Arabic Calligraphy

Sister Serap is an enthusiast for reviving Arabic Calligraphy and is travelling to Sydney to spread the art. She will be teaching the Riq’a script; the foundations of the letters, how to join them, and the formation of words and sentences.

Characterised by round letters, Riq’a was a functional style; simple yet beautiful, and used widely in official documents. Its beautiful simplicity makes it an excellent script for students new to Arabic Calligraphy.

In Ottoman times, the title of Shaykh (master) was reserved for those skilled in multiple disciplines. To be a competent archer itself was only one of four conditions. The other conditions were to have lived and be living with a moral character, have memorised the entirety of the Holy Quran, and be a masterful calligrapher. While seemingly distinct, two of the conditions stand out for their precision and elegance in art: archery and calligraphy.