the Khojkī script, a ‘local’ script, was probably part of the attempt to make religious literature more accessible by recording it in a script with which the local population had the greatest familiarity.” In reflecting upon the larger history of the script and the literary tradition Asani also posits several other reasons as to why Khojkī was adopted and continuously refined by the local Ismaili community:…by providing an exclusive means of written expression commonly shared by Ismailis living in the three regions (Sind, Punjab and Gujrat), was influential in the development of the cohesion and self-identity within a widely scattered and linguistically diverse religious community. No doubt the script facilitated the flow and the transmission of religious literature from one area to another. Use of the script may have also served to confine religious literature within the community—this precaution being necessary to avoid persecution from outsiders not in agreement with the community’s doctrines and practices. In this respect, Khojkī may have served the same purpose as the secret languages, such as the so-called Balabailān language, used by Muslim mystics to hide their more esoteric thoughts from the common people. In Poetry Verses from Būjh Niranjan (Knowledge of the Attributeless Deity) Attributed to Pīr Ṣadr al-Dīn Whenever the love kindles within the self for the Beloved, That love will wipe out your ego. Night and day he (the lover) is awake and cannot sleep; Continuously his eyes weep. It is as if the heart is set afire With the flame which the lover himself turns into fire. The soul feels (such cries) as if it were a bird That it would have flown away to catch a glimpse of the Beloved. For the love of the Beloved, I would sacrifice myself. O (how I yearn) to go and embrace Him! My Beloved has pierced me so with His love, That out of separation I am griping about like a person insane. Without the Lord, life is nothing. For the sake of my Beloved I have cried every day. The one who is wounded in the heart, How can he sleep in peace? Day and night I cannot sleep; Every day tears flow from my eyes. I am dying, my Beloved, because of You, And do you not feel pity (for me)? Characters Traditionally, diphthong vowels were written as a combination of vowel forms, and there were multiple forms of writing some