See the lexicon

General Script Characteristics

Shape

rectangular

Internal Structure

linear

Line of Writing

horizontal

undulating

Groups of Characters Baseline

horizontal

oblique

Character Spacing

irregular spaces between characters

Presence of Elongation

rare

Ligature

Abusive - rā’ and hā'

Shading / Contrast

medium contrast

Letter Morphology

Point

round dot

Ascenders

Alif Ascenders

alif - vertical

alif - s-shaped

alif - top right serif

alif - foot with left spur

Lām Ascenders

lām - vertical

lām - top right serif

Kāf Ascenders

rounded body, long top flat arm

top arm with serif

initial medial and final elongated (mabsūṭah)

Descenders

wāw descenders

wāw - rounded tail

rā' zā' descenders

rā'/zā' - s-shaped

hooked tail

nūn sīn shīn sādḍād yā’ lām and qāf descenders

deep bowl

denticles

sīn shīn denticles

rounded base denticles

initial and medial bāʾ tāʾthāʾ nūn yāʾ denticles

initial slightly inclined to left

initial top right serif

medial short pointed denticles

counters

hā' counters

isolated one-eyed round loop, left stem extended upwards

final s-shaped (muḥdawdibah)

initial / medial double eyed (wajh al-hirr)

fā' qāf wāw counters

rounded pointed head

medial 'ain ghayn counters

wide inverted triangle

mīm counters

circular head

vocalization and diacritics

fatḥa kasra vocalization and diacritics

horizontal stroke

ḍamma vocalization and diacritics

comma

closed eye

sukūn vocalization and diacritics

circle

shadda vocalization and diacritics

tall denticles

Other

additional characteristics

Distinctive lam-alif ligature with pronounced base hook

Closed dāl/dhāl

Sunken sīn/shīn