Maizatul Farha binti Mohd

THULUTH STYLE OF ARABIC SCRIPTS

Asri
Raihan binti Alias

Experts say you are not a callighrapher until you can write Thuluth
INTRODUCTION
Thuluth (Persian: sols, Turkish: Sls, from Arabic: ulu "one-third") is a script
variety of Islamic calligraphy invented by Ibn Muqlah Shirazi.
In Thuluth, one-third of each letter slopes, from which the name (meaning "a third" in
Arabic) comes. An alternative theory to the meaning is that the smallest width of the
letter is one third of the widest part. It is an elegant, cursive script, used in medieval
times on mosque decorations.
ORIGINS
The greatest contributions to the evolution of the Thuluth script, occurred
during Ottoman Empire in three successive steps that Ottoman Art Historians call
"calligraphical revolutions":
The first revolution occurred in the 15th century and was initiated by the Master
Calligrapher eyh Hamdullah.
The second revolution resulted from the work of the Ottoman calligrapher Hfz
Osman in the 17th century.
Finally, in the late 19th century, Mehmed evk Efendi gave the script the distinctive
shape it has today.
STYLE
An important aspect of Thuluth script is the use of harakat ("hareke" in Turkish) to
represent vowel sounds and of certain other stylistic marks to beautify the script. The
rules governing the former are similar to the rules for any Arabic script. The stylistic
marks have their own rules regarding placement and grouping which allow for great
creativity as to shape and orientation. For example, one grouping technique is to
separate the marks written below letters from those written above.
USAGE
Thuluth was used to write the headings of surahs, Qur'anic chapters. Some of the oldest
copies of the Qur'an were written in Thuluth. Later copies were written in a combination of
Thuluth and either Naskh or Muhaqqaq. After the 15th century Naskh came to be used
exclusively.
A simple Islamic prayer in the Thuluth script. Translation: the grasping of God brings
the knowledge of His comfort.
Taj Mahal, monumental calligraphy by Abd ul-Haq 1609
Thuluth style inscription in the prayer hall. Sultan Alauddin mosque.
Arabic calligraphy in the Thuluth style at Eski Cami (Old Mosque) in
Edirne
The flag of Saudi Arabia, also in Thuluth.
Thank you for
listening and
your attention