The art of Calligraphy

^^ 'Hikmet' ^^ (one of my practice writings)

One thing that completely impresses me is anything handy, such as carpentry, cooking, embroidery, and in what will be today's focus: calligraphy. I absolutely love to be able to write beautifully, dipping a quill in an ink. Well, one of my challenges this summer was to make time for some calligraphy lessons. Today I am going to share a bit about the six major script types in the Arabic art of calligraphy. During my grade years, we were taught the two major styles: Naskh and Riq'a of which I would have to say Riq'a to be the hardest.

1. Naskh : this is the most common type of script in the Arabic writing. Most of the published Qur'ans are written in this style as it is more "rhythmic, legible and clear". The words are more proportionately written above and below the mid line. It is said that this style of writing was developed during the 10th century.
2. Kufi : this type of writing, considered to have preceded the Naskh, is more "angular and square". It was mostly suitable for engraving it on stones and wood. It also "appears on the earlies surviving Qur'an manuscripts".
   
3. Riq'a : In this type of script, the letters are "rounded and densely structured" giving it a similarity to Thuluth and Naskh but distinct and simple. It is the "most common hand writing" styles in the Arab world.
4. Thuluth : Is one of the most widely used ornamental writing style. This script does resemble Kufi cursives, but is distinct in that the letter are more curved unlike the "angular and square" way of Kufic style.
5. Taliq : This type of writing which is also known as "Farsi" or "Nastaliq" does resemble Riq'a only that it displays longer lines. It is most popular in Iran, India and Pakistan.
6. Deewani : Is undoubtedly one of the most complex style of writing. Its letters are "undotted and unconventionally joined together".

For more in-depth information and further reference of these Arabic calligraphy styles and more you can check here and here.
As for me, we'll go by the saying "Practice makes Perfect".

The Eminent Imams Of Hadith - IV

ABU DA'UD

Abu Da'ud, Sulaiman bin Al-Ashath bin Ishaq Al-Azdi As-Sijistani, who was one of the eminent Imam of Hadith, was born in 202 H. He studied Ahadith under Imam Ahmad bin Hanbal along with Al-Bukhari and taught many of the later scholars of Hadith, like At-Tirmidhi and An-Nasa'i.

Though ABu Da'ud colleced 500,000 Ahadith, he compiled 4800 Ahadith only in his book entitled As-Sunan, which he taught in Baghdad and other major cities at that time. He died at Basra on Friday in the month of Shawwal 275 H.

(Biographies of the Imams that are being posted are from the book Bulugh Al-Maram, by
Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani)

Feel the Peace...

"Oh Allah! You are forgiving and you love forgiving. So forgive me. "

The Eminent Imams Of Hadith - III

AHMAD

He is Abu Abdullah, Ahmad bin Muhammad bin Hanbal Ash-Shaibani, know by the name Ibn Hanbal. He was a celebrated theologian, jurist and a Hadith scholar. He is also one of the four Fiqh Imam and the founder of what later came to be known as Madhhab Al-Hanbaliya (The Hanbal's jurist school).

Amhad was born at Baghdad in Rabi-ul-Awwal, 164 H. He studied the Hadith and Fiqh together with other Islamic disciplines in Baghdad, then travelled to Ash-Sham and Hijaz for further studies. He was persecuted during the rule of Al-Ma'mun bin Harun Ar-Rashid for refusing to acknowledge the Bid'a of claiming 'the creation of the Qur'an' introduced by the Mu'tazila. He, however, stood firm against all the trials and saved the Sunna from the innovation of the wretched Mu'tazila thoughts. He was the most persecuted and most firm one amongst all the Imam. He is most famous for collecting the Ahadith of Prophet (Salla Allahu Alihi wa Salam) complied in the Musnad Ahmad bin Hanbal, which contains 28 to 29 thousand Ahadith. It was said that Ibn Hanbal memorized one million Ahadith.

Ibn Hanbal died in Baghdad on Friday, 12 Rabi-ul-Awwal 241 H.

The Eminent Imams Of Hadith - II

MUSLIM

Muslim's full name is Muslim bin Al-Hajjaj Al-Qushairi An-Nishapuri. He was born in 204 H., in the city of Nishapuri near the city of Mashhad in present day Iran. Muslim is considered second only to Al-Bukhari in the science of the methodology of Hadith. He started the study of Hadith at an early age and travelled to Iraq, Hijaz, Ash-Sham and Egypt and studied under the scholars of Hadith at that time like Al-Bukhari, Ahmad bin Hanbal and Ibn Abu Hatim.

Muslim compiled the Hadith book Al-Musand As-Sahih, which became known as Sahih Muslim. This book, which is considered by the Muslim 'Ulama as the second most authentic Hadith book after Al-Bukhari, contains 9,200 Ahadith. Imam Muslim died at his birthplace in Rajab 261 H.

The Eminent Imams Of Hadith - I

AL-BUKHARI

His full name is Abu Abdullah, Muhammad bin Isma'il bin Ibrahim bin Al-Mughira bin Bardizbah Al-Ju'fi Al-Bukhari. He was born in Shawwal 194 H. in Bukhara in what is now Uzbekistan. Al-Bukhari studied Ahadith at an early age and travelled widely over the Muslim world collecting Ahadith and compiled the most authentic ones in his book Al-Jami' As-Sahih, which later became known as As-Sahih Al-Bukhari and contains 2602 Ahadith which he selected from the thousands of Ahadith that he had memorized.

Al-Bukhari studied under famous Hadith Imam like Malik bin Anas and Yahya bin Ma'in. He died in Samarqand, the present day capital of Uzbekistan, the night of Eid-ul-Fitr, 256 H. Al-Bukhari was unique in the science of the methodology of Hadith and his book Al-Jami' As-Sahih is considered to be the most authentic book after the Qur'an.

(Excerpts of the biographies that will be posted are from Bulugh Al-Maram by
Al-Hafiz Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani)

ruminating

Is not the end of every dark night a bright morning?



Verily, with every hardship is an ease. (Qur'an)

namesake

A friend and I were trying to catch a reel and I suggested we go to the 'Paramount' theater on Burrard in DT. My friend informed me that it is no longer called that, they call it the "Scotia" theatre now. And around end of June ads were run on buses and Local TV about the "Paws for a cause" yet again sponsored by Scotiabank. Every time one takes a look at the beautiful science world while on the skytrain by Mainstreet Stn, one is able to see the prominent "Telus World of Science". And weeks before I left, I saw ads for an "HSBC walk for the cure" to raise awareness and money for HIV/AIDS patients.

While all these and many more examples are a cause for celebration that local organisations are taking actions, they are also a cause for some annoyance from folks like myself. Corporate mindset is taking over many activities or places that at some point it is very likely the rivalry to dominate local activities would overwhelm the very causes. It is understandable that sponsors are somehow the backbone of any activity with the roof-touching costs to hold any activity but what I don't like is when all these big companies and the like take over the title, like "Telus world of Science". Whats up with that?? How about putting their names on the Platinum, Gold, Silver excetra sponsor list? Naomi Klein discusses in "no logo" the idea behind branding and advertising and draws a fine line between the two.

What amazes me most is the fact that an idea say for example "Green" is associated with so many different ideologies such as "diet" and made into a brand itself. In stead of the idea of reducing one's carbon foot-print using common sense for the most part, "green" by itself has become a phenomenon to hit the drum stronger about "buying more" of the ever elusive "green products". Well don't get me wrong here. What intrigues me is the psychology behind associating one thing to the other, like Telus, a telecommunication company, to Science world and the like. It is the same as that time I was told to buy a Tuna fish, "Sister it is Halal". Very humorous, so now you get the point...there is nothing wrong in being environmentally conscious same way as there is nothing wrong in seeking halal in everything.

There would be more of those labellings and fun activities dominated by the Names of big companies. And in the end, it would be easy to see that it is all about and for "Namesake" avoiding the gray area of any conspiracy theory as most of us are prone to arrive to. hehe ;)

a beautiful breath

you breath when you speak
thus speak in gratitude,
and make it count.

you breath when you sleep
sleep to be refreshed,
and make it count.

you breath to be
thus be passionate
and make it count.

breath a beautiful breath
and make it all count
'cuz when there is no breath left
the beautiful one will count
and that is for sure!

H.M.

(Alhamdulilah, it seems that I am back. I just thought this will have us back into a very good starter...as time moves on, we're X breathes away from the last breath. As the Nasheed goes
"...life in this world is only Oxygen." Nothing to add to that...)

Assalamu Alikum

poetic reflections

Life in the heart of a believer
is a conviction and passion
it is the knowledge of truth
and realities of the present.

Certainty in the mind of the believer
is faith in the apparent and unseen
realms of hope and fear at two ends
balanced by beauty of love.

A bit of reflection renders life
of gratitude and accounts for
the greater good for the now
and the everlasting.