Scripting Islamic Heritage: Arwi & Jawi Across Tamil / Malay Cultures

This book provides an overview of the Arwi and Jawi scripts, which are Arabic-influenced writing systems used by the Tamil Muslim community in Tamil Nadu, India, and the Malay Muslim community in Southeast Asia, respectively. Arwi is a dialect of the Tamil language written with an extension of the Arabic alphabet, while Jawi is a modified version of the Arabic script used to write the Malay language. Both scripts have historical and cultural significance in their respective regions, serving as a medium for the preservation and dissemination of Islamic knowledge and the expression of local languages. However, with the advent of modern education and the dominance of English, the usage and recognition of Arwi and Jawi have declined. To revitalize these scripts, suggestions include reprinting existing books, introducing them in Madrasahs and Pesantren (Islamic schools), making them a part of the school curriculum, promoting their use in daily life, and encouraging the publication of periodicals and magazines. By implementing these measures, it is hoped that a renaissance of Arwi and Jawi literatures can be achieved, preserving the cultural heritage and facilitating Islamic culture.