Calligraphy: Ancient Art of Writing
By Rafiq Ebrahim
Richmond TX
An impressive evolution in writing – calligraphy - surfaced centuries ago. Ordinary handwriting simply conveyed the message, but the writing, if calligraphed, produces an ‘art’ reaction, allowing you to see each word and phrase the way a painting makes an impact. Besides its visual attraction, it also goes deep into the subconscious and lingers there like a subliminal message, while handwritten text merely conveys to the eye. The art of calligraphy is adored by people all over the world.
There are various schools of thought about the origin of calligraphy and about the forms of this art, but historical facts reveal that China was the first country where calligraphy came into practice. The Chinese mostly used a brush to write. The origin is traced back to the Shang Dynasty, but the art became more common in the Han Dynasty (206 BCE). Those who knew how to write were using this form of writing. It is believed that Chinese calligraphy was introduced by Wen Zheng Ming (1470 – 1559) and Zhu Yongming (1460-1553). Much later, the Chinese developed a new style called Sini written with a horsehair brush. A new calligrapher in this tradition is Haji Noor Din Mi Guangiang.
However, new scripts and styles were evolved by the Romans who get the honor of being pioneers in writing with pen and making it popular among the masses. Pieces of such calligraphy are seen on the statues and architecture in Italy and in museums.in many countries.
This art soon came to be practiced in many European countries, as well as in Muslim countries like Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, Pakistan, India, Egypt, Morocco, Spain, and Syria. Calligraphists used ‘Qalam’- a pen made of dried reed - in the beginning, till regular pens were invented.
Significance of calligraphic characters
Strokes of vertical lines, squares, circles curves and ductus have their own significance. The lines if light would give the impression that the calligrapher was in a happy mood. If the lines are heavy and dark, they reflect melancholy and sadness. According to some historians, long vertical lines tell you about heights of success one can reach, or just the oneness of God. Circles and interlaced circles, squares or four-sided polygons signify unity and order, various cultural traits, and a prosperous period in history. The curves reflect the rise or decline of dynasties.
Urdu, Persian and Arabic Calligraphy
Urdu, Persian, and Arabic calligraphy highlighted elegant penmanship and visual appeal. that came into use during the medieval ages as a fine art. People proficient in calligraphy opened learning centers to teach calligraphy. Some started their own business, selling poems and manuscripts duly calligraphed.
As time passed, Qur’anic verses were calligraphed in manuscripts and inscribed on many architectures and on the walls of mosques and museums. It was common among people to frame such scripts and hang them on the walls in their homes. Ancient inscriptions are found in Topkapi Palace in Istanbul where we can also see the letters dictated by the Holy Prophet (PBUH), and written by the learned man, to some leaders of States inviting them to adhere to Islam, to follow the right path and attain the heights of humanity.
Keith Critchlow, an author and calligraphist, points out: Islamic patterns are created to lead the viewer to an understanding of underlying reality rather than being mere decoration…The patterns are believed to be the bridge to spiritual realm, the instrument to purify the mind and the soul.
It is a fact that majority of mankind, whether Muslim or not, has a deep respect for teachings of Islam and high regard for the religion. There are many factors that glorify Islam, and calligraphy is one of them as the messages are mostly written in calligraphic forms.
“The development of Islamic calligraphy is strongly tied to the Qur’an chapters, and excerpts from the Qur’an are common and almost universal text upon which Islamic calligraphy is based. However, Islamic calligraphy is not limited to strictly religious subjects, objects, or spaces. Like all Islamic arts it encompasses a diverse array of works created in a wide variety of contexts. The prevalence of calligraphy in Islamic art is not directly related to its non-figural tradition, rather, it reflects the centrality of the notion of writing and written text in Islam….” - WIKIPEDIA
As time progressed, different styles of calligraphy evolved. All had their own allure. The styles are referred to as Kufic, Naskh and Nastaliq and more depending on the geographical location of the country.
Kufic Script
Kufic is the earliest style of Arabic script used in the documents and inscriptions. It is based on angular shapes and long vertical lines. The words appear hung together and connected to each other and the letters are rounded or curved. For more than five centuries this style remained in practice, mainly because of the need to transcribe the Holy Qur’an to distribute among the believers as a sacred duty. The letters and messages of the Prophet (PBUH) and the Caliphs were written by scribes in Kufic script. Coins during the Umayyads period had Kufic inscriptions. Various inscriptions in Kufic style were also seen in the mosques and other architectures, on metalware and ceramics.
At Bhambore in Pakistan, the remains of the earliest Islamic structures discovered had Kufic inscriptions all over.
The Kufic script in its plain and ornamental forms continued to be used in Islamic world till after the tenth century.
Naskh Script
After the tenth century, with the rise of Islam a new style of writing called the Naskh came into practice. Naskh script has rounded characters and became popular in many parts of the Muslim world. The script also suited the pace of conversions to Islam because of its simplicity. In Pakistan, it is used for writing Sindhi, Panjabi, Pashto and of course Urdu.
Nastaliq Script
Another calligraphic script, very much refined, was evolved in the fourteenth century in Iran by Mir Ali of Tabriz. It had a characteristic dropping ductus, repetitive curvatures and almost no straight lines. The Nastaliq became the most popular style of calligraphy in Persian writings in Iran and its neighboring countries from Central Asia to India and Pakistan. Besides historical and scientific works, the Court calligraphers transcribed royal memoirs and decrees.
As time progressed different variations of calligraphic scripts came in practice.
Manuscripts transcribed by expert calligraphers were illuminated and illustrated with fine miniature paintings to make them objects of beauty and visual appeal. They were mostly bound in leather with the covers stamped in golden ink, showing beaded edges around medallions in the center. Later, the process was replaced by gilding with arabesque and decorative figures, and sometimes with lacquer work.
The Mughal Emperors had a great love for calligraphy, but when the Empire began to decline and the last Emperor Bahadur Shah Zafar was imprisoned, the art of calligraphy also began to decline since it lost royal patronage.
But because of its allure it still survives in Pakistan, India, Iraq, Iran, and other countries.
(Rafiq Ebrahim is a freelance writer and novelist- rafiq.ebrahim@gmail.com )
