Arabi Malayalam script

{{Short description|Arabic script adapted for Malayalam}} {{About|the writing system|the language|Arabi Malayalam}} {{Use dmy dates|date=October 2020}} {{Infobox writing system |name=Arabi Malayalam | altname = Ponnani Script {{script/Arabic|عَرَبِ مَلَیٰاۻَمْ}} {{script/Arabic|''پٗنّٰانِ لِپِ''}} |type=Abjad |languages= Malayalam |time=c. 500 to the present |fam1=Egyptian hieroglyphics |fam2=Proto-Sinaitic |fam3=Phoenician |fam4=Aramaic |fam5=Nabataean |fam6=Arabic alphabet |sample= |imagesize= }} '''Arabi Malayalam script''' (Malayalam: അറബി-മലയാളം, Arabi Malayalam: عَرَبِ مَلَیٰاۻَمْ), also known as '''Ponnani script''',<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Kunnath|first=Ammad|date=15 September 2015|title=The rise and growth of Ponnani from 1498 AD To 1792 AD|journal=University |url=https://hdl.handle.net/10603/49524|publisher=Department of History|hdl=10603/49524}}</ref><ref>{{Cite book|last=Panakkal|first=Abbas|url=http://myto.upm.edu.my/find/Record/iium.u537621|title=Islam in Malabar (1460-1600) : a socio-cultural study /|date=2016|publisher=Kulliyyah Islamic Revealed Knowledge and Human Sciences, International Islamic University Malaysia|access-date=27 May 2021|archive-date=27 May 2021|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210527064123/http://myto.upm.edu.my/find/Record/iium.u537621|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref>{{Cite journal|last=Kallen|first=hussain Randathani|title=TRADE AND CULTURE: INDIAN OCEAN INTERACTION ON THE COAST OF MALABAR IN MEDIEVAL PERIOD|url=https://www.academia.edu/22105661|language=en}}</ref> is a writing system — a variant form of the Arabic script with special orthographic features — for writing Malayalam, a Dravidian language in southern India.<ref name="Miller"/><ref>{{Cite web|title=Malayalam Resource Centre|url=http://www.malayalamresourcecentre.org/Mrc/literature/contribution.html|access-date=2023-01-11|website=archive.ph|archive-date=12 September 2012|archive-url=https://archive.today/20120912185758/http://www.malayalamresourcecentre.org/Mrc/literature/contribution.html|url-status=dead}}</ref> Though the script originated and developed in Kerala, today it is predominantly used in Malaysia and Singapore by the migrant Muslim community.{{citation needed|date=August 2023}}

Arabi-Malayalam is currently used in most of the primary education madrasahs of Kerala and Lakshadweep.<ref>{{cite news|url=http://lakshadweep.nic.in/depts/education/profile.htm|title=Arabi Malayalam in Lakshadweep|access-date=22 February 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20101005155923/http://lakshadweep.nic.in/depts/education/profile.htm|archive-date=5 October 2010|url-status=dead}}</ref><ref name=archive201409121829>{{Cite web|title=SAMASTHA – Samastha Kerala Jem-iyyathul Ulama | samastha.info|url=https://samastha.info/|access-date=2023-01-11|language=en-US}}</ref>

== Letters == thumb|718x718px|Arabi Malayalam alphabet with Malayalam alphabet correspondences There were many complications to write Malayalam, a Dravidian language, using letters covering Arabic, a Semitic language. Only 28 letters were available from Arabic orthography to render over 53 phonemes of Malayalam. It was overcome by following the pattern of creating additional letters established for Persian.<ref>{{Cite web|date=2008-03-18|title=THE ARABI - MALAYALAM SCRIPTURE|url=http://www.e-malabari.net/culture/arabimalayalam.htm|access-date=2023-01-11|archive-date=18 March 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080318235926/http://www.e-malabari.net/culture/arabimalayalam.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> The letters such as {{lang|ml-Latn|pa}}, {{lang|ml-Latn|gha}}, {{lang|ml-Latn|kha}}, {{lang|ml-Latn|ṅa}}, {{lang|ml-Latn|ña}}, {{lang|ml-Latn|ḻa}}, {{lang|ml-Latn|ga}}, {{lang|ml-Latn|ca}} were not available in the Arabic alphabets. The characters which stand for {{lang|ml-Latn|ḻa}}, {{lang|ml-Latn|ca}}, {{lang|ml-Latn|pa}}, {{lang|ml-Latn|ga}} ({{lang|ml|ഴ, ച, പ, ഗ}}) are {{lang|ml-Arab|گ ,پ ,چ ,ژ|rtl=yes}} respectively in Arabi Malayalam. {| class="wikitable floatleft" style="border-collapse: collapse; line-height: 85%; font-size: 100%; text-align: center; " ! colspan=3 | |- !Malayalam !Arabi Malayalam !IPA |- |ഴ |ژ |{{IPA|ɻ}} |- |ച |چ |{{IPA|tʃ}} |- |പ |پ |{{IPA|p}} |- |ഗ |گ |{{IPA|ɡ}} |- ! colspan=3 |<ref>{{Cite web|date=2008-03-18|title=THE ARABI - MALAYALAM SCRIPTURE|url=http://e-malabari.net/culture/arabimalayalam.htm|access-date=2023-01-11|archive-date=18 March 2008|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080318235926/http://e-malabari.net/culture/arabimalayalam.htm|url-status=dead}}</ref> |} {{clear}}

===Vowels===

{|dir="rtl" class="wikitable" lang="ml" style="text-align: center" |+lang="en" dir="ltr"| Arabi Malayalam vowels arranged according to the Malayalam order (right to left)<ref name="Malayalamozhi">[https://malayalamozhi.github.io/en/arabi-malayalam/#orthography Malayalamozhi. ''Arabi Malayalam'']</ref><ref name="tharuvana">[https://www.sahapedia.org/arabi-malayalam-3 Dr Azeez Tharuvana. (25 September 2018)''Arabi Malayalam''. Sahapedia]</ref> |-lang="ml" dir="ltr" style="font-size:150%" | {{Lang|ml|അ}} | {{Lang|ml|ആ}} | {{Lang|ml|ഇ}} | {{Lang|ml|ഈ}} | {{Lang|ml|ഉ}} | {{Lang|ml|ഊ}} | {{Lang|ml|ഋ}} | {{Lang|ml|ൠ}} | {{Lang|ml|ഌ}} | {{Lang|ml|ൡ}} |-lang="ml-Arab" style="font-size:150%" | {{Script/Arabic|اَ}} | {{Script/Arabic|اٰ}} | {{Script/Arabic|اِ}} | {{Script/Arabic|اِیـ}} | {{Script/Arabic|اُ}} | {{Script/Arabic|اُو}} | {{Script/Arabic|رْ}} | {{Script/Arabic|رّْ}} | {{Script/Arabic|لْـ / لْ}} | {{Script/Arabic|لّْـ / لّْ}} |-lang="ml" dir="ltr" style="font-size:150%" | — | {{Lang|ml|ാ}} | {{Lang|ml|ി}} | {{Lang|ml|ീ}} | {{Lang|ml|ു}} | {{Lang|ml|ൂ}} | {{Lang|ml|ൃ}} | {{Lang|ml|ൄ}} | {{Lang|ml|ൢ}} | {{Lang|ml|ൣ}} |-lang="ml-Arab" style="font-size:150%" | {{Script/Arabic|◌َ}} | {{Script/Arabic|◌ٰـا}} | {{Script/Arabic|◌ِ}} | {{Script/Arabic|◌ِیـ / ◌ِی}} | {{Script/Arabic|◌ُ}} | {{Script/Arabic|◌ُو}} | {{Script/Arabic|◌ْرْ}} | {{Script/Arabic|◌ْرّْ}} | {{Script/Arabic|◌ْـلْـ / ◌ْـلْ}} | {{Script/Arabic|◌ْـلّْـ / ◌ْـلّْ}} |-dir="ltr" style="font-size:125%" | {{Transliteration|ml|ISO|italic=no|a}} | {{Transliteration|ml|ISO|italic=no|ā}} | {{Transliteration|ml|ISO|italic=no|i}} | {{Transliteration|ml|ISO|italic=no|ī}} | {{Transliteration|ml|ISO|italic=no|u}} | {{Transliteration|ml|ISO|italic=no|ū}} | {{Transliteration|ml|ISO|italic=no|r̥}} | {{Transliteration|ml|ISO|italic=no|r̥̄}} | {{Transliteration|ml|ISO|italic=no|l̥}} | {{Transliteration|ml|ISO|italic=no|l̥̄}} |}

{|dir="rtl" class="wikitable" lang="ml" style="text-align: center" |+lang="en" dir="ltr"| |-lang="ml" dir="ltr" style="font-size:150%" | {{Lang|ml|എ}} | {{Lang|ml|ഏ}} | {{Lang|ml|ഒ}} | {{Lang|ml|ഓ}} | {{Lang|ml|ഐ}} | {{Lang|ml|ഔ}} | {{Lang|ml|അം}} | {{Lang|ml|അഃ}} | |-lang="ml-Arab" style="font-size:150%" | {{Script/Arabic|ا٘}} (1) | {{Script/Arabic|ا٘یـ}} (1) | {{Script/Arabic|اَیْـ / اَیْ}} | {{Script/Arabic|اٝ}} | {{Script/Arabic|اٝو}} | {{Script/Arabic|اَوْ}} | {{Script/Arabic|اَمْـ / اَمْ}} | {{Script/Arabic|اَھْ}} | |-lang="ml" dir="ltr" style="font-size:150%" | {{Lang|ml|െ}} | {{Lang|ml|േ}} | {{Lang|ml|ൈ}} | {{Lang|ml|ൊ}} | {{Lang|ml|ോ}} | {{Lang|ml|ൌ / ൗ}} | {{Lang|ml|ം}} | {{Lang|ml|ഃ}} | {{Lang|ml|്}} |-lang="ml-Arab" style="font-size:150%" | {{Script/Arabic|◌٘}} (1) | {{Script/Arabic|◌٘یـ / ◌٘ی}} (1) | {{Script/Arabic|◌َیْـ / ◌َیْ}} | {{Script/Arabic|◌ٝ}} | {{Script/Arabic|◌ٝو}} | {{Script/Arabic|◌َوْ}} | {{Script/Arabic|◌َمْـ / ◌َمْ}} | {{Script/Arabic|◌َھْ}} | {{Script/Arabic|◌ْ}} |-dir="ltr" style="font-size:125%" | {{Transliteration|ml|ISO|italic=no|e}} | {{Transliteration|ml|ISO|italic=no|ē}} | {{Transliteration|ml|ISO|italic=no|ai}} | {{Transliteration|ml|ISO|italic=no|o}} | {{Transliteration|ml|ISO|italic=no|ō}} | {{Transliteration|ml|ISO|italic=no|au}} | {{Transliteration|ml|ISO|italic=no|aṁ}} | {{Transliteration|ml|ISO|italic=no|aḥ}} | ∅ / {{Transliteration|ml|ISO|italic=no|ŭ}} |}

:'''Notes'''

# Alternatively, historically, the following diacritic has been used for representing Malayalam letters {{lang|ml|എ}} and {{lang|ml|ഏ}} (romanized as '''e''' and '''ē''') and that is {{lang|ml-Arab|اࣣ / ◌ࣣ}}, {{lang|ml-Arab|اࣣیـ / ◌ࣣیـ / ◌ࣣی}} (Similar to orthographic conventions in Arabi-Tamil.

===Consonants===

Similar to Urdu orthography, Arabi Malayalam alphabet includes digraphs meant to represent aspirated consonants. These are formed by following a letter with the letter ''he'' ({{lang|ml-Arab|ھ}}). While in Urdu, there are two separate letters ''he'', ''Gol he'' as an independent letter, and ''Do-chashmi he'' as part of aspirated consonant digraphs, this distinction is not necessarily made in Arabi-Malayalam.

{|class="wikitable Unicode" dir="rtl" |+ Arabi Malayalam alphabet<ref name="Malayalamozhi"/><ref name="tharuvana"/> |- ! Arabic (Malayalam) (Latin) <nowiki>[</nowiki>IPA<nowiki>]</nowiki> | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|ا}} ‌(ആ) (ā) {{IPAblink|∅}}/{{IPAblink|ʔ}}/{{IPAblink|aː}} | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|ب}} ‌(ബ) (b) {{IPAblink|b}} | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|بھ}} ‌(ഭ) (bh) {{IPAblink|bʱ}} | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|پ}} ‌(പ) (p) {{IPAblink|p}} | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|پھ}} ‌(ഫ) (ph) {{IPAblink|pʰ}} | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|ت}} ‌(ത) (t) {{IPAblink|t̪}} |- ! Arabic (Malayalam) (Latin) <nowiki>[</nowiki>IPA<nowiki>]</nowiki> | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|تھ}} ‌(ഥ) (th) {{IPAblink|t̪ʰ}} | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" bgcolor="#FFEFD5" | {{script/Arabic|ث}} ‌(സ) (s) {{IPAblink|s}} | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|ج}} ‌(ജ) (j) [{{IPA link|d͡ʒ}}~{{IPA link|d͡ʑ}}] | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|جھ}} ‌(ഝ) (jh) [{{IPA link|d͡ʒʱ}}~{{IPA link|d͡ʑʱ}}] | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|چ}} 2 ‌(ച) (c) [{{IPA link|t͡ʃ}}~{{IPA link|t͡ɕ}}] | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|چھ}} 2 ‌(ഛ) (ch) [{{IPA link|t͡ʃʰ}}~{{IPA link|t͡ɕʰ}}] |- ! Arabic (Malayalam) (Latin) <nowiki>[</nowiki>IPA<nowiki>]</nowiki> | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|ڿ}} ‌(ഞ) (ñ) {{IPAblink|ɲ}} | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" bgcolor="#FFEFD5" | {{script/Arabic|ح}} ‌(ഹ) (h) {{IPAblink|h}} | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" bgcolor="#FFEFD5" | {{script/Arabic|خ}} ‌(ഖ) (kh) {{IPAblink|kʰ}}({{IPAblink|x}}) | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|د}} ‌(ദ) (d) {{IPAblink|d̪}} | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|دھ}} ‌(ധ) (dh) {{IPAblink|d̪ʱ}} | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|ڊ}} 3 ‌(ട) (ṭ) {{IPAblink|ʈ}} |- ! Arabic (Malayalam) (Latin) <nowiki>[</nowiki>IPA<nowiki>]</nowiki> | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|ڊھ}} 3 ‌(ഠ) (ṭh) {{IPAblink|ʈʰ}} | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" bgcolor="#FFEFD5" | {{script/Arabic|ذ}} ‌(സ) (s) {{IPAblink|s}}({{IPAblink|z}}) | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|ر}} 1, 2 ‌(റ, ഋ, ൃ, ൠ, ൄ) (ṟ, r̥, r̥̄) {{IPAblink|r}}/[{{IPA link|r|rɨ}}]/[{{IPA link|r|rɨː}}] | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|ڔ}} 2 ‌(ര, ററ, റ്റ, ഺ) (r) {{IPAblink|ɾ}}/{{IPAblink|t|tː}} | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" bgcolor="#FFEFD5" | {{script/Arabic|ز}} ‌(സ) (s) {{IPAblink|s}}({{IPAblink|z}}) | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|ڗ}} ‌(ഡ) (ḍ) {{IPAblink|ɖ}} |- ! Arabic (Malayalam) (Latin) <nowiki>[</nowiki>IPA<nowiki>]</nowiki> | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|ڗھ}} ‌(ഢ) (ḍh) {{IPAblink|ɖʱ}} | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|ژ}} ‌(ഴ) (ḻ) {{IPAblink|ɻ}} | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|س}} ‌(സ) (s) {{IPAblink|s}} | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|ش}} ‌(ശ) (ś) [{{IPA link|ɕ}}~{{IPA link|ʃ}}] | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|ۺ}} ‌(ഷ) (ṣ) {{IPAblink|ʂ}} | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" bgcolor="#FFEFD5" | {{script/Arabic|ص}} ‌(സ) (s) {{IPAblink|s}} |- ! Arabic (Malayalam) (Latin) <nowiki>[</nowiki>IPA<nowiki>]</nowiki> | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" bgcolor="#FFEFD5" | {{script/Arabic|ض}} ‌(ള, ദ) (ḷ, d) {{IPAblink|ɭ}}, {{IPAblink|d̪}} | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|ۻ}} ‌(ള) (ḷ) {{IPAblink|ɭ}} | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" bgcolor="#FFEFD5" | {{script/Arabic|ط}} ‌(ഥ) (t) {{IPAblink|t̪}} | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" bgcolor="#FFEFD5" | {{script/Arabic|ظ}} ‌(സ, ദ) (s, d) {{IPAblink|s}}, {{IPAblink|d̪}} | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" bgcolor="#FFEFD5" | {{script/Arabic|ع}} ‌(-) (’) {{IPAblink|ʔ}} | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" bgcolor="#FFEFD5" | {{script/Arabic|غ}} ‌(ഗ) (g) {{IPAblink|g}} |- ! Arabic (Malayalam) (Latin) <nowiki>[</nowiki>IPA<nowiki>]</nowiki> | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|ۼ}} ‌(ങ) (ṅ) {{IPAblink|ŋ}} | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" bgcolor="#FFEFD5" | {{script/Arabic|ف}} ‌(ഫ) (ph) {{IPAblink|pʰ}}({{IPAblink|f}}) | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" bgcolor="#FFEFD5"| {{script/Arabic|ق}} ‌(ക) (k) {{IPAblink|k}}({{IPAblink|q}}) | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|ك}} ‌(ക) (k) {{IPAblink|k}} | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|كھ‎}} ‌(ക) (kh) {{IPAblink|kʰ}} | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|گ}} ‌(ഗ) (g) {{IPAblink|ɡ}} |- ! Arabic (Malayalam) (Latin) <nowiki>[</nowiki>IPA<nowiki>]</nowiki> | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|گھ‎}} ‌(ഘ) (gh) {{IPAblink|ɡʱ}} | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|ل}} 3 ‌(ല, ഌ, ൢ, ൡ, ൣ) (l, l̥, l̥̄) {{IPAblink|l}}/[{{IPA link|l|lɨ}}]/[{{IPA link|l|lɨː}}] | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|م}} ‌(മ, അം, ം) (m, ṁ) {{IPAblink|m}} | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|ن}} ‌(ന) (n) [{{IPA link|n̪}}~{{IPA link|n}}] | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|ڹ}} ‌(ണ) (ṇ) {{IPAblink|ɳ}} | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|و}} ‌(വ)(ൌ, ോ, ൂ) (v, au, ō, ū) {{IPAblink|ʋ}}/[{{IPA link|au̯}}]{{IPAblink|oː}}{{IPAblink|uː}} |- ! Arabic (Malayalam) (Latin) <nowiki>[</nowiki>IPA<nowiki>]</nowiki> | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|ھ}} ‌(ഹ, അഃ, ഃ) (h, ḥ) {{IPAblink|h}} | style="width:7em; text-align:center; padding: 3px;" | {{script/Arabic|ی}} ‌(യ)(ൈ, േ, ീ) (y, ai, ē, ī) {{IPAblink|j}}/[{{IPA link|ai̯}}]{{IPAblink|eː}}{{IPAblink|iː}} |}

:'''Notes''' # This letter is also used for representing the semi-vowel {{lang|ml|ഋ, ൃ}} ('''r̥'''), and when geminated with the shaddah diacritic, its corresponding elongated form {{lang|ml|ൠ, ൄ}} ('''r̥̄'''). # When the Malayalam letter {{lang|ml|റ}} is geminated (usually in the form റ+റ, possibly in the form ൻ + റ, but also in scholarly documents by {{lang|ml|റ്റ, ഺ}}), in Arabi Malayalam, it is written with the letter {{lang|ml-Arab|ڔّ}}. # This letter is also used for representing the semi-vowel {{lang|ml|ഌ, ൢ}} ('''l̥'''), and when geminated with the shaddah diacritic, its corresponding elongated form {{lang|ml|ൡ, ൣ}} ('''l̥̄''').

== Usage == [[File:Multilingual (Tamil and Malayalam - Arabic script) advertisement - catalogue of books and textiles - Ponnani (1908).jpg|thumb|left|A multilingual advertisement with a catalogue of books and textiles available from a shop in Ponnani in 1908. Text on the left hand side is Arabi-Tamil, text on the right hand side, Arabi Malayalam script]]

Most of the Mappila Songs were written, for the first time, in Arabi-Malayalam script. The earliest known such work is the ''Muhyidheen Mala'', written in 1607.<ref name=":0">Menon. T. Madhava. "A Handbook of Kerala, Volume 2", International School of Dravidian Linguistics, 2002. pp. 491-493.</ref>thumb|Copy of the first book in Arabi-Malayalam called "Muhyadheen Mala" Many literary works written in Arabi Malayalam still have not been transliterated to the Malayalam script, and some estimates put the number at almost 90 percent. These works, romantic ballads, folk tales and battle songs, contain some of the impressive literary achievements by Mappilas over the centuries.<ref name="Miller">Miller, Roland. E., "Mappila" in "The Encyclopedia of Islam". Volume VI. E. J. Brill, Leiden. 1987. pp. 458-56.</ref>

The first Arabi Malayalam scripted novel, ''Chahar Dervesh'', Malayalam translation of a Persian work, was published in 1883.<ref>Sharafudeen, S. "Muslims of Kerala: a Modern Approach, "Kerala Historical Society, 2003. pp. 152</ref> Intellectuals such as Moyinkutty Vaidyar translated, and then transliterated significant number of works in Sanskrit - such as ''Ashtanga Hridaya, Amarakosa, Pancatantra'' and even the legends about the Hindu king Vikramaditya - into Arabi Malayalam.<ref name="survey">"Malayalam Literary Survey", Volume 16 (1) -17 (4), Kēraḷa Sāhitya Akkādami, 1994. pp. 88</ref> Sanskrit medical texts - such as ''Upakarasara'', ''Yogarambha'' and ''Mahasara'' - were also translated, and then transliterated into Arabi-Malayalam by scholars like Abdurahiman Musaliar of Ponnani Putiyakattu.<ref name="survey"/> Arabi Malayalam script periodicals made remarkable contributions to the reform movement amongst the Mappilas in the early 20th century.

== Sample Texts ==

Below are several sample texts in Arabi Malayalam orthography, in standard Malayalam Script, and transliterated into Latin as per ISO 15919.<ref name="Malayalamozhi"/>

{| class="wikitable" style="table-layout:fixed;width:100%" ! Arabi Malayalam Script ! Malayalam Script ! ISO 15919 Latin ! English |- | dir="rtl" style="font-size:110%;line-height:1.65;" | {{Script/Arabic|{{lang|ml-Arab|كَلْكّ٘یڹڊَتُ پِژَوُكَۻِّلّٰات٘ كَلْكُّكَ ، كَڔُّكَژِڿّٰالَتِلُرَچُّ نِنِّیڊُكَ}} }} | {{lang|ml|കല്ക്കേണ്ടതു പിഴവുകളില്ലാതെ കല്ക്കുക, കറ്റുകഴിഞ്ഞാലതിലുറച്ചു നിന്നീടുക}} | kalkkēṇṭatu piḻavukaḷillāte kalkkuka, kaṟṟukaḻiññālatiluṟaccu ninnīṭuka | Do what needs to be done without mistakes, and when it is done, stand up |- | dir="rtl" style="font-size:110%;line-height:1.65;" | {{Script/Arabic|{{lang|ml-Arab|مَنُۺْيَڔ٘لّٰاوَڔ٘مْ تُلْيٰاوَكٰاشَۼَّۻٗوڊُمْ اَنتَسّٗوڊُمْ سْوٰاتَنْڔّْیَتّٗوڊُۼْكُوڊِ جَنِچِّڊُّۻَّوَڔٰاڹْ. اَنْیٗونْيَمْ بْھ‎ڔٰاتْرْبٰھاوَتّٗوڊ٘ پ٘ڔُمٰارُوٰانٰاڹ‎ْ مَنُۺْیَنْ وِو٘یكَبُدِّھیُمْ مَنَسٰاكْۺِیُمْ سِدَّھمٰایِرِكُّنَّتْ.}} }} | {{lang|ml|മനുഷ്യരെല്ലാവരും തുല്യാവകാശങ്ങളോടും അന്തസ്സോടും സ്വാതന്ത്ര്യത്തോടുംകൂടി ജനിച്ചിട്ടുള്ളവരാണ്‌. അന്യോന്യം ഭ്രാതൃഭാവത്തോടെ പെരുമാറുവാനാണ്‌ മനുഷ്യന് വിവേകബുദ്ധിയും മനസാക്ഷിയും സിദ്ധമായിരിക്കുന്നത്‌.}} | manuṣyarellāvaruṁ tulyāvakāśaṅṅaḷōṭuṁ antassōṭuṁ svātantryattōṭuṅkūṭi janicciṭṭuḷḷavarāṇ‌ŭ. anyōnyaṁ bhrātr̥bhāvattōṭe perumāṟuvānāṇ‌ŭ manuṣyanŭ vivēkabuddhiyuṁ manasākṣiyuṁ siddhamāyirikkunnat‌ŭ. | All human beings are born free and equal in dignity and rights. They are endowed with reason and conscience and should act towards one another in a spirit of brotherhood. |}

==See also== * Arabi Malayalam, a dialect of Malayalam used by Mappila Muslims * Beary language * Arwi

==References== {{reflist}}

==External links==

Category:Arabi Malayalam Category:Islamic culture Category:Arabic alphabets Category:Arabic alphabets for South Asian languages