What’s your Arabic handwriting like?

[Yasir]

as-salaamu ‘alaikum,

It has been said that حُسن الخط لسان اليد وبهجة الضمير (Good handwriting is the eloquence of the hand and the delight of the heart) and رداءة الخط زمانة الأدب (Poor handwriting is bad manners).

I often find it difficult to decipher handwritten Arabic messages, and prefer neater, clearer styles.

What are you tips for improving handwriting? Is there a particular style (Arabic script) that you prefer?

With this post, I’ve attached a sample of the handwritings of Imams Ibn Hajar, Ibn Taymiyyah and Ibn Rajab – rahimahumullah, as posted in another thread.

If you have access to a scanner, write out a few words/sentences and then post them into this thread, insha’Allah. :)

[Niqaabis]

wa 'alaikum as salaam

my hand writing is generally not very good

I write with my left hand so when I write it usually smudges the rest of the words

as for my arabic writing is much nicer than my english writing I think because being left handed my hand naturally flows in the left direction

Allaahu a'alaam

[Mu'awiya]

wasalam alaikum


i've heard that writing un-neatly is done by many scholars since they spend more time writing than having to write in a posh way.. Allaahu a'lam

[Yasir]

I write with my left hand so when I write it usually smudges the rest of the words

as for my arabic writing is much nicer than my english writing I think because being left handed my hand naturally flows in the left directionHave you tried writing with left-handed pens? You can get fountain pens with their nibs specially cut, with avoids the smudging. The left handed pens are actually also useful for those trying out Arabic calligraphy, as they make the flow from right to left a lot smoother. Have a look here, insha’Allah: http://www.anythingleft-handed.co.uk/acatalog/writing_equipment.htmli've heard that writing un-neatly is done by many scholars since they spend more time writing than having to write in a posh way.That may very well be the case, but it certainly makes it easier for anyone reading any handwritten material if it is done slightly clearer, and without a slant! I don’t imagine students researching older manuscripts have it too easy!

[Niqaabis]

Have you tried writing with left-handed pens? You can get fountain pens with their nibs specially cut, with avoids the smudging. The left handed pens are actually also useful for those trying out Arabic calligraphy, as they make the flow from right to left a lot smoother. Have a look here, insha’Allah: http://www.anythingleft-handed.co.uk/acatalog/writing_equipment.html (http://www.anythingleft-handed.co.uk/acatalog/writing_equipment.html)

I have nerver tried them, I didnt even know they exsisted

Jazaak Allaahu khairan for the link, I might consider purchasing some

[Fajr]

Wa `alaykumusalaam wa rahmatullah

They say that mathematicians and scientists/doctors have the worst handwriting! Interestingly enough, I remember reading a study some time ago that was trying to prove if there was a correlation between intelligence and handwriting - there was also a study linking intelligence and eyesight (I think it concluded a positive correlation)

What are you tips for improving handwriting? Is there a particular style (Arabic script) that you prefer?I think doing a lot of writing will help, I used to just copy out pages of text just to improve my writing! I also took a short calligraphy course which was brilliant as it gives good structure to your writing and improves hand movements etc. I prefer the normal naskh script but would love to learn the different types e.g. thuluth - unfortunately most people write in riq3a which can be problematic to read!

['Abd al-Kareem]

Clean, neat, organized handwriting is very good and encouraging, but it is not possible when taking notes during a class or lecture, and it slows one down quite a bit when taking notes from a book.

[Yasir]

I think doing a lot of writing will help, I used to just copy out pages of text just to improve my writing! I also took a short calligraphy course which was brilliant as it gives good structure to your writing and improves hand movements etc. I prefer the normal naskh script but would love to learn the different types e.g. thuluth - unfortunately most people write in riq3a which can be problematic to read!Masha’Allah, that sounds good. Did you use a particular text/guide to calligraphy on the course? Have you by any chance come across any writing manuals/guides which introduce readers to the initial steps of the different scripts (the kind of thing someone can work through on their own)?

Deewani seem quite difficult to grasp, for anyone not from an artistic background. Sr. ArabicGems mentioned somewhere that she had a teacher who spent two years studying calligraphy and nothing else, and another who had spent four!

Do you happen to know if Tayyibun are able to offer any lessons on calligraphy as part of their Private Tuition service?

[Fajr]

Masha’Allah, that sounds good. Did you use a particular text/guide to calligraphy on the course? Have you by any chance come across any writing manuals/guides which introduce readers to the initial steps of the different scripts (the kind of thing someone can work through on their own)?We were taught from these books that were very intuitive masha'Allah (although at times it looked like 'join the dots'!), it showed the mizaan al-khatt (scale/pattern), whereabouts each letter is placed on the line, how the letter will change according to what the next letter is etc. Insha'Allah if I can get the notes scanned, I'll try and post it up. There are a number of books that can help with learning calligraphy, maybe ask on this (http://www.makhtoot.com/vb/) forum

Deewani seem quite difficult to grasp, for anyone not from an artistic background. Sr. ArabicGems mentioned somewhere that she had a teacher who spent two years studying calligraphy and nothing else, and another who had spent four!Diwani is incredibly hard and I'd imagine some of the others e.g. Kufi script would also take time to learn. The teacher that I had said she spent 6 years at the Calligraphy Academy! It is pretty difficult to master any of the scripts though, and requires a lot of patience.

Do you happen to know if Tayyibun are able to offer any lessons on calligraphy as part of their Private Tuition service?No sorry, it's not available yet. I know Ibn Jabal were planning to offer it, maybe you could contact them and ask if it's going ahead.

[Yasir]

There are a number of books that can help with learning calligraphy, maybe ask on this (http://www.makhtoot.com/vb/) forum.JZK for the link. I’ll have a look through the forum, insha’Allah.The teacher that I had said she spent 6 years at the Calligraphy Academy! It is pretty difficult to master any of the scripts though, and requires a lot of patience.What sort of opportunities would be available to students spending such a long time mastering the scripts, other than to teach others? It seems that with readily available software/the latest technology nowadays, that is one of the highly skilled arts that has unfortunately ‘devalued’, (often resulting in greater inaccuracy).No sorry, it's not available yet. I know Ibn Jabal were planning to offer it, maybe you could contact them and ask if it's going ahead.Ibn Jabal replied to say that although they hope to offer a calligraphy course in the future, insha’Allah, it’s not being offered at the moment.

[Fajr]

What sort of opportunities would be available to students spending such a long time mastering the scripts, other than to teach others?
I'm guessing most people go into Art and Design - making posters/frames (some of these businesses are really good and sell their items for a lot). Also I know that Arabic Institutes make it a pre-requisite that their staff take calligraphy courses in order to avoid using common riq3ah at lower levels where students may find it hard to read.

I think that because it's a science on its own highly appreciated by people in general, insha'Allah there'll always be a place for it... but sadly, I think it'll definitely become a rarity to have skilled calligraphers (if that's not the case already!)