In the Islamic Era.
The spread of Arabic calligraphy began with the advent of the message of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The Prophet was the first to promote and teach this art among Muslims, giving special attention to teaching both women and men. The scribes competed to improve and refine their handwriting, as the Prophet selected the best calligraphers to write his letters to kings.
The first person to write for the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was Ubayy ibn Ka’b.
Among his scribes were Ali ibn Abi Talib, Umar ibn al-Khattab, Uthman, Khalid ibn Sa’id, Ubayn ibn Sa’id, Abu Sa’id ibn al-As, Amr ibn al-As, Sharhabil ibn Hasana, Zayd ibn Thabit, Alaa ibn al-Hadhrami, Muawiya ibn Abi Sufyan, and others. The total number of the Prophet’s scribes reached 42.
To this day, three of the Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) letters have been found: his letter to the Muqawqas, his letter to the King of Abyssinia, Negus, and his letter to the ruler of Bahrain, Al-Mundhir ibn Saawi.
The development of Kufic calligraphy and its use in writing the Qur’ans.
After the establishment of Kufa during the caliphate of Umar ibn al-Khattab, the use of Kufic calligraphy began to spread more widely. The Kufans developed this script and created new forms, distinguishing it clearly from the script used by the people of Hijaz. It was later called “Kufic,” while it was previously known as “Meccan” or “Hijazi” script. This script was used in writing the Qur’ans, and the first Qur’an written in this script was the one compiled by Caliph Uthman ibn Affan, who was the first to realize the importance of compiling and documenting the Qur’an in one book, which later became known as “Al-Mushaf al-Imam.”
The role of Islam in the spread and dominance of Arabic calligraphy.
Arabic script in its original form was first used in this event, where the words often retained the Nabataean script and were written in a rounded style. Uthman (may Allah be pleased with him) ordered it to be copied and distributed across the lands. With the spread of Islam, Arabic calligraphy spread beyond the Arabian Peninsula through conquests and expansions. Arabic writing first appeared during the reign of Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him). This religion carried its script and language to the conquered lands, which helped spread Arabic calligraphy and led it to surpass all other scripts in countries like Syria, Iraq, and Palestine. Some of these scripts were more advanced and perfect than Arabic, but Arabic script replaced Syriac and Greek writing in the Levant, Pahlavi script in Persia, Berber writing in North Africa, and Coptic and Roman writing in Egypt.
The centralization of Arabic calligraphy in the Islamic era.
Arabic calligraphy became centralized during the Islamic era, particularly during the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and the Rightly Guided Caliphs, in major cities such as Mecca, Medina, Kufa, and Basra. Arabic script in the pre-Islamic era lacked stability and standardization, as it was used interchangeably between Al-Hira and Anbar. Later, each script was named after its city: the first Arabic script was the Meccan script, followed by the Medinan script, then the Basran script, and finally the Kufic script.
Creativity in the art of Arabic calligraphy began during the reign of Ali ibn Abi Talib in Kufa, but it spread more widely to other cities. Arabic calligraphy became a unique means of writing on shields, pulpits, Qur’ans, and coins, due to its exceptional quality, stunning design, and perfect craftsmanship. This script became a beautiful manifestation of Arab and Islamic arts, with calligraphers competing to enhance their letters and create intricate decorations.
