Xeeniseit wrote:

> I'm going to learn Arabic, but I've a problem about the
> writing. I know the shapes of the letters, but I've no
> idea about how I must analyse them into simple pen
> movements.

I had the same problem. I have asked this to at least three Arabic teachers,
but they seemed surprised by the question, and only gave vague answers. They
don't seem to care too much, probably because the Arabic script is
graphically so simple, so there is little chance for errors.

However, spying the teachers' movements when they write on the blackboard, I
came to these general rules:

1. A word is generally traced with a single stroke, going from right to
left. (But, of course, the stroke is interrupted each time there is a letter
which doesn't join on the left side: Alif, Dal, Dhal, Ra, Zayn, Wa,
Lam-Alif)

2. Dots are added when the whole word is finished, either going from right
to left (first letter to last letter) or going from left to right (last
letter to first).

3. All forms of Tal and Zal, and some forms of Kaf and Lam-Alif are drawn in
two strokes. The second stroke is added at the same time when the dots are
added.

4. Loops are generally traced with a clockwise movement, with the exception
of some forms of Mim.

5. It seems there is no standard order for tracing the dots: e.g., the two
dots on Ta are drawn both left-to-right and right-to-left. In fast
handwriting, writing them L-to-R turns them into a sort of "~"; writing them
R-t-L makes them like a "-".


I have summarized the rules in a picture that I uploaded here:

http://groups.yahoo.com/group/qalam/files/araStrk.gif

Notice that:
- Dots are omitted for simplicity;
- The second strokes of letters is painted in red;
- A blue "<" marks the counterclockwise loops;
- A green dot marks the starting point of each stroke.

> I don't know, for example, which way to begin the curl of mediate Mim;

Trace upper part first, then lower part, then trace part again. In
handwriting, the loop is normally *under* the line, so the upper part isn't
actually traced twice.

> whether (and how) emphatic ta and za are written in one draw or with

breaking the draw and restarting it etc.

The loop is done in one go (the lower part traced twice); the vertical stem
is added afterwards.

In handwriting, the vertical stems often does not touch the loop; similarly
for the "/" stroke of "Kaf" and the "\" stroke of Lam-Alif.

> Does anybody know of an internet site where this is explained in
> details? Thanks in advance,

Unfortunately not, or replying to this would have been much quicker... :-)

_ Marco