Embedded Files
This image showcases a glazed tile work (kashi-kari) from the 17th-century Mughal-era Wazir Khan Mosque in Lahore, Pakistan.
The combination of intricate calligraphy and vibrant floral patterns is characteristic of Shah Jahan-era Mughal mosaic tile art.
The central calligraphy is written in blue Thuluth script over a white glazed background. It features a Hadith narrated by Ali ibn Abi Talib:قال علي عليه السلام: صلاة الجماعة أفضل من صلاة الفذ بخمس وعشرين صلاة
Ali (peace be upon him) said: 'Congregational prayer is superior to individual prayer by twenty-five times.'"
History of Islamic script
History of Islamic script
The history of writing with the pen is extremely ancient. In the beginning, humans drew various crooked and slanted lines to give shape to different concepts. After that, humans combined various sounds originating from the throat to form words, which they then wrote using the pen, giving these words a distinct shape.
The antiquity of the pen's history can be gauged from the fact that Allah Almighty also created the pen first, as mentioned in the Hadith Qudsi. Allah then commanded the pen to record all events that would occur until the Day of Judgment. Thus, the pen recorded all the events up to the Day of Judgment on the Preserved Tablet (Lauh-e-Mahfuz). Furthermore, the significance of acquiring knowledge and writing with the pen was emphasized in the very first Surah revealed by Allah Almighty to the Prophet (peace be upon him)—Surah Al-Alaq—which states:
"Read in the name of your Lord who created—Created man from a clinging substance. "Read! And your Lord is the Most Generous—Who taught by the pen—Taught man that which he knew not.,______".
From this, we should realize that the concepts and thoughts in our hearts are brought onto paper through the pen in our hand. This pen acts as the voice of our heart, expressing the innate knowledge that Allah Almighty endowed us with when sending us into this world.
Islamic calligraphy is more than just a handwriting skill; it is a profound intersection of sacred text, historical details and mathematically precise calculation .
Calligraphy is about doing justice to the beauty of words. It is an centuries-old art form where words are written using traditional techniques, paying meticulous attention to angles, strokes, and spatial distance, resulting an immense beauty that is truly pleasing to the eye. It is indeed a magnificent art through which we honor the written word.
The Historical Evolution of Islamic Calligraphy
The Hijazi region of the Arabian Peninsula in early 7th century became the pioneered for the history of beautiful Islamic calligraphy, where it was first used to document the earliest manuscripts of the Quran. Over the centuries, this sacred art transformed from simple script into a exceptionally refined art through two major golden eras:
1. The Abbasid Golden Age (10th–13th Centuries)
During the Abbasid Period, three legendary masters from Baghdad completely restructured the basic frame work of calligraphy by introducing strict mathematical proportions.
Ibn Muqla (886–940): He founded the first set of rules regarding proportion for cursive scripts, using a rhomboid dot made by the pen and the circle as the elementary units of measurement.
Ibn al-Bawwab (d. 1022): He refined Ibn Muqla’s strict rules by instilling a unique elegance and fluid beauty into the curving strokes of the letters and by calibrating every letter curve against the size of the rhombic dot, vertical alif length and an imaginary circle, transforming rigid measurements into a flowing and harmonious script.
Yaqut al-Musta'simi (d. 1298): He further elevated these regulations by cutting the reed pen's nib at an angle to grant the script unrivaled _ grace, beauty and bouyancy.
2. The Ottoman Era (14th–20th Centuries)
Later, Ottoman masters like Seyyid Kasim Gubari, Sheikh Hamdullah, and Hamid Aytaç streamlined the calligraphy learning protocol through the ijazah, a certification system. Their work brought novel and extraordinary refinement to the classic scripts. They Institutionalized the development pipeline
Major Classical Calligraphy Styles
Major Classical Calligraphy Styles
There are many regional scripts in existence . Among them, four classical styles stand out for their historic impact and the timeless beauty of their calligraphic script.
Kufic:
The oldest formal script is Kufic. It is highly geometric and angular. Its flowing structure makes it perfect for architectural tile work and continuous decorative friezes across walls, ceilings, and facades. It is commonly adorned with carved relief sculptures, painted designs, or intricate tile patterns.
Naskh:
Naskh is another highly legible script. Because of its high readability it became the formal script for scribe to write and codify the Quranic manuscripts.
Thuluth :
It is the the most dominant script known as the "Archetype Hand – The primary, original standard model used as the foundation for fluid, continuous writing.
It is legible, magnificent, and highly proportionate. It is heavily used in mosques, doors of sacred places, especially most elegantly displayed Quranic verses on the door of the Kaaba Shareef.
Nasta'liq
Another beautiful script developed in Persia, characterized by its sweeping, downward-flowing strokes and graceful descending tails. It is used for poetry and literature in Urdu and other regional languages. There are many other script as well but these are some classical hands of everlasting charm – pairing their formal historical status with their persistent aesthetic pull.
Pioneers of Proportion: Legends of the Script
Pioneers of Proportion: Legends of the Script
Explore the enduring legacy of the grand masters who breathed life into the written word. Through the precise geometry of the rhombic dot and the angled cut of the reed, these master scribes designed the foundational scripts and shaped the timeless aesthetic of classical Arabic calligraphy. Presenting the seminal works and revolutionary scripts of the grand masters.
Tanscribed by master calligrapher Ibn al-Bawwabl, Abbasid Period, 1000–1001 CE (391 AH), produced in Baghdad.Ornamental geometric and carpet-page illumination. The page features an ornate interlacing medallion design filled with gold, blue, and black arabesques. The accompanying text in this frontispiece section utilizes ornamental Kufic and Thuluth within decorative bands.
Calligraphy Style: Naskh / Rayhan variant for the main Quranic body text, paired with gold Kufic / Ornamental Thuluth for the Surah headers. This manuscript is historic for being one of the earliest surviving dated Qurans written on paper in a rounded cursive script rather than rigid Kufic.
Al-Bawwâb (Decorative Illumination Folio,) Abbasid Period, 1000–1001 CE (391 AH), produced in Baghdad
Calligraphy Style & Decoration: Ornamental geometric and carpet-page illumination. The page features an ornate interlacing medallion design filled with gold, blue, and black arabesques. The accompanying text in this frontispiece section utilizes ornamental Kufic and Thuluth within decorative bands.
File:Al-Bawwab Koran girih.
Era / Origin: Abbasid Period, 1000–1001 CE (391 AH), Baghdad (Chester Beatty Library MS Is 1431)
Calligraphy & Artwork Style: Complex geometric interlace (girih) illumination with ornamental Kufic calligraphic details set within multi-lobed hexagonal and star-shaped medallions.
Description: A monochrome/grayscale documentation photo of an illuminated frontispiece page from the Quran transcribed by Ibn al-Bawwab. It showcases intricate geometric strapwork and dense arabesque scrollwork typical of early medieval Islamic book Arts
Attributed to Yaqut al-Musta'simi (d. 1298 CE), late Abbasid / Ilkhanid period., A framed Thuluth calligraphic specimen (muraqqa page) set within a ruled ink border on mounted paper. It features a single line of large-format Arabic calligraphy executed in crisp black ink with vocalization marks (tashkeel), showcasing Yaqut's refined, precise penmanship technique.
Yaqut al-Musta'simi, late 13th century (Abbasid / Ilkhanid era).Calligraphy Style: Naskh / Rayhan for the body text with Thuluth or Kufic surah headers An open double-page spread (double frontispiece / opening folio) from a Quran manuscript. Both pages feature illuminated gold frames with decorative marginal palmettes (shamsas) and ruled borders enclosing the calligraphic text
Attributed to Yaqut al-Musta'simi (d. 1298 CE), late Abbasid / early Ilkhanid period.Rayhan / Naskh for the main text, with ornamental Thuluth or Kufic headers in the gilded cartouches.Displaying gold-leaf ruled borders and decorative marginal medallions (shamsas) extending into the side margins. The top and bottom text blocks are framed with intricate gold arabesque headers (surlouh),demonstrating the refined proportion and balance characteristic of Yaqut's six canonical scripts (Al-Aqlam al-Sitta).
Signed by Yaqut al-Musta'simi (ياقوت المستعصمي), late 13th century. Thuluth and Riqa' / Tawqi' scripts.A calligraphic album page panel (muraqqa') consisting of three horizontal rectangular bands framed by gold-flecked illuminated borders.The top two registers display moral adages written in flowing black ink with delicate gold cloud-form illumination filling the background spaces (ebru / floral margins).The bottom register contains the calligrapher's signature (colophon), explicitly identifying the master scribe Yaqut al-Musta'simi.
Attributed to Yaqut al-Musta'simi (d. 1298 CE), late Abbasid / early Ilkhanid period.Muhaqqaq or Naskh for the body text with illuminated Kufic / Thuluth for the top Surah header banner.Featuring the opening verses of Surah Al-Mu'minun (The Believers). The top header cartouche contains the surah title rendered in ornamental calligraphy on a gold background. Small rosette medallions mark verse stops, while ornate illuminated shamsa medallions and marginal indicators line the right border.
Şeyh Hamdullah (1436–1520 CE), early Ottoman Period.Thuluth for the top heading banner (Basmala) and Naskh for the central block of Quranic text.A classic Ottoman calligraphic composition (kıt'a) framed by gold-leaf borders and floral illumination. The prominent upper panel displays the Basmala in bold Thuluth script, while the smaller, multi-line section below features Quranic verses executed in fine Naskh.
Suleiman the Magnificent (r. 1520–1566 CE), Ottoman Empire.Tughra (Imperial Ottoman calligraphic monogram/signature).An illuminated royal insignia used on official imperial decrees (firmans). It features blue and gold ink with elaborate internal floral arabesques filling the broad sweeping loops (bafe) and vertical shafts (tug).
Hilye by Hafiz Osman, Hâfız Osman (1642–1698 CE), classical Ottoman Period.Thuluth (top header and bottom verse panel), Naskh (central circular text), and Riqa' / Muhaqqaq accents. A masterwork Hilya Sharif (Hilye-i Şerif), a iconic Ottoman calligraphic layout describing noble qualities of Prophet Muhammad. It features a central circular main medallion (göbek) flanked by four smaller roundels containing the names of the Four Rightly Guided Caliphs, all framed within an ornate, dark floral border.
Ottoman calligraphic tools museum exhibition display.Traditional tools of a master calligrapher (hattat), including reed pens (qalam), bone/ivory pen-cutting slabs (makta), steel nib-trimming knives (kalemtıraş), smoother spatulas, and paper burnishers (mühre).
Mehmed Şevki Efendi (1829–1887), 19th-century late Ottoman period. Naskh script for the body text, accompanied by Thuluth / Kufic surah header panels.The text of Surah Al-Fatiha and the opening of Surah Al-Baqarah is framed within intricate lapis blue and gold leaf illumination (tezhip) featuring scallop-edged floral margins (zerefşan).
19th-century Ottoman leaf calligraphy (yaprak üzerine yazı).
Script Style: Thuluth / Jali Thuluth script A dried, skeletal tree leaf serving as a natural canvas, inscribed with gold/red ink calligraphy. The text features Quranic verse 12:64 («فَاللَّهُ خَيْرٌ حَافِظًا وَهُوَ أَرْحَمُ الرَّاحِمِينَ» — "Allah is the best guardian, and He is the Most Merciful of the merciful".
16th-century Ottoman manuscript miniature painting (Şehname tradition).Nasta'liq script in the top poetic text panels.An illuminated manuscript folio depicting an Ottoman military campaign. Mounted cavalry and infantry forces wearing traditional red and white headwear navigate a mountainous terrain, topped by four columns of Persian poetic verse written in black ink over gold leaf text blocks.
Nasta'liq script written diagonally (chala'i composition).: Ink, gold leaf, and gouache on tinted paper framed within a illuminated border.A classical calligraphic composition (kıt'a) featuring diagonal text bands filled with fine white Nasta'liq script set against a rich teal-green background. The surrounding empty spaces are filled with detailed floral arabesques in gold leaf.
Nasta'liq script set in a complex geometric panel layout. : A multi-panel calligraphic page featuring several triangular and rectangular text compartments set at contrasting angles. The central panel is framed by a swirling pink, blue, and gray marbled paper background.
Ta'liq / Nasta'liq script.
Layout & Structure: Illuminated Ottoman manuscript folio topped by an ornamental heading banner (serlevha) rendered in blue, gold, and red floral motifs The central text block features six lines of flowing cursive script executed in black ink, set within gold-ruled borders with delicate line margins.
Composite calligraphic panel featuring Thuluth, Naskh, and Kufic geometric scripts.Architectural multi-panel layout topped by a carved scalloped crown (pediment) adorned with blue and gold floral arabesques.A highly complex Ottoman decorative composition incorporating a central circular diagram surrounded by symmetrical rectangular panels, square geometric Kufic blocks, and gold-leaf borders.
Art of the Ottoman,Underglaze-painted ceramic tilework (İznik style). Classic Saz leaf design featuring long, serrated leaves (saz) curving around stylized lotus blossoms (hatayi). Rendered in vibrant cobalt blue and turquoise over a white ceramic background.
Illuminated botanical composition (Gülüstân / Floral Tree) with calligraphic inserts. A central tree stem flowering into tulips and carnations. Small circular and tulip-shaped cartouches embedded within the blooms contain delicate Arabic text in fine script, blending Ottoman floral illumination (tezhip) with calligraphy.
Early Maghrebi or Kufic variant script.Eight lines of rhythmic text written in dark brown ink on parchment paper. Features gold-leaf illuminated verse markers (Aya indicators) and small colored dots representing vocalization diacritics.
Late Ottoman / Qajar Period (18th–19th Century). Thuluth (top header and body lines) and Riqa' / Naskh (bottom signature line). Signed in the colophon (katabahu) as Zayn al-'Abidin. An instructional calligraphic practice folio (mashq) structured in stacked horizontal bands. The text features bold, fluid Thuluth script written in black ink, accompanied by complete vowel markings (harakat) and decorative diacritical flourishes. The text blocks are cloud-banded against a light gold wash.
Late Safavid / Qajar Period (18th–19th Century). Naskh script (for the main Arabic Quranic text) with Thuluth stylistic proportions.An illuminated Quranic folio featuring eight lines of precise, black-ink calligraphic text. The script includes complete diacritical marks, red-ink recitation guides (tajwid symbols), and gold-illuminated rosette verse markers (aya). Each line of text is cloud-banded against a rich gold-leaf background and enclosed within a multi-ruled red and gold border.
Late Safavid / Qajar Period (18th–19th Century). Naskh script.A richly illuminated Quranic folio featuring Surah Al-Mulk written in clear, precise black-ink Naskh script. The text incorporates red vocalization guides (tajwid markers) and circular gold verse illuminations (aya rosettes). Each line is set within scalloped cloud-banding against a solid gold-leaf background.
Contemporary / Modern regional craft period.Thuluth / Jali Thuluth script. Vertical calligraphic text executed in dark ink over a natural wood panel. The central panel is framed by a light yellow floral border (tezhip vine motifs) along the bottom and sides, topped by a colorful geometric mosaic pattern band.
Modern digital vector composition based on classical script proportions. Thuluth script (interlocking / stacked composition).A stark, high-contrast monochrome calligraphic ligature rendered in solid black against a plain white background. The composition combines overlapping Arabic letterforms—including 'Ayn, Waw, Fa, and Alif—into a compact, intertwined artistic monogram (tughra or decorative word-mark style).
Thuluth (Suls) style, characterized by sweeping, fluid ascenders and deep curvature in the horizontal baselines. Calligraphy featuring the phrase "والله ولي التوفيق" ("And Allah is the Grantor of success").Fully vocalized with precise harkat (vowels), sukun markers, and small decorative accent strokes filling the negative space surrounding the primary letter structures.
13th–14th Century (Almohad or Marinid Period, North Africa / Al-Andalus, Maghribi script, A parchment manuscript folio containing Quranic text written in dark brown ink. Characterized by spacious line distribution, sweeping deep sub-baseline curves on letters like Nun and Ya, and minimal angularity compared to eastern scripts. The folio includes colored vocalization dots (traditionally red for vowels and blue/green for diacritics) and a gold illuminated knot medallion serving as a verse/marginal marker on the left side.
11th–12th Century (Seljuk / Eastern Islamic Period).Eastern Kufic ,A parchment manuscript folio featuring five lines of rhythmic, highly dynamic script. Characterized by elongated vertical strokes, sharp diagonal slants, and exaggerated horizontal baselines. The page includes illuminated marginal palmettes along the right border alongside circular verse markers and red vocalization dots.
Modern / Digital vector graphic.Square Kufic (Kufi Murabba' / Geometric Kufic). A modular, pixel-like geometric composition of Quranic text (Surah Al-Ikhlas) fitted into a square grid. The design uses rigid 90-degree angles and uniform stroke widths, color-coded in distinct vibrant hues.
14th Century (Mamluk Period, Egypt/Syria). Thuluth / Jali Thuluth combined with decorative Square Kufic An ornate double-page manuscript frontispiece set on aged parchment with fine gold leaf illumination.
Left Page: Features tall, interwoven gold loops (Alif and Lam ascenders) forming a decorative, symmetrical calligraphic seal within a double border.
Right Page: Displays black Thuluth script in the center framed by two diamond-shaped geometric medallions executed in gold Square Kufic script.
Regional architectural calligraphy (often found on South Asian mosque structures/shrines). Thuluth / Jali Thuluth composed into a decorative teardrop/leaf (alambardār or cypress) shape. A symmetrical, vertical calligraphic composition rendered in white lines against a black ground. The lettering is interconnected to fit within a pointed teardrop perimeter, surrounded by decorative rope-pattern borders and flanked by fluted pilasters.
Modern digital graphic rendering based on classical architectural brickwork (banna'i) design.Square Kufic (Kufi Murabba' / Geometric Kufic). A monochrome four-fold rotational composition of the name Muhammad (محمد) structured within a tight square grid. It features strict right-angled lines, uniform stroke widths, and equal negative spacing in black and white.
Early Islamic Period (approx. 8th–9th Century / Abbasid Era). Early Kufic script (classical Quranic style).A vertical manuscript folio written on vellum featuring bold, dark brown lettering with strong horizontal baselines and distinct geometric ascenders. It includes historical Abul Wafaa / Abu al-Aswad al-Du'ali style colored vocalization dots—primarily red dots indicating short vowel sounds and blue dots for diacritical markers—alongside a small circular rosetted verse separator between phrases.
13th Century (Ayyubid / Early Mamluk Period). Eastern Kufic / Rayhani, A parchment manuscript page featuring dark ink text with fluid, angular letterforms and sweeping baselines. The page includes an illuminated golden chapter header (surah title banner) embellished with a fine circular side marginal medallion (shamsa) and gold rosette verse markers.
Late 11th Century (Seljuk Period).Eastern Kufic. A two-page manuscript opening (double-page frontispiece) displaying Surah Al-Fatihah. The text is rendered in elegant black script with sharp vertical strokes and decorative diacritical marks. Both pages are framed by elaborate golden illuminated borders with gilded header cartouches and circular verse dividers.
Early Islamic Period (approx. 8th–9th Century / Abbasid Era) Classical Kufic . A high-contrast typographic rendering or facsimile trace of early Quranic Kufic text. It features heavy, extended horizontal strokes (mashq technique), low vertical proportions, and a strict unpointed (dotless) letterform arrangement characteristic of early parchment folios.
File:Zubayr ibn al-Awwam Masji... (Calligraphic Medallion of Zubayr ibn al-Awwam).
Origin: Modern digital rendering / Ottoman-style architectural roundel (commonly found inside historic mosques such as Hagia Sophia).
Calligraphy Style: Jali Thuluth script.
Description: A circular green medallion (levha) trimmed with a gold border featuring the name of the Companion.
File:Abdullah ibn al-Abbas Masji... (Calligraphic Medallion of Abdullah ibn al-Abbas).
Era / Origin: Modern digital rendering / Ottoman-style architectural calligraphic roundel.
Calligraphy Style: Jali Thuluth script.
Description: A circular green calligraphic medallion featuring the name of Abdullah ibn al-Abbas (عبد الله بن عباس) written in large interlocking gold Arabic lettering, along with the standard honorific phrase praying for Allah's favor upon him.
Page updated
Google Sites
Report abuse