RIYADH: With Ramadan fast approaching, the easing of COVID-19 restrictions could not have come at a better time for Saudi residents and citizens. Prayers in mosques, including tarawih, or night prayers, will resume after a two-year hiatus due to restrictions on social gatherings. Bazaars and other festive activities were also allowed to operate, adding to […]
The sixth edition of the Cairo International Forum for the Art of Arabic Calligraphy celebrates pioneers in the field. These pioneers laid the technical foundations of this art form in several Arab and foreign countries. “Teach by the Pen” is organized by the Cultural Development Fund of the Ministry of Culture, in partnership with the […]
The World Exhibition of Arabic Calligraphy organized by the King Abdulaziz Public Library kicked off simultaneously in Riyadh, Beijing and Casablanca yesterday. The biggest names in Arabic calligraphy are taking part in the exhibition, which is part of the initiative launched by the Saudi Minister of Culture, Prince Bandar bin Sultan bin Frahan, to make […]
Chennai: “I took an online course on Islamic history and culture at Tel Aviv University. One of the chapters dealt with the ancient manuscripts of the Quran. It was so fascinating to see the shapes of letters and I bought myself some calligraphy pens. I copied pages from the old Quran and was intrigued by […]
Arabic Calligraphy: The Art of Alphabets Artists on a mission to revive Islamic art Culture February 26, 2021 Arabic calligraphy was inscribed by UNESCO on its list of intangible cultural heritage last year Arabic calligraphy is an essential part of Islamic civilization and many aspects of Muslim cultural expression. However, over the years its popularity […]
A 24-year-old woman with a global presence and her teacher are among the few to perpetuate the art of Arabic calligraphy in India A 24-year-old woman with a global presence and her teacher are among the few to perpetuate the art of Arabic calligraphy in India Bee Bee Laisa, a final year engineering student in […]
DUBAI: The languages of Arabic and Hebrew have a lot more in common than you might think. They are both of Semitic origin, they share some letters of the alphabet and some Hebrew and Arabic words are the same, among others. Based on these similarities, the Arabic Language Center Abu Dhabi organized a virtual seminar […]
Saudi Ministry of Culture issues new Arabic calligraphy stamp /node/1793411/saudi-arabia Updated on January 16, 2021 January 16, 2021 01:19 Saudi Ministry of Culture issues new Arabic calligraphy stamp A special stamp bearing the words “Year of Arabic Calligraphy” will be affixed to the passports of passengers arriving in the Kingdom Updated on January 16, 2021 […]
MAKKAH: With the Kingdom’s declaration of 2020 as the Year of Arabic Calligraphy, the art form is enjoying a revival. Several Saudi cities offer sessions for men and women, allowing participants to reconnect with the heritage of Arabic calligraphy, which continues to grow in popularity among art lovers. Other platforms to receive and support ideas […]
TOKYO: Born in Tokyo, Fuad Kouichi Honda is widely recognized as one of the best Arabic calligraphers in the world. The Japanese-born Muslim, who teaches at Daito Bunka University, has won numerous awards for his work, including at the International Arabic Calligraphy Competition. His most famous pieces use passages from the Koran. Fuad started learning […]
Writing the Arabic alphabet for children: alphabet and coloring This writing book is designed for children to introduce them to the Arabic language. Your child will learn to write the letters of the Arabic alphabet while having fun coloring pretty drawings. This book is an ideal gift for anyone who wants to learn to write […]
JEDDAH/RIYAD: Arabic calligraphy is an integral part of Islamic civilization. The art form is integral to almost every aspect of Arab cultural expression.Despite its importance in Islamic art and culture, however, its popularity seems to be declining among the masses. A number of reasons could be suggested as to why this is the case, perhaps […]
There is something exciting about the extreme flexibility of the Arabic alphabet. The graphic simplicity of its swoops, loops and dots means it can look like almost anything from a prancing horse to a pixelated TV screen. Arab states have been increasingly visible on the international art scene in recent years, pouring wealth into auction […]
We often think of writing and art as two separate mediums, but can’t handwriting itself be an art form? Younasse Tarbouni, associate professor of Arabic at the University of Washington, led a workshop on Arabic calligraphy, a style of expression that brings art and writing together to meet at an expertly harmonious intersection, Thursday and […]
Students in Tamil and Mandarin schools can choose to study khatt. The Ministry of Education wanted to make it compulsory in elementary schools. Critics had accused the government of trying to “Islamize” education. Identity politics play an important role in the country. Kuala Lumpur (AsiaNews/Agencies) – The Malaysian authorities have backtracked Mandatory Khatt calligraphy in […]
The Khalil Agha School, Egypt’s oldest specialized institute of Arabic calligraphy, is struggling to survive as fewer and fewer people are interested in learning calligraphy. Many calligraphy institutes have already closed their doors. “The numbers are decreasing every year due to the lack of available job opportunities, the rise of technology and the labor market […]
Algeria’s Supreme Islamic Council, considered the country’s highest religious authority, has sparked national controversy over its attempt to enshrine Berber languages in Arabic letters. The Amazigh tribes, who have lobbied for their languages to be recognized as official, have expressed strong objection to their dialects being written in Arabic letters, saying they want Latin inscriptions […]
JEDDAH: The Kashidah Project offers Arabic calligraphy lessons to help resolve the current disconnect with Arabic language culture that many young people experience. Kashidah offers a three-month course to teach Arabic calligraphy to children and adults, as well as a creative calligraphy toolkit to help students learn. From the steps to sharpen the pen to […]
Ayet El-Korsy (The Throne Verse) from the Holy Quran drawn with horse-shaped Arabic calligraphy – photo courtesy of flickr CAIRO – February 14, 2018: The Arabic language is an ancient strong language that is used by millions of human beings and also one of the most expressive languages in literature, but the artistic value of […]
GUY RAZ, HOST: What are you doing in New York? EL SEED: Actually, I came to meet people for, like, a future project that will happen in 2018. But it’s too secret. I can’t talk about it. RAZ: Oh, you – come on, a little – just a… EL SEED: Let it be and then […]
DOHA: The Qatar Islamic Cultural Center (Fanar) of the Ministry of Endowments and Islamic Affairs is set to offer Arabic courses for non-speakers at Carnegie Mellon University in Qatar, in accordance with the center’s partnerships with a number of city universities of education. Fanar has signed an agreement with CMU-Q that will allow the center’s […]
Several general points should be noted:Arabic is written from right to left, unlike English.One thing you have to get used to in Arabic script is that short vowels, for example a, i, or u (as opposed to the long vowels aa, uu, and ii), are not displayed in the script. For now, get used to […]