Can anyone translate this arabic script for me?
 

It is on a button marked "Firmin, London" and I have no clue what it says.

Contact Mustapha Baj . . .

It's not Arabic. Eddie

Thank you for your replies.
I am even more puzzled now. :confused:

I do see that the crown appears to be Jordanian but the script is definately not Arabic. Eddie

I agree with the crown being Jordanian.
Sorry I disagree with the script not being Arabic. The Arabic script lends itself to much calligraphic freedom (which b.t.w. does not make the reading of it easier to the casual reader).

I'll run it by my مدرس (mudarris) who is also a caligrapher.
Eddie.
PS - I've taken another look at the drown and its not a Jordanian crown after all. Numerous example below

If it is 'Persian' script - the highly stylized calligraphy often used in Moghul inscriptions - or Deva Nagri, it might belong to one of the Princely States of India. Just a thought.

The Arabic script is used for many more languages then Arabic alone. Like the Latin script is used for much more languages then Latin alone. And, like Latin is adapted to those languages introducing diacriticals and ligatures, Arabic script is also adapted (often adding dots above or below characters).

Persian (Farsi) is using the Arabic script with some adaptions since it became an Islamic country by majority.

The same story for several languages between Persia/Iran and India and in India itself. Dari, Pashtu, Punjabi, Urdu, .....

Devanagri is a complete different kind of script. It is used for languages like Hindi, Nepali, Rajasthani, Marathi, ... The script shown above is not Devanagri, nor any of it's brethren like Gurmukhi or Bengali.

Arab Legion . . . ?

In Arabic: الفيلق العربي
While I am not 100% certain, I doubt that that is on the button (even partly, becuse the button text is longer).

Todays name of the Jordanian Army is longer: القوّات البرية الاردنيّة
That is three words, like on the button, but I fail to see simiilarity with the stylized script on the button.

I also doubt that anything picturing the Arab Legion would have the crown only and not the swords.

I have spoken to my teacher. She says that it is in fact Arabic but uses some caligraphic characters she says are outside my level of Arabic!!! That said she can't read it completely but can see "The Royal ----- Cross" The missing word looks like Harithy which is of course a name not a word.

I really would like to see a full answer to this.

Eddie

A Saudi colleague has (via email) kindly translated the inscription as:

'The Guard Queen Saida'

I am awaiting a reply as to whether this is a literal, word-for-word translation.

Hope it makes sense and is of help.

Regards,

JT

Can now confirm my colleague's translation is literal/word-for-word.

He also concurs with the above assertion of the button being of Jordanian origin.

JT

In a way that only increases the mystery as Queen Saida (Sayyida)is a semi-legendry figure from Moroccan 16th century history, aka the Pirate Queen.

Or a modern Facebook member!!!https://www.facebook.com/people/Said...00006294255103

Could you ask your Saudi friend exactly how he reads the Arabic - either in MSA script or transliterated?

Eddie