Version 2.1, 22 July 2021

Version history:

1.0, 8 March 2012; numerous edits in 2014 and 2015

2.0, 26 June 2020

2.1, 22 July 2021

Choosing a typesetter for Arabic or Muslim Scripts

Script styles, software, and fonts

In Brill publications, Arabic text in the Arabic script occurs frequently. In scholarly publications, the Naskhi style is generally preferred. Brill’s typesetters (at least Asiatype, SPi and Palm) use Adobe InDesign ME (Middle East) with the Tasmeem plugin, and special Tasmeem fonts. Two Tasmeem fonts have the Naskhi style: DecoType Naskh and DecoType Emiri. The latter is the default choice for short runs of text; the former is to be used if a more flexible type of Naskhi is necessary, for instance in critical text editions and the typesetting of Arabic poetry (something not dealt with in this basic document). Please note that at the time of this writing (June, 2020) we have no definitive all-purpose solution for Arabic type. Always consult Pim Rietbroek before specifying any particular Arabic font(s) apart from DT Emiri.

[Note that the font choices and Tasmeem settings apply to Arabic-language text. The Emiri settings can also be applied to small runs of Persian-language text, but Persian text sometimes demands the application of another typeface. Brill’s editors must communicate such cases to the typesetters. Other languages such as Urdu demand a different type style called Nastaliq, and there are distinct other styles that are prefered for writing and typesetting African languages in the ‘Arabic’ or Muslim script. Central and East Asian languages employ different styles again. Although Brill has limited volumes of non-Arabic and non-Persian texts, Brill’s editors must be aware of the distinct demands posed by them and contact Pim Rietbroek for instructions if they encounter them.]

Emiri font sizes and Tasmeem settings

Emiri was chosen as the basic font for Arabic-language text in Brill publications because it strictly adheres to the Unicode standard, provides the flexibility needed to represent not only modern standard Arabic but also historic forms of the language, and is as ‘neutral’ a book face as possible. It represents essentially the typographic form of Naskhi. The flexibility of the InDesign Tasmeem plugin and the Tasmeem fonts makes it necessary to define default values for typesetters to use, contrary to what typesetters are used to when dealing with more rigid OpenType fonts. Some basic presets in Tasmeem are suitable for some texts but not for Brill publications. Authors who quote Arabic text in the original script are quite sensitive to spacing and kerning of Arabic text, as well as to script styles, some of which are vehemently rejected (like Nastaliq by several Arabic authors). In 2012, basic Tasmeem settings for Emiri were developed and communicated to typesetters. In June and July of 2014, a more developed set of settings was defined which can be found below.

• The font sizes, Tasmeem presets, and Arabic spacing settings are different depending on the presence or absence of vowels. In the following, vocalised and unvocalised Arabic text will be treated separately. Even within one Arabic phrase, different Tasmeem presets and Arabic spacing settings must be applied for vocalised and unvocalised text.
• There are also differences between the settings for paragraphs that are entirely in Arabic, and ‘Latin’ (or ‘western’) paragraphs that contain a few Arabic words or phrases: mixed ‘Latin’-Arabic paragraphs.
• Finally, distinction must be made between body text and block quotation paragraphs, bibliography text, and footnote and indexes text.

Leading needs special attention. Care must always be taken to avoid clashes between Arabic ascenders, diacritics, vowels, and descenders of text lines above and below, and of Arabic letter parts and diacritics and ‘Latin’ text above and/or below. Especially in mixed ‘Latin’-Arabic paragraphs, typesetters must adjust leading for each line individually; leading must not be made too big: it should suffice to separate letters and diacritics clearly.

Main text and block quotations

• Arabic-only paragraphs, vocalised: 13 pt Emiri, set on alternating standard baseline grid lines (i.e., double grid line spacing)
  • Tasmeem Text Shaping Preset: Emiri Kashidah Short
  • Tasmeem Arabic Spacing: External Word spacing: 350, Overlap: 100; Internal Word Spacing: 180, Overlap: 10
• mixed ‘Latin’-Arabic paragraphs, with Arabic vocalised: 12 pt Emiri, leading must be sufficient to avoid clashes with lines above and below (up to 24 pt leading may sometimes prove necessary, but leading should never be too large either). Leading must be adjusted individually for each line of text containing Arabic words or phrases.
  • Tasmeem Text Shaping Preset: Emiri Kashidah Short
  • Tasmeem Arabic Spacing: External Word spacing: 350, Overlap: 100; Internal Word Spacing: 180, Overlap: 10
• Arabic-only paragraphs, unvocalised: 13 pt Emiri, leading 20 pt (i.e., not on the baseline grid)
  • Tasmeem Text Shaping Preset: Emiri Meem Closed
  • Tasmeem Arabic Spacing: External Word spacing: 400, Overlap: 40; Internal Word Spacing: 150, Overlap: 10
• mixed ‘Latin’-Arabic paragraphs, with Arabic unvocalised: 12 pt Emiri, leading must be sufficient to avoid clashes with lines above and below (up to 18 pt leading may sometimes prove necessary, but leading should never be too large either). Leading must be adjusted individually for each line of text containing Arabic words or phrases.
  • Tasmeem Text Shaping Preset: Emiri Meem Closed
  • Tasmeem Arabic Spacing: External Word spacing: 400, Overlap: 40; Internal Word Spacing: 150, Overlap: 10

Bibliographies

• Arabic vocalised: 12 pt Emiri, not on baseline grid – leading up to 24 pt to avoid clashes (not too much, though)
  • Tasmeem Text Shaping Preset: Emiri Kashidah Short
  • Tasmeem Arabic Spacing: External Word spacing: 350, Overlap: 100; Internal Word Spacing: 180, Overlap: 10
• Arabic unvocalised: 12 pt Emiri, not on baseline grid – leading up to 18 pt to avoid clashes (not too much, though)
  • Tasmeem Text Shaping Preset: Emiri Meem Closed
  • Tasmeem Arabic Spacing: External Word spacing: 400, Overlap: 40; Internal Word Spacing: 150, Overlap: 10

Footnote text, indexes

• Arabic-only paragraphs, vocalised: 11 pt Emiri, leading 21 pt (i.e., not on the baseline grid)
  • Tasmeem Text Shaping Preset: Emiri Kashidah Short
  • Tasmeem Arabic Spacing: External Word spacing: 350, Overlap: 100; Internal Word Spacing: 180, Overlap: 10
• mixed ‘Latin’-Arabic paragraphs, with Arabic vocalised: 11 pt Emiri, leading must be sufficient to avoid clashes with lines above and below (up to 21 pt leading may sometimes prove necessary, but leading should never be too large either). Leading must be adjusted individually for each line of text containing Arabic words or phrases.
  • Tasmeem Text Shaping Preset: Emiri Kashidah Short
  • Tasmeem Arabic Spacing: External Word spacing: 350, Overlap: 100; Internal Word Spacing: 180, Overlap: 10
• Arabic-only paragraphs, unvocalised: 11 pt Emiri, leading 17 pt (i.e., not on the baseline grid)
  • Tasmeem Text Shaping Preset: Emiri Meem Closed
  • Tasmeem Arabic Spacing: External Word spacing: 400, Overlap: 40; Internal Word Spacing: 150, Overlap: 10
• mixed ‘Latin’-Arabic paragraphs, with Arabic unvocalised: 11 pt Emiri, leading must be sufficient to avoid clashes with lines above and below (up to 18 pt leading may sometimes prove necessary, but leading should never be too large either). Leading must be adjusted individually for each line of text containing Arabic words or phrases.
  • Tasmeem Text Shaping Preset: Emiri Meem Closed
  • Tasmeem Arabic Spacing: External Word spacing: 400, Overlap: 40; Internal Word Spacing: 150, Overlap: 10

These settings are defaults. Brills production editors may specify different settings in exceptional case, in consultation with Maaike Langerak. These include Arabic and Persian poetry, and close approximations of textual material found in manuscript sources (including papyri).

Naskh Font sizes and Tasmeem settings

The Naskh font whose settings can be adjusted using the Tasmeem plugin is the font of choice for Arabic poetry because of its great flexibility. For example: although it can still be quite a lot of work to equalise the length of both hemistichs of an Arabic verse (if required), at least it is feasible using Naskh. Not only can the length of specific words be influenced by applying kashida, but often there is a choice in word shapes, depending on how some consonants are stacked (or not), or on which consonant shapes are chosen (Emiri provides distinctly fewer options, although still more than most OpenType Arabic fonts). In text editions with mainly or exclusively prose text, Naskh is also often preferred, especially for the main text; in critical apparatuses and notes, however, Emiri is regularly chosen because of its ‘flatter’ profile.

Note on font names

Strictly speaking, ‘Naskh’ is a writing style, but there are many fonts whose name is simply ‘Naskh’, or something very close. This makes it easy to confuse fonts. It should especially be noted that the ‘Naskh’ font suitable for adjustment with the Tasmeem tools is called just that in the font menu of Adobe InDesign. Do not confuse this font with the ‘DecoType Naskh’ fonts which are also bundled with many versions of InDesign, but which use older, non-Tasmeem technology dating from the 1990s! [Confusingly, the Tasmeem ‘Naskh’ font is also produced by DecoType.]

Main text and block quotations

• Arabic-only paragraphs, unvocalised: 13 pt Naskh, with 24 pt leading
  • Tasmeem Text Shaping Preset: Naskh Standard
  • Tasmeem Arabic Spacing: Classic typography

Other elements’ settings: TBA

Download PDF with a summary for Typesetters (Emiri font)

Brill Production Editors must send a copy of the PDF in the link below containing Emiri Arabic typesetting instructions, a summary of the above text (DT Naskh is not treated, only Emiri):

• with each new book project
• in the case of journals, regularly (whenever a batch of articles is sent on to the typesetters, or every two months, whichever is the more frequent)

The reason for this is that we have noticed that even those typesetters who regularly deal with Arabic typesetting sometimes forget to apply these settings. It may be forgetfulness, or new staff may have been put to work on Arabic, and they may be unaware of the need to apply specific settings to specific types of Arabic text. When the settings are not applied, this will lead to complaints from authors, so please avoid this by regularly sending the Emiri instructions. Download the document entitled Typesetting Arabic: Tasmeem software and the DT Emiri font.

Adding diacritics to Arabic characters

Adding diacritics to Arabic characters (PDF)

The InDesign file for this topic is available here: G:\Projects\Unicode\Alphabets_and_Writing_Systems\Arabic\Tasmeem\Arabic_script_with_diacritics.indd:

Arabic_script_with_diacritics.indd

See also: Encoding and keying-in of Arabic and Persian (Farsi) text: best practices

Amiri font sizes

In the settings for the Amiri typeface the font sizes for vocalised and unvocalised Arabic script are kept the same:

• Inline text (mixed ‘Latin’-Arabic paragraphs) 11 pt. Leading: default BTS leading, but avoid clashes with lines above and below. In case clashes should occur, leading must be adjusted individually for each line of text containing Arabic words or phrases.
• Arabic-only paragraphs 11 pt, (unvocalised text:) leading 18 pt
• Block quote text 11 pt, leading 1½ gridstep
• Bibliography text 10 pt
• Footnote text 10 pt, Arabic-only footnotes: leading 16½ pts. Inline text (mixed ‘Latin’-Arabic footnotes): default BTS leading, but avoid clashes with lines above and below. In case clashes should occur, leading must be adjusted individually for each line of text containing Arabic words or phrases.
• Chapter titles (books)/Article titles (journals): Amiri Bold 16 pt, leading 30 pt

Marking emphasis

There is no generally agreed method of marking emphasis in Arabic type. Traditionally, a contrasting color was used. One may also use another type style, for instance Nastaliq in an otherwise Naskhi context, but some authors object to this. Some authors demand bold Arabic type, but the DecoType fonts are not available in bold style. Bold text can be applied in the (OpenType) Amiri font used by TAT Zetwerk (AsiaType also have this font). Note that the behavior of this font cannot be adjusted in the Tasmeem plug-in: it only has OpenType functionalities.

Windows and macOS

Windows fonts, as long as they are TrueType fonts (.ttf) or TrueType Collections (.ttc), or CFF-flavoured OpenType fonts (.otf) can in principle be used on macOS.