# Calligraphy Resources



## mujahid7ia

Hi

I usually write Arabic by copying the common naskh script that is in textbooks, but it comes out looking not-so-great. I want to learn ruq'ah script, and I want to be able to write faster.

I saw these two books:

Mastering Arabic Script by Jane Wightwick, Mahmoud Gaafar

Writing Arabic: A Practical Introduction to Ruq'ah Script by T. F. Mitchell

The latter was highly recommended to me by a couple of people (kind of expensive most sites though, but I've seen it for around 25 US dollars on some sites). Does anyone think either of these are good resources to learn ruq'ah? Or, are there better ways?

Thanks a lot.


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## CarlosPerezMartinez

I have used "*Writing Arabic: A Practical Introduction to Ruq'ah Script*" by T.F. Mitchell and in my opinion is a wonderful book no matter how much it costs. Take into account that you only buy it once in your life and you will really learn to write in ruq'ah script quite decently.


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## mujahid7ia

Yeah, I think it's probably worth it. I'll just bite the bullet and buy a copy.

Thanks for the advice.


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## linguist786

May I ask what the *ruq'ah script* is?


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## SofiaB

linguist786 said:


> May I ask what the *ruq'ah script* is?


See riq'a here


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## SofiaB

Here is a free textbook for handwriting not printed Arabic.


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## mujahid7ia

Thanks for the links. I'll check it out.


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## Abu Bishr

Here Mujahid is another link for online learning of "Ruq'ah" from the Islamic University of Medina. This is from their Middle School Curriculum. They have the complete curricula for (1) Teaching Arabic to Foreigners (2 years), (2) Middle School, & (3) Secondary School. The only thing is that it is all in Arabic. What's amazing, though, is that I've never seen a University put whole curricula on the internet with books and all.


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## mujahid7ia

Hmm, it seems pretty self-explanatory from the diagrams even without reading the Arabic. Thanks for the link!

Whenever I see nice looking Arabic, it always seems like it's been done with a fine point marker or some other thick writing instrument or calligraphic tool. But I guess that site must be designed for normal students with ball-point pens or whatever, right?


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## SofiaB

I am not sure, but if you mean the textbook site, then yes it is normal handwriting. Calligraphy is a special art.


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## linguist786

I have a friend from Saudi who sometimes helps me with Arabic. He writes in the Ruq'ah script (just realised that ) and always asks for a pencil (even if I offer a pen). Maybe this suggests it's easier to write with a pencil?


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## cherine

No, we write riq3a with any pen/pencil. It's a matter of personal preferences.
I have friends who prefer using ink pens (I'm not sure how's that in English قلم حبر ), others use pens, and others prefer pencils.
Some people, like myself, don't have preferences.


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## linguist786

So is this "art" taught in schools? or do people just develop it of their own accord?

ink pen


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## cherine

Thanks for the link  Yes, that's what I had in mind.

Writing is taught in schools, but not as an art. Calligraphy has its own schools in Egypt.


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## linguist786

I see. So do most Arabs use the Riq3a when writing Arabic?

I'm quite interested in this script now. The way I write Arabic/Urdu is far too prim and takes much longer probably


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## SofiaB

The two links by Abu Bishr and me are everyday handwriting. When I said a special art, I meant calligraphy in answer to Mujahid7ia. By the way Urdu script is nastaleeq.


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## linguist786

SofiaB said:


> The two links by Abu Bishr and me are everyday handwriting.


Right OK, that answers my question: most Arabs write in this way.


> When I said a special art, I meant calligraphy in answer to Mujahid7ia.


I am aware that calligraphy is an art. I guess I referred to the riq3a script as an "art" (notice inverted commas) since not everyone can write like that (me for example ). I guess as an Arab, you would not really consider the riq3a an "art", but normal handwriting. Maybe it can be compared to the very pretty typical French handwriting  Sorry for any misunderstanding.


> By the way Urdu script is nastaleeq.


Yes I noticed that. My Urdu handwriting is closer to that one I guess (although not exact). Maybe I should attach a picture of my handwriting 

Thanks for your post.


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## Lugubert

I like Mitchell's book. It works. I can't speak or understand Arabic, and seldom translate from it, but indigenous university classmates have told me that my hand is acceptable, even good.

Mitchell writes Ruq'ah, but it seems to me that Riq3a is at least as common. Comments?

Books are fairly good investments. My Mitchell cost about 2 dollars in ca. 1966.


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## mujahid7ia

Thanks, I ordered the book, and am also looking at the links posted in this thread.

I thought Ruq'ah and Riq3a were just different transliterations for رقعة...?

Wow, $2.


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## alajnabiya

In the resourses sticky, under miscellaneous, #14c is a link to almost all of the textbooks used in the Palestinian schools, available as PDF files. The  *كراس الخط* books teach handwriting. There are books for grade 1 - 6 available.


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## CarlosPerezMartinez

mujahid7ia said:


> Thanks, I ordered the book, and am also looking at the links posted in this thread.



In my opinion you will not regret it. The best thing of the book is that it teaches you how the different letters change according to the previous and next letters of them. If you are constant you will learn easily.

Good luck.


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## palomnik

To add to the overall impression. I used Mitchell's book to learn to write Arabic. It's excellent. If you learn completely what he teaches your handwriting will even fool a native speaker.

Now if only somebody could come out with an equally good book to write _shikasta..._


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## abusaf

When I wanted to learn how to write Arabic fast and somewhat understandable, I started writing down articles off BBCArabic and other Arabic online newspapers.

I mustve written like 40 A4 pages front and back of just text and text. It was exhausting but I learned how to write faster I've never once needed to write in Arabic though, except when I wanted to leave humourous notes for my Egyptian roommatess when I was in Egypt  

I have however got real fast at typing Arabic using a keyboard. I don't have a keyboard with Arabic letters on it so I had to learn it through just writing, it's definately worth it.


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## Nikola

Three sites to learn to write for free, that's great. Does the book offer anything more than the sites?


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## Lugubert

palomnik said:


> [...]
> Now if only somebody could come out with an equally good book to write _shikasta..._


Good thinking. I just started a thread asking for it in the Other languages subforum.


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## mujahid7ia

palomnik said:


> To add to the overall impression. I used Mitchell's book to learn to write Arabic. It's excellent. If you learn completely what he teaches your handwriting will even fool a native speaker.
> 
> Now if only somebody could come out with an equally good book to write _shikasta..._



I have received the book, but haven't started using it.

Thanks for the advice and sites, all.
Nikola, I'm sure you can use the sites alone, but (I think) the book gives more advice and describes the process, and it's English


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## clevermizo

Are there any good texts for beginning to study traditional Islamic/Arabic calligraphic styles, e.g. خط الكوفي, خط النسخ ، خط الثلث etc?

Recommendations of English language or Arabic language texts would be greatly appreciated. Yes I have read the sticky and yes I have followed the one link that is there.


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## ayed

Welcome Clevermizo , here is a link :
http://www.sarwatemara.jeeran.com/


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## clevermizo

Thanks, that looks like a great start for me!


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