--- In qalam@yahoogroups.com, "Peter T. Daniels" <grammatim@...> wrote:

>I'd be surprised if typesetting in an accceptable-looking
> nasta`liq is available -- if only because words or short phrases occupy diagonal
> spaces within each right-to-left line.

OpenType includes a special type of 'positioning' that joins an arbitrary sequence of characters in the sloping style required for Nastaliq. An example of its application is shown at <http://www.microsoft.com/typography/links/news.aspx?NID=1275> . In principle, all you need to do is obtain a good font and type in the right sequence of characters. There may be some issues with the control of line spacing - it seems an easy thing to foul up, even with nothing worse than the excessive stacking of superscript or subscript characters.

Richard.