Hundred Great Muslims

IBN AL-BAWWAB
The absence of figural representation in Islamic art led to an unprecedented
development of calligraphy as a decorative art throughout the world of
Islam. In almost all periods of Muslim rule, calligraphy has been the favourite
art; which has been developed in numerous patterns and floral designs.
The Muslim Rulers and Emperors have taken keen interest in the development
of calligraphy, which, besides being used in writing books, has been a
favourite art of decoration, especially of architectural monuments. Such monuments,
particularly mosques and mausoleums, built throughout the Muslim
world, bear exquisite calligraphic inscriptions and floral designs.
Two of the well-known Muslim Rulers of India, Nasiruddin Mahmud
(1246-1266 A.c.) and Aurangzeb Alamgir (1656-1705 A.C.), were good calligraphists
who used to transcribe the Holy Quran for their livelihood.
The Mughal rule is particularly known for the development of calligraphic
art in India. Almost all the splendid monuments erected by the great Mughals,
including the world famous Taj Mahal, the famous Juma Mosque of Delhi, the
Pearl Mosque in the Delhi Fort, the Badshahi Mosque of Lahore, the tombs of
Mughal Emperors Humayun, Akbar, Jahangir and Shah Jahan, bear exquisite
patterns of calligraphic art.
The history of calligraphy in the Muslim world dates back to earliest
period of Islamic era when Arabic was written in Kufic script. Kufic character
originated two centuries before Islam and was used in oldest Arabic documents,
coins and inscriptions. For nearly five centuries, the Kufic script was popular,
though it was artificial as well as awkward. The Holy Quran of early period has
been written in Kufic script which continued up to the 10t1\century A.C.
From the beginning of the 11th century, Naskh, a rounded script of
rather level ductus with orthographic marks was introduced in transcribing the
Holy Quran. This script received the final shape by the beginning of the IOth
century and was perfected a hundred years later. By and by it was developed to
such a degree of perfection that it outclassed and later replaced the Kufic
script.
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