The major Islamic Calligraphers of the Arabic Scripts. Note that this list is not complete, if you find any incorrect information or like to contribute please send us an e-mail, thank you.
 

The great master of calligraphy Sheikh Hamdullah was born in Amasya in 840 H. He founded his own individual school of calligraphy and was generally known as "Kible-tul Kuttab" (paragon) of Turkish calligraphers In the section dealing with the history of calligraphy we have already mentioned how he came to Istanbul and was appointed teacher of calligraphy in the Palace's school by Sultan Bayezid II. Here we shall confine ourselves to a brief account of the great changes he brought about in the art of calligraphy.

Sheikh Hamdullah developed the Thuluth and Naskhi scripts, which have survived with very little change to the present day, from the Muhakkak and Tevki scripts, which up to that time had been written in the style of Yakut. He devoted his whole life to the art of calligraphy, producing forty-seven Qurans and innumerable En'ams, Evrads and Cuz. Topkapi Saray Museum contains two exquisite copies of the Quran. This great master of calligraphy died in 926 H. and was buried in the cemetery of Karacaahmet.

The Calligraphic Art of Ahmed Karahisari reached a perfect balance between elegance and clarity, and was so personal that it could always be recognized, He gained fame and glory throughout the Islamic World during the reign of Sulayman the Magnificent, who called him to decorate his famous Sulayman Mosque with the Holy Scriptures, and commissioned him a superb Quran for his personal prayers, which is now reproduced in Turkey. One of his copies of the Holy Quran is considered one of the masterpieces of Islamic Art, both for the Calligraphy and for the illuminations which ornate every page.

He was the only calligrapher to keep the Yaqut style alive, simultaneously carving out a unique place for himself under the influence of his teacher Esedullah Kirmani.

Hafiz Osman Effendi

Born in Istanbul and studied calligraphy under the master calligrapher Dervish All and later under Suyolcuzade Eyyubi Mustafa, from whom he received his icazet. Hafiz Osman was a brilliant calligrapher who succeeded in investing the script originally employed by Sheikh Hamdullah with a new elegance, and thus became known as "Seyh-i Sani", the second Sheikh. He had a large number of pupils, one of the most outstanding being the calligrapher Ismail bin All Agakapi. He died in 1110 H. and was buried in the graveyard belonging to the Sünbül  Dergah (dervish convent) in Kocamustafa.

Abdullah of Yedikule

Abdullah of Yedikule was the favorite pupil of the celebrated calligrapher Hafiz Osman, he received his icazet in 1102 H. He achieved great beauty and perfection in his use of Thuluth and Naskhi and was awarded both praise and protection by Sultan Ahmed Ill. He produced twenty-four Qurans as well as a number of Enams, Evrads, Kit'as, Murak'kas and Hilye-i Serifs. He had a large number of pupils. Most of his works are preserved in the Nuruosmaniye Library. Abdullah  was greatly loved and admired by his teacher. He used the name Seyyid to indicate that he was descended from the family of the Prophet.

Mustafa Rakim 

Mustafa Rakim occupies a most important place in the history of Turkish calligraphy. He was born in Unye in 1171 H. His elder brother was the famous calligrapher Zühdü, who brought Mustafa to Istanbul while still a small child. Rakim learned the art of calligraphy from Ahmet Hifzi  of Fethiye and his brother small Zühdü, and received his icazet at the age of twelve. He was also a painter. He was appointed teacher of calligraphy in the Saray school, one of his pupils there being Sultan Mahmud II, who accorded him very great praise and appreciation.

ISLAMIC ART

Glossary

Icazet: The diploma awarded by the teacher to a student of calligraphy. This was awarded after the examination of a piece of calligraphy written by the student in the presence of several teachers of the art. A student could not sign his work until he had received his icazet.

Al-Anaam: A small book containing the Sura of Al-Anaam #6 of the Quran, together with several prayers.

Hilye: A name given to a calligraphic composition set within a definite frame and describing the features and qualities of the Prophet in accordance with the tradition handed down.

Istif: A complex calligraphic composition in which the letters composing the words are arranged one on top of the other.

Karalama: Homework (work performed by student outside school).

Kazasker: The head of the kadis (governors of various districts) in the Ottoman State. The kazasker participated in the councils of the viziers held under the chairmanship of the Sadrazam (Grand Vizier).

Murak'ka: This name is given to a type of cardboard formed by sticking firm, rather thick sheets of paper one on top of the other. Kit'as or other pieces of writing are stuck on to these and the margins decorated. The term Murak'ka is applied to a calligraphic album made up of a number of kit'as produced in the manner described above and connected to one another by joining the edges.

Ta'liq: A type of script invented in Iran and which always remained very closely associated with that country. It began to be used in Turkey in the second half of the eleventh century of the Hegira (sixteenth century AD.) following the arrival in Istanbul of Dervish Abdi of Bukhara, one of the pupils of mad-i Hasani, the great Iranian master of Ta'Iiq. Dervish Abdi introduced a smaller and finer version of Ta'liq known as Nesta'liq, and his influence led to a great increase in the number of calligraphers who developed an interest in Ta'Iiq and, consequently, in the number of works produced in this script.