Arabic calligraphy is a prominent art form among Arabs due to the prohibition of idol making and worship in Islam. Consequently, Muslims focused their artistic talents on literature, architecture, arabesque, and calligraphy. The demand to produce Quran copies further propelled the development of calligraphy, considered a highly commendable act. Notably, the names of renowned calligraphers are more recognized compared to those excelling in other art forms such as poetry or writing. Remarkably, Ibn Muqlah attained the esteemed position of ‘Wazeer’ during the rule of three consecutive Abbaside Caliphs, in large part due to his exquisite penmanship. Arabic writing follows a right-to-left direction and consists of 17 basic characters. The additional dots placed above or below these characters yield the complete set of 28 alphabet letters.
There are no capital letters. Some letters have multiple forms depending on how they are connected to other letters. Certain letters cannot be connected to adjacent letters.
There used to be approximately thirty calligraphy styles, but now there are only six main standard styles. Out of these, Naskh and Ruqa are the only two styles typically taught in schools.
The Kufie script is the oldest of the six styles mentioned, and it was originally used for reproducing the earliest copies of the Quran. It has a square and angular appearance. While it fell out of common use around the 11th century, it remains significant for decorative purposes, particularly in mosques and prominent structures. This can be seen in carvings made of stone or marble, stucco, and faience tiles. There are different variations of the script, including one that resembles a tree with intricate branches. In earlier times, a simpler form of the script without dots was used during the time of the Prophet (peace be upon him).
Thuluth script is regarded as the most challenging and visually stunning Arabic script. It originated over 1,300 years ago and is now predominantly utilized for inscribing Quranic verses on mosque walls, creating tableaus, and composing sign boards and book titles.
The Naskh script, which means copying, was initially created for copying the Quran. Nowadays, it is the style commonly used for printing books, magazines, and newspapers. This cursive script follows specific rules regarding letter proportions. It has been in use for a thousand years and was developed by renowned calligraphers Ibn Muqlah and Ibn Al-Bawab, whose work samples still survive. The Farsi or Taliq script, a fluid style, was developed by Persian scribes in the 13th century.
Taliq is the term used to describe the suspension of each word, causing it to drop down from the preceding word. This writing style is currently used in regions such as Persia and Pakistan, as the Persian language and Urdu are written in Arabic script.
The Diwani script, which was used by the Turks to write their language until the early 20th century, was developed specifically for government correspondence and decrees. The script got its name from the Diwan, which is a ruler’s office. One unique feature of this script is the ‘Tughra’, an elaborate and exquisite royal signature created by a talented calligrapher, which displays the name and title of each sultan.
Ruqa script is the most commonly used script for people’s daily handwritten work because it is both easy to write and read.
