Date: 11 September 2020

Name of Speaker: Harminder Singh

Designation: Associate Professor

Title of Proposition: Calligraphy in Islam  

Calligraphy is an integral part of writing traditions in different cultures throughout the world. Calligraphy in Islam however has particular religious significance. The proposition explores the various aspects of Islamic calligraphy in relation to the religious philosophy of Islam. The rules governing the use of scripts, the writing techniques, and the entire calligraphic culture are a valued part of the heritage of the Islamic world. Through the study of Islamic calligraphy, we can see that calligraphy is the foremost medium to express the beliefs and values expressed in Islamic ethical philosophy as codified in the Quran. The religious and philosophical expressions enshrined in the holy book find their manifestations in the textual medium and in architecture and products of the everyday. The expanse of the application of calligraphy is visible in the Islamic civilization of antiquity including the Indian subcontinent. The proposition includes samples of Islamic calligraphy collected from various sources including museums, personal art collections, books and blogs.

YouTube Link: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ytjxKepUZV8&t=852s

Gallery