A Handbook Of Early Arabic Kufic Script

A comprehensive textbook of the early Arabic Kufic script, written as a complete reference book for calligraphers, designers, and students of art history and the history of Arabic language and scripts. This beautiful and powerful script was derived from the earlier Hijazi Mashq style of Mecca and Medina, which was invented by early Muslim scribes to record the Quran. Today, the many historical manuscripts displayed in numerous museums around the world can attest to development and evolution of this remarkable and versatile script. Authored by master calligrapher, Mousavi Jazayeri, this book is the only book written in English that is solely dedicated to the study, learning and revival of the fascinating script behind the first mature Arabic calligraphic style, which was the official script of the Islamic Near East for centuries, before being replaced by the modern Naskh style. In this handbook, Mousavi Jazayeri who had discovered the lost art of cutting the qalam (pen) for early Kufic more than twenty years ago, explains with detailed, clear illustrations how to write early Kufic using a calligraphic pen and even a regular pen. He guides students patiently through the process involved in creating amazing, modern monograms. With clear, ample examples taken from the old Quranic manuscripts, art history students, font designers, and scholars of the history of the Arabic language and scripts can use this reference book to learn the key aspects of the early Kufic script as a writing system. Mr. Mousavi Jazayeri is joined by two co-authors, Perette E. Michelli, a multi-disciplinary historian of medieval and later art, and Saad D. Abulhab, a known Arabic type designer and independent scholar of the history of Arabic language and scripts. The two co-authors are members of the first international group dedicated to the study and revival of the early Kufic script, Kuficpedia, which was formed a few years ago around the historical achievements of Mr. Mousavi.

Part 30 of the Quran, Juzu' 'Amma, written in the early Arabic Kufic calligraphy style, by Iranian master calligrapher Mousavi Jazayeri

"For centuries, Islamic calligraphy has mesmerized viewers with its beauty, sophistication, and seemingly endless variety of styles. How to Read Islamic Calligraphy offers new perspectives on this distinctive art form, using examples from The Met's superlative collections to explore the enduring preeminence of the written word as a means of creative expression throughout the Islamic world. Combining engaging, accessible texts with stunning new photography, How to Read Islamic Calligraphy introduces readers to the major Islamic script types and explains the various contexts, whether secular or sacred, in which each one came to be used. Beauty and brilliance emerge in equal measure from works of every medium, from lavishly illuminated Qur'an manuscripts, to glassware etched with poetic verses, to ceramic tiles brushed with benedictions. The sheer breadth of objects illustrated in these pages exemplifies the ubiquity of calligraphy, and provides a compelling introduction to this unique art form"--Publisher's description

This magnificent volume explores the epochal transformations and unexpected continuities in the Byzantine Empire from the 7th to the 9th century. At the beginning of the 7th century, the Empire's southern provinces, the vibrant, diverse areas of North Africa and the eastern Mediterranean, were at the crossroads of exchanges reaching from Spain to China. These regions experienced historic upheavals when their Christian and Jewish communities encountered the emerging Islamic world, and by the 9th century, an unprecedented cross- fertilization of cultures had taken place. This extraordinary age is brought vividly to life in insightful contributions by leading international scholars, accompanied by sumptuous illustrations of the period's most notable arts and artifacts. Resplendent images of authority, religion, and trade—embodied in precious metals, brilliant textiles, fine ivories, elaborate mosaics, manuscripts, and icons, many of them never before published— highlight the dynamic dialogue between the rich array of Byzantine styles and the newly forming Islamic aesthetic. With its masterful exploration of two centuries that would shape the emerging medieval world, this illuminating publication provides a unique interpretation of a period that still resonates today.

Making sure that the Next Terror Attack does not affect You or Your Loved Ones ... With terrorist attacks increasing everyday, how can we prevent another 9 11 ? Are you Sick and tired of All that Fear and Hate? We defeated Smallpox, Malaria and Polio,but Only 'Love' can Cure the virus of Jihad. Dear Friend,I am Al Khidr, the Author of this Book.I am an ex Jihadi who left the violence and found peace. How I found Freedom from Jihad I was born in a devout Muslim family. My parents prayed 5 times a day and forced us children to do the same. The path of a Mujahid (the one who practices Jihad) was wide open before me. I went to an English school in the morning and a Madrasa (Islamic School) in the evening. I memorized many chapters of the Quran as part of my training. When I was still a teenager, I was forced by my father to commit a murder in the name of Allah. I have written a detailed account of this horrifying experience in the first chapter of this Book. As I matured, I saw the that the Mullahs and Politicians were using Islam to control and fleece the gullible Muslims for their selfish ends. I started wondering What part of Islam is made by Man and what part by Allah. Gradually over a period of decades, I moved away from those parts of Islam that were made by man and only followed what I considered to be the true and straight path.I found the peace and wisdom through which all fear of death and hell totally disappeared. As I mature further into the final phase of my life, I am inspired to share my freedom with others, to do my part in rescuing humanity from the grip of violent Jihad. That is the reason I have written this Book. - Al Khidr What is in the Book ? This Book shows how to convert Fear to Love, And how to move from Greed to Gratitude. It reveals the reason why good people get trapped into the ideology of violent Jihad, why it is wrong and how we can be free from it. You will find answers to all these questions in the Book What does the Quran say about the Crucifixion of Jesus and Why ? The Why is much more interesting than the What ! Does the Quran say that Muslims should not take any friends from among the Jews and Christians ? Does the Quran really order Muslims to "Slay the Unbelievers" ? Does the Quran direct Muslims to pray 5 times a day facing the Kaaba in Mecca ? The answer to this question will really surprise you. How many wars Muslims have fought with Non Muslims and How many wars Muslims have fought within themselves ? (Which Number do you think is Bigger ?) How many different Muslim Sects do we have today and how they differ from each other ? The Authentic Hadith report that only 1 in 1000 will go to heaven and only 1 sect out of 73 Muslim sects will go to Heaven. Which is that one ? Which is the Fastest Growing Religion on Earth and Why ? Why Muslims Demand Sharia Law ? How are the rights of Men and Women different under Sharia ? Why this Difference ? What is the Solution to Religious Extremism ? What is the Three Step Action Plan to Stop Jihad Dead in Its Tracks ? both Muslims and Non Muslims should take these Steps to save our world in a Nuclear Age. This book must be read by anyone who despises Terrorism in the Name of Islam as well as those who are attracted to the idea of Jihad because it exposes the true face of Jihad. Whether you are a Muslim or a Non Muslim, this Book will empower you to deal with the Problem of Jihad faced by both Muslims and Non Muslims in different ways.

This long-awaited translation of Johannes Pedersen's Danish work Den Arabiske Bog (1946) describes in vivid detail the production of books in medieval Islam, and outlines the role of literature and scholarship in Islamic society. Originally published in 1984. The Princeton Legacy Library uses the latest print-on-demand technology to again make available previously out-of-print books from the distinguished backlist of Princeton University Press. These editions preserve the original texts of these important books while presenting them in durable paperback and hardcover editions. The goal of the Princeton Legacy Library is to vastly increase access to the rich scholarly heritage found in the thousands of books published by Princeton University Press since its founding in 1905.

Roger II’s famous mantle and other royal garments from twelfth- and thirteenth-century Sicily prominently display Arabic inscriptions. While the phenomenon is highly unusual in the context of Latin Christian kingship, the use of inscriptions as a textile ornament was common and imbued with political functions in the Islamic courts of the medieval Mediterranean. This case study of the inscribed garments from Norman Sicily draws attention to the diverse functions of Arabic textile inscriptions using various contextual frames. Such a contextual approach not only highlights the specificities of the Norman textile inscriptions and emphasises the practical and political choices underlying their use at the Sicilian court, it also pinpoints the flaws of universalising approaches to transcultural ornamental in circulation in the medieval Mediterranean. This new perspective on the royal garments from Norman Sicily draws from a variety of disciplines, including Islamic and European art history, the history of textiles, epigraphy, legal history and historiography, and aims to challenge established notions of cultural and disciplinary boundaries.

In this beautifully produced, limited print book, Iranian calligraphy master Seyed Mohammad Vahid Mousavi Jazayeri shares his relentless journey to bring alive a magnificent, but largely forgotten, calligraphy art: the early Arabic Kufic calligraphy. In his new generous calligraphy masterpiece that is made available openly in this limited edition print book he does not present the usual "few sentences" seen in most modern calligraphy works, but a complete manuscript. After all, the true challenge of script calligraphy is not only its visual and aesthetic quality and consistency but its utility as a reading and documenting medium. Mousavi Jazayeri's chosen manuscript for his new endeavor is the Glorious Quran, the book that early Kufic was conceived for originally. Early Kufic was the triggering spark for the art of calligraphy's magnificent journey through the Islamic era, a journey which has lasted for more than 14 centuries. In this work, as in all his previous pioneer research and art work, Mousavi Jazayeri digs fearlessly deep into the roots of Arabic calligraphy and script, choosing its original and natural incubating medium: the Quran. In the many pages of this astonishing resurrected Quranic manuscript, Mousavi Jazayeri not only invites its readers to absorb the magnificent spiritual teachings of Surat al- Mulk, but he dares them to become living witnesses of a great, long-gone Islamic age. This limited edition book is envisaged as the first of a series of books that will eventually reproduce, surah by surah, a full modern-day copy of the Quran in its earliest script: the Arabic Kufic script.