Mada

Mada is a free variable Arabic and Latin typeface by Khaled Hosny and Paul D. Hunt. Its Arabic draws on road signage seen around Cairo, using open forms and limited stroke contrast.

Test a sign at the viewing distance

A room label or directional panel is a useful starting point. Check whether short words remain distinguishable from the distance at which people will read them. The font’s signage reference does not remove the need to choose sufficient letter size, contrast and surrounding space.

The Latin component derives from Source Sans Pro. It can support a bilingual sign without introducing an unrelated Latin texture, but compare the two lines by apparent size. For a web interface, repeat the test with a small label and a longer message. The OFL notice reserves the name “Source”; the supplied family is named Mada, and the ZIP retains the unmodified original variable font.

Variable files and preview weights

The ZIP contains 1 original variable TTF file, version 1.5. Axis ranges, with defaults in parentheses: wght 200–900 (400). The preview supplies 8 static styles, covering weights 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, 700, 800, 900. Compatible software can select intermediate weights from the original file.

The documented coverage here is Arabic and Latin. Test actual words, vowel marks and mixed-direction lines in the application you will use. A font file cannot determine paragraph direction or replace a shaping engine.

When reproducing an older screen interface, compare Droid Arabic Kufi’s archived regular and bold. Unlike Mada’s included Latin, those files need a separate Latin companion; Droid Sans is not part of their ZIP.

License and comparison

SIL Open Font License 1.1 permits personal and commercial use, embedding and redistribution under its terms. The ZIP includes the exact license and the original files. Keep the license when redistributing the font; selling the font by itself is prohibited.

Compare Almarai on the same short room label, and IBM Plex Sans Arabic on a complete interface component. Browse modern Arabic fonts and websites and apps. Prepare a sample with the Arabic keyboard and the Arabic font selection guide. See the official source at the supplied revision.