Taj Aldeen Abdul Jabbar

Syrian inventor who pioneered Arabic-language printing presses in the Ottoman Empire

Technological Innovation

Born in 1848 in Damascus, Taj Aldeen mastered engineering while working at the Ottoman mint. In 1875 he invented the first Arabic movable type press using curved matrices to accommodate cursive script, a breakthrough published in The Ottoman Journal of Technology.

Cultural Impact

His presses enabled mass production of Arabic books, printing over 500,000 copies of the Quran by 1890. The Taj Aldeen Press became the Ottoman Empire's primary publishing house. His 1882 Arabic-English dictionary was the first printed in Damascus.

Legacy & Awards

Received the Sultan's Medal of Science in 1888. Modern scholars credit him with preserving Arabic literature during the Ottoman decline. A 2018 documentary Ink & Empire explores his contributions. His press technology influenced early 20th century Middle Eastern publishing.