View source for Arwi

{{Short description|Arabic alphabet used in Tamil language}}
{{Infobox writing system
|mode=|name=Arwi
|bodystyle=Which|type=[[Abjad]]
|qid=Q1828555
|direction=|region=[[India]], [[Sri Lanka]]
|romanised_from=al-'arwiyyah
|caption=Arwi written in Arabic Script|languages=[[Tamil language|Tamil]]
|published=|time=Present
|status=Religious Uses|fam1=[[Egyptian hieroglyphs]]
|fam2=[[Proto-Sinaitic alphabet|Proto-Sinaitic]]
|fam3=[[Phoenician alphabet|Phoenician]]
|fam4=[[Aramaic alphabet|Aramaic]]
|fam5=[[Syriac alphabet|Syriac]]
|fam6=[[Nabataean alphabet|Nabataean]]
|fam7=[[Arabic alphabet|Arabic]]
|sisters=[[Arabi Malayalam]]|iso15924=Arab
|native_name=الأروية - அல் அர்விய்யா|imagestyle=|sample=Arwi Title.png
|imagesize=200px
}}
'''Arwi''' or '''ArabuTamil''' (Arabic: {{Script/Arabic|الْأَرْوِيَّة}} {{transl|ar|al-arwiyyah}}, {{Script/Arabic|أَرْوِي}} {{transl|ar|arwī}};<ref name="tors" /> {{lang-ta|அரபுத்தமிழ்}} {{transl|ta|ISO|arabu-tamil}}<span style="margin-left:1px">)</span> is an [[Arabic]] influenced dialect of the [[Tamil language|Tamil]] language written with an [[Arabic Extended-A|extension of the Arabic alphabet]], with extensive [[Lexicon|lexical]] and phonetic influences from the Arabic language. Arwi was used extensively by the [[Tamil Muslim|Muslim minority]] of [[Tamil Nadu]] state of [[India]] and [[Sri Lanka]].

== History ==
[[File:Kilakarai Arabic tombstone.jpg|thumb|left|Arwi script in a tombstone at [[Kilakarai]], [[Palaiya Jumma Palli|Old Jumma Masjid]]]] 

Arwi was an outcome of the cultural synthesis between seafaring Arabs and [[Marakkar|Tamil-speaking Muslims]] of [[Tamil Nadu]]. This language was enriched, promoted and developed in [[Kayalpatnam|Kayalpattinam]]. It had a rich body of work in jurisprudence, [[sufism]], law, medicine and [[sexology]], of which little has been preserved. It was used as a bridge language for Tamil Muslims to learn Arabic.<ref>
''216 th year commemoration today: Remembering His Holiness Bukhary Thangal'' Sunday Observer – January 5, 2003. [http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2003/01/05/fea24.html Online version] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20121002144937/http://www.sundayobserver.lk/2003/01/05/fea24.html |date=2012-10-02 }} accessed on 2009-08-14
</ref> The patrons of Arwi seem to have been the [[Nawab of the Carnatic]], they were Islamic and were part of the Mughal Empire. Many [[hadith]] manuscripts have been found. Most of the ''[[fiqh]]'' books, particularly those of [[Al-Shafi‘i|Imaam Shaafi]] and [[Abu Hanifa|Imaam Abu Hanifa]], have been found in Arwi. 

There was also a translation of the [[Bible]] into Arwi in 1926. 

Arwi still has a place among the more traditional Tamil muslim ([[Arwi Muslims|Arwi Muslim]]) and [[Sri Lankan Moors|Sri Lankan Moor]] families.
{{Clear|left}}

== Script ==

[[File:Image-Arwi.png|thumb|right|350px]]

The Arwi alphabet is the Arabic alphabet, with thirteen additional letters used to represent the Tamil vowels ''e'' and ''o'' and several Tamil consonants that could not be mapped to Arabic sounds.<ref name="tors"/>

{|dir="rtl" class="mw-content-rtl wikitable" style="margin:.6em 0 .6em auto;text-align:center"
|+lang="en" dir="ltr"| Arwi vowels arranged according to the [[Tamil script|Tamil order]] <small>(right to left)</small>
|-lang="ta" dir="ltr" style="font-size:150%"
| {{Lang|ta|எ}} || {{Lang|ta|ஏ}} || {{Lang|ta|ஐ}} || {{Lang|ta|ஒ}} || {{Lang|ta|ஓ}} || {{Lang|ta|ஔ}}
| {{Lang|ta|அ}} || {{Lang|ta|ஆ}} || {{Lang|ta|இ}} || {{Lang|ta|ஈ}} || {{Lang|ta|உ}} || {{Lang|ta|ஊ}}
|-lang="ta-Arab" style="font-size:150%"
| {{Script/Arabic|اَ}} || {{Script/Arabic|آ}} || {{Script/Arabic|اِ}} || {{Script/Arabic|اِی}} || {{Script/Arabic|اُ}} || {{Script/Arabic|اُو}}
| {{Script/Arabic|ࣣا}} || {{Script/Arabic|ای}} || {{Script/Arabic|اَی}} || {{Script/Arabic|اٗ}} || {{Script/Arabic|اٗو}} || {{Script/Arabic|اَو}}
|-dir="ltr" style="font-size:125%"
| {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|a}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|ā}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|i}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|ī}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|u}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|ū}}
| {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|e}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|ē}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|ai}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|o}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|ō}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|au}}
|}

{|dir="rtl" class="mw-content-rtl" style="margin:.6em 0 .6em auto;text-align:center"
|-
|style="padding:0"|
{|class="wikitable" style="margin:.3em 0"
|+lang="en" dir="ltr"| Arwi letters arranged according to the [[Arabic script in Unicode|Arabic alphabetical order]] <small>(right to left)</small>
|-lang="ta" dir="ltr" style="font-size:150%"
| {{Lang|ta|ஆ}} || &nbsp; || {{Lang|ta|த்த}} || &nbsp; || {{Lang|ta|ஜ}} || {{Lang|ta|ச்ச}} || &nbsp; || {{Lang|ta|ஃக}}
| {{Lang|ta|த}} || {{Lang|ta|ட}} || {{Lang|ta|ட்ட}} || &nbsp; || &nbsp; || {{Lang|ta|ள}} || &nbsp;
|-lang="ta-Arab" style="font-size:150%"
| {{Script/Arabic|ا}} || {{Script/Arabic|ب}} || {{Script/Arabic|ت}} || {{Script/Arabic|ث}} || {{Script/Arabic|ج}} || {{Script/Arabic|چ}} || {{Script/Arabic|ح}} || {{Script/Arabic|خ}}
| {{Script/Arabic|د}} || {{Script/Arabic|ڊ}} || {{Script/Arabic|ڍ}} || {{Script/Arabic|ذ}} || {{Script/Arabic|ض}} || {{Script/Arabic|صٜ}} || {{Script/Arabic|ص}}
|-dir="ltr" style="font-size:125%"
| {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|ā}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|b}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|t}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|ḍ}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|ḷ}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|ṣ}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|s̱}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|j}}
| {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|c}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|h̤}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|k͟h}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|d}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|D}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|T}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|ẕ}}
|}
{|class="wikitable" style="margin:.3em 0"
|-lang="ta" dir="ltr" style="font-size:150%"
| {{Lang|ta|ஷ}} || {{Lang|ta|ஸ}} || {{Lang|ta|ஃஜ}} || {{Lang|ta|ர}} || {{Lang|ta|ற}} || {{Lang|ta|ழ}} || &nbsp; || &nbsp;
| &nbsp; || {{Lang|ta|ங}} || &nbsp; || {{Lang|ta|ஃப}} || {{Lang|ta|ப}} || &nbsp; || {{Lang|ta|க்க}} || {{Lang|ta|க}}
|-lang="ta-Arab" style="font-size:150%"
| {{Script/Arabic|ش}} || {{Script/Arabic|س}} || {{Script/Arabic|ز}} || {{Script/Arabic|ڔ}} || {{Script/Arabic|ر}} || {{Script/Arabic|ۻ}} || {{Script/Arabic|ط}} || {{Script/Arabic|ظ}}
| {{Script/Arabic|ع}} || {{Script/Arabic|ࢳ}} || {{Script/Arabic|غ}} || {{Script/Arabic|ف}} || {{Script/Arabic|ڣ}} || {{Script/Arabic|ق}} || {{Script/Arabic|ك}} || {{Script/Arabic|ࢴ}}
|-dir="ltr" style="font-size:125%"
| {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|ś}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|s}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|z}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|r̠}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|r}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|ḻ}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|t̤}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|ẓ}}
| {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|‘}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|ng}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|ġ}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|f}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|p}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|q}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|k}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|g}}
|}
{|class="wikitable" style="margin:.3em 0"
|-lang="ta" dir="ltr" style="font-size:150%"
| {{Lang|ta|ல}} || {{Lang|ta|ம}} || {{Lang|ta|ன, ந}} || {{Lang|ta|ண}} || {{Lang|ta|ஞ}} || {{Lang|ta|ஹ}} || {{Lang|ta|வ}} || {{Lang|ta|ய}}
|-lang="ta-Arab" style="font-size:150%"
| {{Script/Arabic|ل}} || {{Script/Arabic|م}} || {{Script/Arabic|ن}} || {{Script/Arabic|ڹ}} || {{Script/Arabic|ݧ}} || {{Script/Arabic|ه}} || {{Script/Arabic|و}} || {{Script/Arabic|ي}}
|-dir="ltr" style="font-size:125%"
| {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|l}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|m}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|n}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|ṇ}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|ñ}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|h}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|w}} || {{Transl|ta|ISO|italic=no|y}}
|}
|}
{{Clear|left}}

== See also ==
* [[Jawi alphabet|Jawi Alphabets]]
* [[Swahili language]]
* [[Arabi Malayalam]]
* [[Arabic Script]]

== References ==
{{reflist|refs=
<ref name="tors">Torsten Tschacher (2001). ''Islam in Tamilnadu: Varia.'' (Südasienwissenschaftliche Arbeitsblätter 2.) Halle: Martin-Luther-Universität Halle-Wittenberg. {{ISBN|3-86010-627-9}}. (Online versions available on the websites of the university libraries at Heidelberg and Halle: [http://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/savifadok/volltexte/2009/1087/pdf/Tschacher.pdf http://archiv.ub.uni-heidelberg.de/savifadok/volltexte/2009/1087/pdf/Tschacher.pdf] and [http://www.suedasien.uni-halle.de/SAWA/Tschacher.pdf http://www.suedasien.uni-halle.de/SAWA/Tschacher.pdf]).</ref>
}}
{{Refbegin}}
* Shu’ayb, Tayka. ''Arabic, Arwi and Persian in Sarandib and Tamil Nadu''. Madras: Imāmul 'Arūs Trust, 1993.
* Yunush Ahamed Mohamed Sherif ''ARABUTTAMIL/ARWI: THE IDENTITY OF THE TAMIL MUSLIMS'' TJPRC Publication.
* Dr. K. M. A. Ahamed Zubair. ''The Rise and Decline of Arabu–Tamil Language for Tamil Muslims'' IIUC STUDIES, 2014
* DR. S.M.M Mazahir. ''அறபுத் தமிழும் அறபுத்தமிழ் ஆக்கங்களும்'' 2018
{{Refend}}

== External links ==
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20090528211039/http://www.armu.com/armu/works/archives/10aug1999/arwi2.html Arwi: Comments, Questions and Answers]
* [http://www.seu.ac.lk/researchandpublications/symposium%20fia/2014/Islamic%20Thoughts%20Civi/Islamic%20Cultural%20Values%20of%20Arwi%20Dialect.pdf Islamic Cultural Values of Arwi] Southeastern university of Sri Lanka. Research and publication (2014).
* [http://www.thehindu.com/books/books-reviews/research-on-tamil-muslims/article19125378.ece For a cultural synthesis] Book review in The Hindu
* [https://www.lap-publishing.com/catalog/details//store/gb/book/978-3-659-61489-7/arwi-or-arabu-tamil Arwi or Arabu-Tamil] Book on Arwi
* [https://tamilculture.com/what-is-arwi-arabic-tamil/ What is Arwi (Arabic Tamil)?]
* [https://www.omniglot.com/writing/arwi.htm Arwi (அரபுத்தமிழ் / لسانالأروي)]
* [http://arusiqadiri.wordpress.com/ 'Arusi branch of the Qadiri path]

{{Tamil language}}
{{Arabic alphabets}}

[[Category:Tamil dialects]]
[[Category:Arabic alphabets]]
[[Category:Sri Lankan Moors]]
[[Category:Arabic alphabets for South Asian languages]]