Arabic calligraphy

1. Arabic Calligraphy

2.   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

3. Types of Calligraphies Today, there are three main types or styles of calligraphy: (1) Western or Roman, (2) Chinese or Oriental. (3) Arabic,

4. 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. 

5. 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..

6. 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).

7. Primary Styles Over 100 Styles 6 Primary Styles Named based on : width of the pen -

8. Kufi 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.

9. Source: www.sakkal.com Variations of Kufic Style Fayeq Oweis, 2005 Arab American National Museum

10. 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.

11. 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.

12. 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).

13. 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.”

14. 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.

15. Tughra ’ was used by the Ottoman sultans as their signature. It was supposed to be impossible to imitate. Signature of an Ottoman Sultan

16. Islamic Calligraphy in Pakistan

17. Calligraphy on historic monuments

18. 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 Jehan . It was built by Shaikh Ilm - ud -din Ansari ,

19. Mughal Art work and calligraphy at Wazir Khan Mosque, Lahore

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

21. THATTA SHAH JAHAN MOSQUE Shah 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 .

22. 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

23. Renowned calligraphers of Pakistan

24. Rasheed Butt Started Calligraphy in 1961 Since then he has devoted his everything to Islamic calligraphy The calligraphic inscriptions of Mr. Rasheed Butt fall into four catgories : (1): Qur'anic : (2): Hadith : (3): Traditional invocations or prayers. (4): Poetry, both Arabic and Persian

25. Butt’s achievements were recognized by the President of Pakistan who presented him with the “Pride of Performance” award in 1989. He was chosen as an International jury member for the International Calligraphy Competition organized by the IRCICA (Turkey). He has exhibited his work all over the globe. I feel honored that the Almighty has bestowed upon me this opportunity to spread this Divine message to audiences worldwide.. He does not sleep a single night without concentrating on ways and means of enhancing his contribution to Islamic calligraphy"  Butt’s achievements

26. Commonly known as Sadequain Naqqash Syed Sadequain Ahmed Naqvi

27. Born in 1930 in Amroha , UP, India, Sadequain got recognition at the age of 31 at the 1961 Paris Biennale.. During his life, Sadequain became a cult figure with a large following from all walks of life. Sadequain was responsible for the renaissance of Islamic calligraphy in Pakistan. He was one of the greatest calligraphers of his time who transformed the art of calligraphy into eye catching expressionist paintings He is the only artist who has been copied openly and widely by many others; The brush strokes stopped on February 10, 1987 in Karachi, when the greatest of painters and calligraphists was just 57. The collection of his poetry, titled Rubayat e Sadequain Kulliyat launched at the Arts Council in Karachi which was completed by nephew, Sultan Ahmad Naqvi .

28. http://www.thetattooartists.com/western-calligraphy http://calligraphyislamic.com/ http://www.al-bab.com/arab/visual/calligraphy.htm http://www.studioarts.net/calligraphy/ http://www.arabiccalligraphy.com/ http://www.psta.org.uk/postgraduateprogramme/traditionalartscourses/westerncalligraphy/ http://www.thetattooartists.com/western-calligraphy http://www.arabiccalligraphy.com/ http://library.thinkquest.org/3614/ http://www.asiawind.com/art/callig/ http://www.rice-paper.com/uses/calligraphy.html http://calligraphyislamic.com/ http://www.alibaba.com/countrysearch/PK/calligraphy.html http://www.currentsocial.com/pakistan/mughals-contribution-to-painting-and-calligraphy.html http://www.qatarliving.com/node/344156#ixzz1ZnHHzFh1 http://islamicsocietyofeastonmd.yolasite.com/resources/Intro%20to%20Islam%20PowerPoint%20presentation.ppt http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Calligraphy http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islamic_calligraphy http://www.google.com.pk/search?hl=en&q=islamic+calligraphy&bav=cf.osb&biw=1280&bih=933&um=1&ie=UTF-8&tbm=isch&source=og&sa=N&tab=wi http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sadequain http://calligraphyislamic.com/pakistaniCalligraphers.html http://islamic-arts.org/2011/rasheed-butt-calligrapher/ http://islamic-arts.org/2011/sadequain%E2%80%99s-islamic-calligraphy/ REFRENCES

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