ISLAMABAD, Feb 12: Calligraphy was a creative means to beautify buildings as distinctly Islamic as well as to pay tributes to Allah.

This was stated by a known calligraphist Rasheed Butt, winner of Pride of Performance here on Monday.

He was speaking at a seminar held at Pakistan Institute of Engineering and Applied Sciences on “Islamic calligraphy: A brief history and development in Pakistan”.

The objective of the seminar was to familiarize the new generation with the concept of calligraphy. Prof Dr Saeed A Durrani, Scientist and Chairman Iqbal Academy UK, presided over the seminar.

Mr Butt said from the very inception of Islam, calligraphy as a art form has been a part of our religion and culture. In most of the other religions of the world, figure images have been used to convey the message of their respective faith. Islam’s early followers chose words (letters) and their shapes and sizes for their devotional expression.

He said calligraphy was also used as a means to express a religious theme not only in architecture, but also in other art forms.

He gave an interesting resume of the various scripts developed by Muslim calligraphers in different parts of the world from Kufic in Saudi Arabia to Nastaleeq used in Iran and Pakistan.

Mr Butt averred that calligraphy today not only expressed the glory of Allah’s words as revealed in the Quran but the glory of His creation through words in a artistic and creative way with a beauty of its own.

He has designed the interior and exterior of Agha Khan Auditorium, written Quranic verses on the gate of Makkah, senate hall, Islamabad and on the new mosque in Data Darbar.

Calligraphy is an extremely demanding activity and most of the great Muslim masters had devoted their life to perfecting this art form. Unfortunately in Pakistan, we have done very little for the promotion of the art of calligraphy, he complained.

In our society artists and art are placed either at a very high level or ignored as insignificant activities. He said due to this attitude the artists have distanced themselves from the general public. He regretted that aesthetic values were disappearing from among the Muslims.

Some calligraphic works by Rasheed Butt were also displayed on the occasion and were greatly admired by all audience.