الخَطُّ العَرَبِيْ | Arabic Calligraphy

February 28th and March 1st of the year 2015 were the first days I ever took a calligraphy basics course.

Mr. Yousef Ibraheem, the instructor of the course, said that those two days were merely us being given a key to open a door to the world of the beautifully beautiful Arabic calligraphy.

And it is such a bliss for me to feel like I am finally beginning my journey in the sea of one of the most enchanting arts in the world.

And what makes it even so much more special, is that the calligraphy I am learning is the ARABIC calligraphy.

It's like painting a canvas, or composing the notes of a musical master piece.. It may slightly be more aesthetic!

At the first day, Saturday, February 28th, we learned the most basic and 'formal' type of the Arabic calligraphy, which was: ‘خط النسخ’.

It is exactly as I described it; very basic and formal.

The easiest one to read. Yet, not as easy to write.

It has specific rules and felt very strict; for the way you should hold your pen while writing could change the whole letter that you are writing.

We used the 3.0 mm pen, it was neither too thin nor too thick, which made it the perfect measure to write with for the first time.

 

 

Mr. Yousef gave us a homework that day; we had to write the following sentence in a paper that he gave us:

"حَبيبي يَا رَسُولُ الله"

He said that he chose this one for two main reasons:

1. So we could learn how to write the letters that we learned to write separately, put together.

2. To write it with a good conscious, for the respect for Allah's name.

 

 

 

Working on that homework was absolutely joyful!

The day after, Sunday, March the 1st, we learned the basics of a different type of the Arabic calligraphy: ‘الخط الديواني’

'Addewany', in my opinion, is the exact opposite of the 'Naskh'.

All the edges were soft and everything about this one felt elegant and sweet for the eyes to read.

It is much easier than the one before, which makes it more fun. But there still is a little bit of difficulty to writing it—and reading it. (Needing to get that specific soft turn of the pen and getting the right measure and size of the letter itself..)

At the end of that day, he amazingly wrote us: بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم - "In the name of Allah, most gracious, most merciful"

 

(All the photos above are the hand-writing of Mr. Yousef.)

* * *

I've wanted to take a calligraphy course—an Arabic calligraphy course—since forever.

And I honestly have never thought that I actually could.

My mom is an artist. And there's this atelier that she goes to that hosts a number of sketching/drawing courses regularly.

She told me last week, that their atelier will be hosting a calligraphy course. I cannot even begin to tell you how happy that made me!

Going to that course proved me wrong. It proved to me that I can. And it's not really that big of deal for me to think that I cannot do it. And it gave me the opportunity to actually believe that I can.

Thank you, mom, for giving me the opportunity to attend that course.

And thank you, Mr. Yousef, for giving that artistic course!

I am most excited to have opened the wrapping of this gift. And I am very much looking forward to start the journey of exploring the abilities of my hand holding a pen.

 

 

 

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