diff --git a/resource/arabic/LexiconAra.gf b/resource/arabic/LexiconAra.gf
index c07acc311..6d457e0d8 100644
--- a/resource/arabic/LexiconAra.gf
+++ b/resource/arabic/LexiconAra.gf
@@ -7,7 +7,7 @@ concrete LexiconAra of Lexicon = CatAra ** open
   Prelude in { 
 
 flags 
-  optimize=values ;
+  optimize=values ;  coding=utf8 ;
 
   lin
 
diff --git a/resource/arabic/MorphoAra.gf b/resource/arabic/MorphoAra.gf
index 0ab4332ca..8846e11a6 100644
--- a/resource/arabic/MorphoAra.gf
+++ b/resource/arabic/MorphoAra.gf
@@ -1,6 +1,6 @@
 resource MorphoAra = ResAra ** open Prelude in  {
 
-flags optimize = all ;--noexpand;
+flags optimize = all ;--noexpand;  coding=utf8 ;
 
   oper
 
diff --git a/resource/arabic/ParadigmsAra.gf b/resource/arabic/ParadigmsAra.gf
index dd15ad294..c9816e952 100644
--- a/resource/arabic/ParadigmsAra.gf
+++ b/resource/arabic/ParadigmsAra.gf
@@ -31,7 +31,7 @@ resource ParadigmsAra = open
   CatAra
   in {
 
-  flags optimize = noexpand;
+  flags optimize = noexpand;  coding=utf8 ;
 
   oper
     
diff --git a/resource/arabic/PatternsAra.gf b/resource/arabic/PatternsAra.gf
index 0912c5d88..611fd262a 100644
--- a/resource/arabic/PatternsAra.gf
+++ b/resource/arabic/PatternsAra.gf
@@ -1,5 +1,7 @@
 resource PatternsAra =  {
 
+flags coding=utf8 ;
+
   oper
     
 	fA'  = { h = "" ; m1 = ""; m2 = ""; t = "َاء"} ;
diff --git a/resource/arabic/ResAra.gf b/resource/arabic/ResAra.gf
index d5263815e..a7ecb64ee 100644
--- a/resource/arabic/ResAra.gf
+++ b/resource/arabic/ResAra.gf
@@ -9,7 +9,7 @@
 --
 resource ResAra = PatternsAra ** open  Prelude, Predef   in {
 
-  flags optimize=noexpand ;
+  flags optimize=noexpand ; coding=utf8 ;
 
 
   param     
diff --git a/resource/arabic/StructuralAra.gf b/resource/arabic/StructuralAra.gf
index 8d71e687c..58240c781 100644
--- a/resource/arabic/StructuralAra.gf
+++ b/resource/arabic/StructuralAra.gf
@@ -1,7 +1,7 @@
 concrete StructuralAra of Structural = CatAra ** 
   open MorphoAra, ResAra, ParadigmsAra, Prelude in {
 
-  flags optimize=all ;
+  flags optimize=all ;  coding=utf8 ;
 
   lin
   above_Prep = ss "فَوْقَ" ;