Islamic Culture

Calligraphy

By:

Rukhsana Balal

Arabic CalligraphyCalligraphy is the art of forming beautiful symbols by hand and arranging them well.

It’s a set of skills and techniques for positioning and inscribing words so they show integrity, harmony, some sort of

ancestry, rhythm and creative fire.

The word Calligraphy is derived from roman

language which means writing beautifully.

The art of calligraphy is believed to have started with the ancient story-telling pictures that were drawn on the walls of caves.

By approximately 3,500 Before Egyptian civilization created a highly stylized writing known today as ‘hieroglyphics’

HISTORY OF CALLIGRAPHY

Types of Calligraphies

Today, there are three main types or styles of calligraphy:

(1) Western or Roman,

(2) Chinese or Oriental.

(3) Arabic,

Western or Roman

The Romans learned their writing skills from the Greeks. By 850 BCE the Romans had adapted the letters and words into the Latin language. In the centuries following the fall of the Roman Empire, Latin continued to be the language of the

church and was used throughout Europe.

Chinese or Oriental

Chinese calligraphy history dated back to 4000 years ago. No one can tell exactly when Chinese written language appeared. The oldest language discovered now is Jia Gu Wen, written on the shells of turtles..

Arabic Calligraphy

•Islamic calligraphy is the beautiful writing of the Arabic script. •It is has been the main Islamic art since the Quran's revelation (610 AD).

Primary Styles

Over 100 Styles

6 Primary Styles

Named based on: width of the pen -

Kufic or Kufic: Kufic is one of the earliest styles

to be used to record the word of God in the Qur’an. One of the early Kufic inscriptions can

be seen inside the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem.

Variations of Kufic Style

Thuluth means “one third,” It was first formulated in the

7th century A.D., and fully developed in the 9th century.

It is noted for its cursive letters and its use as an decorative script.

Nasakh: means “copy” in Arabic, is one of the

earliest scripts, redesigned by Ibn-Muqlah in the 10th century A.D.,

It is noted for its clarity to read and write, and was used to copy the Qur’an.

Ta’liq: means “hanging,” referring to the shape of the letters, is a cursive script developed by the Persians in the early part of the 9th century A.D., and it is also called Farsi (Persians).

Diwani: was developed by the Ottomans from the Ta’liq

style. This style became a favorite script for writing in the Ottoman chancellery, and its name was derived from the word “Diwan,” which means the “Royal Court.”

Riq’a: It is noted for its simplicity and its short horizontal

stems. The word Riq’a means “a small sheet,” which could be an indication of the media on which it was originally created.

Tughra

Tughra’ was used by the Ottoman sultans as their

signature. It was supposed to be impossible to

imitate.

Signature of an Ottoman Sultan

Calligraphy on historic monuments

The Wazir Khan Mosque

•The Wazir Khan Mosque ) in Lahore, Pakistan, is famous for its extensive faience tile and Calligraphy work.• It has been described as ' a mole on the cheek of Lahore'.• It was built in seven years, starting around 1634-1635 AD, during the reign of the Mughal Emperor Shah Jahan.• It was built by Shaikh-u-din Ansari.

Mughal Art work and calligraphy at Wazir Khan Mosque, Lahore

The World Heritage listed the remains of the city of Thatta in 1981. Thatta’s old necropolis confers you with a view of the Sind civilization.

THATTA GRAVEYARD

THATTA SHAH JAHAN MOSQUEShah Jahan Mosque was built by Shah Jahan in 1647-49 and lined with glazed tiles and beautiful calligraphy. This structure has 101 domes and is designed in such a way that imam's voice can reach every corner of this building without the help of any loudspeaker or other device.

•Bhong Mosque is located in the village of Bhong, Sadiqabad Tehsil, Rahim Yar Khan District, Southern Punjab Pakistan. •It was designed and constructed over a period of nearly 50 years (1932–1982) and won the Aga Khan Award for Architecture in 1986.

Bhong Mosque

THANK YOU