Madani Mushaf

Surah Mulk IndoPak refers to Surah Al-Mulk as printed in the South Asian style of mushaf, the one most people in Pakistan, India, Bangladesh and South Africa learn from. The words are the same Quran as the Madani mushaf; what changes is the calligraphy, the vowel marks, the pause signs, the ruku markers and the page layout. This guide shows those differences using the first verse of Surah Al-Mulk, explains where to find the surah in an IndoPak copy, and helps you choose which layout to read from.

What "IndoPak" means

"IndoPak" (also called the Indo-Pak, South Asian or Persian-style script) is the way of writing the Quran that is common across the Indian subcontinent. Copies in this style are often 13, 15 or 16 lines per page. The "Madani" or "Uthmani" style, printed by the King Fahd Complex in Madinah, is the 15-line layout common in Arab countries.

Both follow the Uthmani rasm, the consonant outline of the words preserved from the copies made under the caliph Uthman. As one detailed comparison puts it, the calligraphy and the marks may differ, but the skeleton of the words may not. The Madinah print follows the preferences of the classical scholar Abu Dawud Sulayman ibn Najah where scholars recorded more than one acceptable spelling, while the South Asian print follows al-Shatibi.

IndoPak vs Madani: the main differences

Readers who grew up with IndoPak often say its extra marks mean "you say what you read". Readers who learned from the Madani copy like its cleaner look and the fact that every page ends on a full verse, which helps with memorisation.

Verse 1 side by side

Here is the first verse of Surah Al-Mulk in both styles, as published in Quran.com's text data:

Meaning (Sahih International): "Blessed is He in whose hand is dominion, and He is over all things competent."

What to notice:

• The connecting alif. The Uthmani text writes ٱ (alif with a small mark) at the start of ٱلَّذِى and ٱلْمُلْكُ; the IndoPak text writes a plain alif.
• Long vowels. In تَبٰرَكَ and عَلٰى the IndoPak text uses a standing vowel mark over the letter, while the Uthmani text writes the vowel plus a small alif.
• Silent-letter marks. The IndoPak text puts a sukun-style mark on the ى of الَّذِىۡ and on the ي of قَدِيۡرُ; the Uthmani text leaves those letters unmarked.
• Pause sign at the verse end. The IndoPak text shows a small pause sign after قَدِيۡرُ; the Uthmani text has none.

None of these change the recitation. They are two systems for showing the same sounds.

Finding Surah Mulk in an IndoPak mushaf

• Para: Surah Al-Mulk is the first surah of the 29th para (juz). In South Asia that para is often called Tabarakalladhi after its opening words. Our page on which para Surah Mulk is in has the details.
• Verses: 30.
• Rukus: 2. In Quran.com's data the first ruku is verses 1 to 14 and the second is verses 15 to 30, so look for the ع sign in the margin after verse 14 and at the end of the surah.
• Pages: page numbers depend on the edition. In the standard 15-line Madani mushaf the surah runs from page 562 to 564; IndoPak 13-line and 16-line editions number their pages differently, so use the para and the surah heading to find it.
• Makki: Surah Al-Mulk was revealed in Makkah.

13-line, 15-line or 16-line?

"13-line", "15-line" and "16-line" describe how many lines of text are on each page, not the script itself, although each layout is usually tied to a style:

• 13-line: a common IndoPak layout for memorisation in South Asia and South Africa.
• 15-line: the Madani standard; some IndoPak editions also use 15 lines.
• 16-line: another common IndoPak layout.

If you are memorising, choose one edition and stick with it. Your visual memory of where each verse sits on the page is part of how memorisation works, and switching layouts breaks that. Our Surah Mulk PDF formats page lists the layouts you can download or generate.

Which should you read from?

There is no "more correct" option. Both carry the same Quran. The best mushaf is the one you can read accurately and consistently.

Why South Asian copies look the way they do

IndoPak copies were designed with non-Arabic speakers in mind. Readers who do not know Arabic grammar cannot always tell from context whether a hamza is pronounced, whether a letter is silent or how long a vowel is. The IndoPak system marks more of that information directly on the page, so a learner who knows the basic rules can read accurately without knowing the grammar behind them. The extra pause signs work the same way: they tell the reader where stopping is recommended, allowed or best avoided. The Madani copy assumes the reader can work more of this out, which is why it looks cleaner.

Buying a printed IndoPak copy: what to check

• Lines per page. Ask for 13-line, 15-line or 16-line, to match the copy you learned or the one your teacher uses.
• Publisher. Different publishers' editions can have different page breaks, even with the same number of lines.
• Colour coding. Colour-coded tajweed editions are printed in both styles; check the colour key before you buy.
• Size. A larger print is easier for elders and beginners; a pocket copy is handy for travel.
• Translation. Some IndoPak editions include an Urdu translation; see our Surah Mulk in Urdu page for the meaning.

Tips for switching between IndoPak and Madani

If you move from one style to the other, the first week can feel slow. A few things help:

1. Read with audio. Follow a reciter verse by verse on the Surah Mulk audio page so your ear corrects your eye.
2. Learn the signs. Spend ten minutes on the pause signs and silent-letter marks of the new style before reading.
3. Start with a surah you know. Surah Al-Mulk is ideal because many people already know it by heart.
4. Keep your old copy for revision until the new one feels comfortable.

Reading Surah Mulk in IndoPak script online

Several Quran apps and websites let you switch between IndoPak and Uthmani text; Quran.com, for example, publishes both versions in its text data. On this site, the read online page has all 30 verses with transliteration and translation, the word by word guide breaks each verse into its words, and how long is Surah Mulk tells you how much time to set aside each night.

If you are learning tajweed, a colour-coded copy can help in either style; our guide to Surah Mulk colour coded explains what each colour means, with examples from the surah.

Checklist: Surah Mulk IndoPak

• Same Quran, same rasm; only calligraphy, marks and layout differ
• Look for the surah at the start of para 29 (Tabarakalladhi)
• 30 verses, 2 rukus (1 to 14 and 15 to 30)
• Page numbers vary by edition; 562 to 564 in the 15-line Madani mushaf
• Memorise from one layout only
• Learn the pause signs of your style
• Read with audio when switching styles

Sources

• Quran.com text data: IndoPak and Uthmani text of 67:1, page and ruku numbers for Surah Al-Mulk, Sahih International translation
• MuslimMatters, "Behind the Differences in Contemporary Masahif" (March 2024)
• The Majestic Quran, "What is the difference between the IndoPak and Uthmani scripts?" (November 2022)