WRITING OF MASAHIF IN SPAIN

By

Dr Souha Baayoun[1]

Research Abstract

               All thanks are due to Allah, the Lord of the universe, and peace and blessings of Allah be upon our Prophet Muhammad, his household and his companions.

               The Noble mushaf is considered amongst the very first manuscripts that the artists devoted their efforts to, with the aim of its beautification and decoration, and the development of its writing system and its preservation. A great number of the Spanish calligraphers became great masters and were known for the beauty of their calligraphy, and they wrote mushafs.

               The title of this paper is ‘writing of Masahif in Spain’. This study deals with:

a)      The journey of Arabic Calligraphy to Spain. In the first leg of its journey to the west of the Arab World, Arabic Calligraphy came to Kairouan whence it travelled to other countries in North and west Africa, and Spain.

b)      And the extent of development it underwent in those countries.

c)      Then the completion of the journey of Arabic Calligraphy to Spain, its development therein and the types and features of the Spanish Calligraphy.

d)      Thereafter, the return of the Spanish Calligraphy to North Africa.

It also deals with Spanish people’s interest in bookbinding and decoration of the mushafs, for they attained a high degree of advancement in this art. Their interest in the binding of the Noble Qur’an was considerable.

The paper also sheds light on the famous Spanish calligraphers who devoted themselves to the writing of the Glorious Qur’an. It also discusses the interest evinced by Spanish women in Arabic Calligraphy, their excellent work in this field and the most prominent of them.

[1]  A researcher in Spanish Studies, www.souhabaayoun.com, Beirut, Lebanon.

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