Given the age of the software, how does it hold up against modern SaaS products?
| Feature | Al Rassam | Adobe Illustrator | Procreate (iPad) | WinSoft Tasmeem | | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | :--- | | Calligraphy Styles | 30+ (Excellent) | 5-10 (Standard) | 0 (Must draw) | 10 (Good) | | Kashida Control | Granular (Tags) | Minimal | Manual drawing | Moderate | | Learning Curve | High (Needs training) | Medium | Low | Medium | | Platform | Windows Only | Windows/Mac | iOS | Plug-in for InDesign | | Vector Export | Yes (Native) | Yes (Native) | No (Raster) | Yes | al rassam arabic typing software
The Verdict: For pure calligraphic typesetting (Thuluth/Diwani), Al Rassam is unbeatable. For artistic drawing or modern layout, use Illustrator. For painting, use Procreate. Given the age of the software, how does
Kashida is the process of stretching letters to justify lines of text. In standard software, automatic stretching often looks awkward. Al Rassam gives you granular control, allowing you to stretch specific letters horizontally to create perfect block justification without breaking the visual rhythm. Ensure you are using the correct syntax
You can write the main text in Naskh (easy to read) and a title in Thuluth (ornate) without changing fonts—it is built into the engine.
Ensure you are using the correct syntax. Kashida tags often require a specific "anchor" letter. Consult the PDF manual (included in the install folder) for the Tag Reference Table. Only certain letters (like Sīn, Lām, ‘Ayn) can be stretched safely.