Writing
was highly primitive in style when the Arabs were first introduced
to it. At that time, there was little stability to allow them to
innovate. Arabic calligraphy did not reach the level of an art
until the Arabs had a metropolitan state with competing cultural
centers in Kufa, Basra, the Levant, and Egypt. Only then did
Muslim artists direct their attention to Arabic calligraphy,
improving it and making new innovations.
Arabs
tended to name handwriting with regional names, as was the case
with products. Arabic calligraphy before the age of Prophet
Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) was known as Nabataean,
Hirian, or Anbarian, as this was a result of trade interaction
with these regions. Later, the two holy cities of Makkah and
Madinah become centers for Arabic calligraphy named after them.
Arabic
calligraphy was improved and polished in Iraq and the Levant. When
the Arabs conquered these countries, they had the time to improve
and renovate, and they began to have their own architecture and
arts. This began when there was a need for governmental bureaus (diwan, plural dawaween). This is valid in relation to both
Iraq and the Levant. During the Umayyad Dynasty, there was an
expansion of the state and Damascus became the capital. The
Umayyad Dynasty was known for its luxury and tendency toward urban
development; therefore, it witnessed a steady movement of
construction, with a special architectural spirit that was also
reflected in the writings that appeared on utensils and in the
writing and decoration of the Qur’an.
During
the Abbasid Dynasty, handwriting was improved even further;
calligraphy blossomed and varied with each region having its own
type of writing. It is worth mentioning in this regard that pens
were named according to their proportions to standard pens. The
standard pen was measured by putting together twelve hairs of a
certain animal. That was the standard thickness of the pen and the
derivatives from that pen were called by their proportion to the
original, such as al-thuluth
pen (literally meaning a third).
Scripts
were named according to the purposes they served, such as the
Signatory script; or by reference to its innovator, such as Al-Ra’isi
(presidential) script. By this time, scripts were rarely named
after the cities where they were invented. Scripts of the Abbasid
Dynasty followed a system similar to the Egyptians, who had three
types of scripts—Clerical Hieroglyphic, Bureaucratic, and
Popular—each named according to its function.
Many
of these handwriting styles disappeared, but other kinds are still
used today. We will illustrate some of the most important types of
Islamic calligraphy, their description, and their use.
The
Tumar Script
This
script was used by the caliphs in signatures and in writing to
sultans.
There
was also the Tumar Minor, which was used in the accreditation of
ministers and representatives, and in ceremonies. Various pens
were used for these scripts.
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The two-thirds pen was used for the caliph’s writings to
his deputies and princes.
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The small round pen was used for writing books, and for
writing hadith and poetry.
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The ceremonial pen was used for recording the consultations
and discussions of the princes.
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The treaties pen was for the writing of treaties and pacts.
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The Jarim pen was for princesses’ writings.
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The Ghubar Al-Hilya (Dust of Ornamentation) pen was used
for writing messages to be taken by carrier pigeon.
