Andalusian Women Calligraphy And Their Cultural Contributions To The Arab Islamic Civilization الخطاطات الأندلسیات وأسهاماتهن الثقافیة فی الحضارة العربیة الاسلامیة

Abstract

The industry of Arabic calligraphy is considered one of the industries that had had the interest and care from the specialist of Islamic scientists, writers, calligraphers and artists. It was a duty of learning the Arabic calligraphy because of its importance in saving the Holy Quran and spreading out the laws of Islamic religion. However, the Arabic calligraphy is considered as a tool for the Arabic Islamic civilization, therefore many types of the Arabic calligraphy were appeared. Hence, the Islamic eastern had its special calligraphy as the Arabic western had its kinds that differs from others. The beauty of the Arabic calligraphy made it used in different fields; so that the Holy Qurans and many scientific and literary books had been written using beautiful various Arabic calligraphies. Beside that, the Arabic calligraphy was used in decorating the walls of mosques, platforms, palaces, shops, and baths. It was used as well to adorn the musical instruments, swords, helmets and scientific instruments such as astrolabe and many others. The currencies had also been sealed using the Arabic calligraphy. Not only men was proficient in Arabic calligraphy and its industry, but also many women were skilled from the Islamic eastern and western and they had a fame in this field as the men had. However, the Andalusian women were one of these women who had taken the care about the Arabic calligraphy over different ages. The research takes a quick introduction on the industry of the Arabic calligraphy, types that had been used and the origin of the Andalusian calligraphy and its development. It also focuses on the most well-known Andalusian women who were professional in the writing using the Arabic calligraphy and their contributions through this industry that enriched the Arabic Islamic civilization.