Jawi alphabet

Jawi alphabet

Jawi is a script based on the Arabic alphabet that is used for writing the Malay language as well as other languages spoken in Southeast Asia such as Acehnese, Banjarese, Minangkabau, and Tausug. In Brunei, Jawi is one of the two official scripts, and in Malaysia, it is used as an alternative script. Previously, Jawi was the standard script for writing Malay, but it has now been replaced by the Latin alphabet known as Rumi. Today, Jawi is mainly used for religious and cultural purposes. However, it is still used in some conservative Malay-populated areas such as Pattani in Thailand and Kelantan in Malaysia, as well as by some Muslims in the southern Philippines.

Before Islamisation, the Pallava script was used to write the Malay language, as evidenced by the Kedukan Bukit Inscription and Talang Tuwo Inscription. However, the spread of Islam in Southeast Asia introduced the Arabic writing system, which began with the arrival of Muslim merchants in the region in the 7th century. Archaeological artefacts inscribed with Arabic script, such as tombstones, have been discovered in various parts of Southeast Asia dating back to the 10th century.

As Islam spread from the coasts to the interior of the region, rulers were converted and introduced Islam to their peoples. The Arabic script was taught to new converts as part of their religious practices, such as the recitation of the Quran and salat. The Malay community quickly adapted the Arabic script to suit the Malay language, modifying it to include six sounds not found in Arabic and writing from right to left. Many Arabic characters were not used in Malay, and some letters were joined obligatorily while others were never joined. The acceptance of Arabic writing in Southeast Asia followed a similar pattern to its acceptance in Turkey, Persia, and India, and the Jawi script came to be associated with the writing of Muslims.

The Terengganu Inscription Stone, dated 702 H, is the oldest known example of Malay written in the Jawi script, nearly 600 years after the first recorded use of Arabic script in the region. The inscription on the stone contains a proclamation from the "Sri Paduka Tuan" of Terengganu, urging his subjects to uphold and extend Islam and providing 10 basic Sharia laws for their guidance. This attests to the strong observance of the Muslim faith in Terengganu and the Malay world in the early 14th century.

Unlike Pallava writing, which was restricted to the nobility and monks in monasteries, the Jawi script was embraced by the entire Muslim community regardless of class. With the increasing appreciation of Islam, Arabic scriptures were translated into Malay and written in the Jawi script. Local religious scholars also began to write original works explaining Islamic teachings, and some members of the community used Jawi to write down previously oral literature. The inclusion of written literature helped develop Malay literature into a more sophisticated form, which lasted from the 15th century until the 19th century.

The Jawi script became prominent in the region with the spread of Islam, as the Malays found the Pallava script unsuitable for conveying religious concepts. The script was highly regarded by Malays as a means to understand Islam and the Quran. The use of Jawi played a key role in the emergence of Malay as the lingua franca of the region, alongside the spread of Islam. It was widely used in royal correspondences, decrees, poems, and was the main means of communication for merchants in the port of Malacca. Legal digests such as the Malacca Code were written in this script, and it was used by kings, nobility, and religious scholars, as well as by the common people.

Jawi is constructed from right-to-left, similar to the Arabic script. It is still used today for religious and Malay cultural administration in several Malaysian states, as well as in the Philippines. Efforts have been made to revive the script in Malaysia and Brunei due to its significance in the Malay and Islamic spheres, and it is even seen on the banknotes of Malaysian ringgit and Brunei dollar. The Malays in Pattani continue to use Jawi for religious and cultural purposes.

In Indonesia, the Jawi script is less popular, particularly among Javanese people, but it is still widely used in Malay-dominated areas such as Riau and Aceh. Traditional religious schools across Java also use a variant of the script known as Pegon.

Examples of Jawi script can be seen on signboards, book covers, and even coat of arms in Malaysia. Road names in Kelantan are also written in Jawi. However, the script has been largely replaced by the Latin alphabet known as Rumi in daily use.