“The art of Islamic calligraphy that is fading fast because of computerisation of scripts of all local languages in early 90s in Pakistan needs revival. Losing an art is a great national loss. There are only a few experts of this art left in Peshawar. It is a fine art which we have almost lost,” regretted Mohammad Azeem Khan, an expert calligrapher.

Mr Khan is a retired school teacher who has learnt the art of calligraphy from his elder brother when he was a 10th grade student. He suggested that the art of calligraphy could be launched at school levels. A dot writing notebooks that he has introduced is already in circulation in the local market. The samples of dot writing are available for nursery to 6th grades in the local market.

He teaches basics of the calligraphy art at a private school in Peshawar. “I have learnt this great art from Ustad Azeem in about four months. I use a nib-cut pen for the Urdu script. I can hand-write Urdu, Arabic, Persian and Pashto scripts with a great ease. Due to my good handwriting I always get excellent marks in my Urdu, Islamiyat and Pakistan Studies papers. My other classmates too have improved handwriting since launch of our calligraphy in our school,” Bilal, a 7th grader, told Dawn.

Eshaal Javed, a student of grade-4 of the same school, says that earlier she used to scribble but after taking calligraphy classes she has improved her handwriting. “Now my good handwriting will fetch me a bundle of marks besides mastering my hand to write well,” she said proudly.

I helped in mending hundreds of old manuscripts of the holy Quran, some even 400 years old. Old manuscripts are mostly brought from Afghanistan and far-flung areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata. After getting them mended, they are transported to Gulf States and Europe where they are placed in museums, says master calligrapher Mohammad Azeem Khan

Along with teaching, Mr Khan remained affiliated with different local Urdu and Pashto newspapers and magazines where he used to do Kitabat (handwriting script) till early 1990. He was relieved of his job like many other copyists. He then switched over to ‘calligraphy proper’ art and helped in mending hundreds of old manuscripts of the holy Quran, some even 400 years old. Old manuscripts are mostly brought from Afghanistan and other far- flung areas in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Fata. After getting them mended, they are transported to Gulf States and Europe where they are decorated in museums, he said.

Mr Khan can decipher the old Quranic manuscripts from the embellished handwriting mostly penned down in Kashmiri mosaic art pattern with footnotes and borders in golden alloyed images all over which lends a fascinating look. “I have provided help with my master hand to over 100 damaged Quranic manuscripts. I can distinguish the style of various Khat/Qalam prevalent centuries ago. When an old manuscript is brought to me, I can determine its proximate age. I have trained about 10 pupils in Peshawar and I wish the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government should take steps to popularise this art in schools,” he maintained. He has worked with private Quran publishing houses and calligraphed copies of the holy Quran and other numerous Islamic books.

“I have a manuscript of the holy Quran which seems about 300 years old. It is without preceding and last pages. I handwrite the verses of the lost pages in the same pattern and mended it which gives out an original look. The old manuscript is then sold as a model of antique for Rs7 million to Rs8 million. The mosaic on its borders is lined in golden alloy. Therefore, such old manuscripts are very precious,” Mr Khan explained.

Syed Masoom Shah Saqib is another noted calligrapher who has been involved in the art for the last 30 years. “Mohalla Jangi in Peshawar used to be the hub of copyists where 40 artists worked in various capacities. Now only four master calligraphers, including myself are left out. I am skilled in Khat-i-Noori, Nastaghleeq, Solas, Sumble, Ruqa, Tughari, Ibri, Diwani and Naskh. With the arrival of computer technology, we lost a treasure trove,” he regretted. He said that calligraphy art should be preserved at all costs. “The KP culture department should take initiatives to preserve this art,” Mr Saqib said.

Students from nursery to sixth grade could learn good handwriting with the help of dry pencils and four-liner notebooks. “Writing on takhti, a wooden plank, slows down the writing speed of small kids,” the calligrapher observed. It is best to write with a pencil during initial stage of schooling because it is not slippery. Small kids should be guided to keep their fingers loose as free fingers could help them master good handwriting, he advised. He said that a master copyist could still earn Rs800 to Rs1,000 a day. “My ‘Qalam’ – style of handwriting – has been computerised by my son Fazal Azeem, who is a computer designer. But computer could not mend and complement the lost work from the old manuscripts, the expert argued.

He said that pens with wooden holders and brass nibs used to be imported from England which helped calligraphers to write scripts in different patterns.

“I have these three pens for the 50 years, they are no more in use but students at primary level could use nib-cut pens,” Mr Khan recommended. Right and left handers could both master the art of calligraphy depending on how frequent handwriting is involved in a classroom during an academic session, he said.

Mr Khan said that children had an intrinsic flail for drawing geometrical shapes. “Kids who are good at math could learn the art of calligraphy soon compared to those who aren’t. Sitting posture of small kids is very important while guiding them on writing script. Teachers in schools normally don’t give much attention to this aspect,” he noted.

Professor Ghayoor Hussain, a staffer at Khana-e- Farhang Iran, Peshawar, told Dawn that Iranian culture centre in Peshawar had been offering regular classes of learning Iranian calligraphy art since its launch in 1969. The number of students who have mastered it may run into thousands across Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he said. “In addition to Persian language, we offer calligraphy and paintings classes to young students at the centre for which we hire services of master hands. Every year, about 40 students qualify this grand art. The art of Islamic calligraphy enhances aesthetic sense and evokes spiritual satisfaction,” said Mr Hussain.

Published in Dawn February 15th , 2015

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