Toolbox

Here are some tools and links that can be useful for anyone who wants to work in Arabic with a computer whose operating system is in a Latin script, and for any researcher in Arabic and Islamic studies.

Feel free to suggest additions to this page!

Calendar Conversion

Transliteration

  • IFAO-IDEO System (DIN modified).
  • Special characters of the IFAO-IDEO system: ʾ ā ṯ ǧ ḥ ḫ ḏ š ṣ ḍ ṭ ẓ ʿ ġ ū ī.
  • Online typing tool…
  • Comparative table (Wikipedia) of the different systems of transliteration of Arabic.
  • BabelMap: a software under Windows to find all Unicode characters.
  • AutoHotKey: a software under Windows that allows you to take control of the keyboard and modify the output of the keys in order to type characters missing on the keyboard. You must first download the software itself and install it. Then create a mapping file with the Notepad (here is an example that you can use as a basis). Then compile it to obtain an executable file (.exe). Simply launch it and the keys pressed are managed by the software to obtain the Unicode characters you want.
  • Microsoft Keyboard Layout Creator: in its official 1.4 version, this Windows software allows you to reconfigure your keyboard and create a new keyboard for a given language. Contrary to what Microsoft announces, it is actually possible to use it under Windows 10. Just specify the language you usually use (probably English) as the configuration language, and specify a particular keyboard name (for example: Translit). Then, you must add a keyboard to the language you usually use by using the “Options” button.
  • For MacOS users, a similar, free of rights tool is available to reconfigure your keyboard: Ukulele.
  • For MacOS users, you can also use the “diacs” keyboards designed by Knut S. Vikør. Once you downloaded the zip file, follow the instructions in the ReadMe file.

Complete fonts

Qurʾān

Lists of catalogs of digitized manuscripts

Arabic dictionaries

  • al-Maʿānīal-Maʿānī al-ǧāmiʿal-Qāmūs al-muḥīṭal-Muʿǧam al-wasīṭ
  • Arabic Almanach: Hans Wehr, Lane, Lisān al-ʿArab

Other useful links