by

Ammar Mustansir (Class 10B)

 

Since time immemorial people are trying to find themselves in many ways. Before we came to the planet earth many people already lived here and we know about them because of the records of history.

Have you wondered how history comes to be known to us? History is known because of its written evidence—on walls in caves and monuments and later in books.

My interest lies in Arabic alphabets. Although Arabic inscriptions became most common after the birth of Islam (7th century CE), the origin of the Arabic alphabet lies deeper in time. The Nabataeans, which established a kingdom in what is modern-day Jordan from the 2nd century BCE, were Arabs. Arabic writing became known as ‘Khat e Islami’ meaning Islamic line, design, or construction.

 Writing is my passion and Arabic calligraphy gives me peace of mind. Calligraphy depends on the movement of the hand. The most common style is divided into angular and cursive, each further divided into several sub-styles.

Kufic is the oldest form of the Arabic script with rigid and angular strokes. This is a modified form of the old Nabataean script. With the rise of Islam, a new script was needed to fit the pace of conversions, and a well-defined cursive called ‘naskh’ first appeared in the 10th century. The script is the most common and is used in Qur’ans, official decrees, and private correspondence. It has become the basis of modern Arabic print.

My passion for calligraphy has drawn me towards our Deen when I use my calligraphy skills in writing Ayats from Al Quran al Majeed.