Kufic Script Research Articles

A Tombstone Inscription from al-Maʿlā Cemetery of a Woman Named Fāṭima bint ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿAbd al-Malik al-Khurayjī

Abstract This study focuses on a tombstone inscription of the famous al-Maʿlā Cemetery in Makkah al-Mukarramah. The inscription is preserved with a group of memorial stones in the Museum of Antiquities and Heritage in Makkah. It dates to the historical period extending from the 1st to the 5th centuries ah/7th to 11th centuries ce. The inscription was selected for the study because it contains formulas of supplication, some of which are very rare. In addition, it bears the name of a woman whose lineage bears several readings. The study suggests the reading of al-Khurayji, to which thousands are attributed in a family spread over different regions of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. The inscription is devoid of any decoration or softness in its Kufic script. This qualifies it as one of the Kufic script models that is to be emulated, especially those attributed to Makkah and the Hijaz in general.

The Analysis of Square Kufic Calligraphy at Some Historical Buildings of Istanbul After the Classical Period of Mimar Sinan Until the Republic Era

Since the dissemination of Islamic art in Central Asia, square kufic calligraphy has held a significant place in the identity of Islamic architecture. Despite its earlier usage in Anatolia, it was rarely employed in Ottoman structures. Consequently, the square kufic script failed to become a prominent feature in mainstream calligraphy education or certification culture. Due to the lack of an education tradition and the abstract nature of the script, square kufic calligraphy poses challenges to readability. Nonetheless, there has been a growing interest in square kufic calligraphy in contemporary times, owing to its compatibility with modern aesthetics. The absence of a formalized education system has resulted in erroneous works during restoration or new designs. Consequently, there is a pressing need for scholarly research, documentation of historical examples, and detailed analysis of readings and compositions in this field. This article examines historical square kufic script examples in Istanbul’s historical buildings from the post-Mimar Sinan period to the beginning of the republic era. It provides detailed readings of the compositions, identifies any spelling errors, including missing or superfluous parts, and aims to offer corrective suggestions to prevent the recurrence of erroneous compositions in the future.

Groningen Üniversitesi Kur’an’ı “uklu HANDS 468”

This article focuses on the Qurʾān, identified as an "early Qurʾānic manuscript" in Europe, cata-loged as "uklu HANDS 468" in the library of the University of Groningen. The Qurʾān is not a complete Qurʾān and is a "mixed Qurʾān". 1/4 of this Qurʾān is written in Kufic script and the rest is written in Maghribi script. All the verses are collected in a single volume. The section writ-ten in Kūfic calligraphy shows the characteristics of the 3rd Hijri period. On the other hand, the section written in Maghribī script belongs to the later period. Moreover, this Qurʾān was both transliterated and translated into Latin by Johann Heinrich Hottinger. The Qurʾān of "uklu HANDS 468" uses an ancient Qurʾān unlike previous studies. In this respect, the Qurʾān catalo-ged in "uklu HANDS 468" is significant. This article's main purpose is analyzing this Qurʾān from the point of view of "Mushaf science". It is especially important because it reveals the "Muṣḥaf history" of the Qurʾāns thought to belong to the early period. For the purpose of the article, the Qurʾān is analyzed in terms of its codicological, paleographic, orthographic and con-tent features. In conclusion, the section written in Kūfic script has has features from the last part of the third century Hijri. The section written in Maghribi script seems to be from the fifth or sixth century. Qurʾāns from different locations and time periods could be assembled and bound together by the purchaser. This Qurʾān belongs to the category of "mixed Qurʾāns". It seems to be one of the first translations using an early Qurʾānic manuscript. Based on its ornamentation, it can be said that the Qurʾān has been interfered with in some places. Considering the script featu-res of the Qurʾān, the scribe's hand was shaking, especially in the section written in Kūfic script, and this is evident in the writing. In other words, it may be a Qurʾān copied in later years based on an early Qurʾān manuscript. There is no clear information on this subject.

Revived Leaves

Abstract In 1969, circa 1,000 fragments of the Qur’an were found in the space between two ceiling covers in the Holy Shrine of Imam Riḍā in Mashhad, Iran. Some of these were among the oldest Qur’ans produced in Iran. Three volumes in that cache are the only remaining parts of a fourteen-volume Qur’an, copied in Ramaḍān 327/939, endowed to the Holy Shrine by Kishvād b. Amlās. The volume is in vertical format and was copied on paper. Presently, it is the oldest known dated Qur’an manuscript on paper in the world. The similarities of the script and illumination to some undated and unsigned Qur’ans give us some hints about the Kufic script and illuminations in central Iran. The present article discusses the codicological and paleographical features of this copy.

Hz. Ali ile Hristiyanlar Arasında İmzalanan Bir Antlaşma ve Bu Antlaşmanın Satır Arası Türkçe Tercümesi

Throughout history, the geography of the Middle East has encompassed various religions and denominations, which in some periods have been in conflict with each other, and in some other periods, have continued to live peacefully in one geography. Undoubtedly, the signed treaties between governments and tribes have played an important role in creating a peaceful atmosphere. As a result of the spread of Islam, numerous treaties have been signed between Muslims and non-Muslims, through them non-Muslims, in exchange for paying jizyah (a per capita yearly taxation), maintained their beliefs and culture. Considering that for centuries, Jews, Christians, and other religious groups were citizens of Islamic governments, they were forced to make treaties with Muslim rulers in order to preserve their religion and culture. This situation has been evident since the early years of the rise of Islam. One of these treaties is the treaty signed between Imam Ali and the Christian elders in the year 660 AD (40 AH). Seven copies of this treaty have been found in Iran, Italy, and Armenia. Among these, the only one with a Turkish translation is kept in the Isfahan Chehel Sotoun Museum. This version, at an unknown time, was written on the parchment page in Kufic script, below the mainline, the words were rewritten with Naskh, and at the bottom of these two lines, the Turkish translation of the words is mentioned. The linguistic features of this treaty indicate that this version was translated into Turkish after the sixteenth century; it is a scroll, 6.87 cm long, and 35.5 cm wide. The treaty emphasizes the protection of the full rights of Christians, as well as the commitment of Muslims to its provisions. In addition to the historical significance of this document, its Turkish translation is also important. Some scholars believe that this treaty is fictitious and claim that Imam Ali did not signed such a treaty with Christians. This article examines the Chehel Sotoun version of the treaty, and its Turkish part is transcripted. The version is clean and legible, except for a few words. In the Turkish part, due to the nature of interlinear translation, the correct translation of each word has been considered more than the correct sentence spelling.

An Early Islamic Rock Crystal Amulet Seal from Unguja Ukuu, Zanzibar

Abstract Archaeological excavations at Unguja Ukuu recovered a rock crystal cabochon seal with the word lillāh (“for God”) inscribed in the Kufic script on its domed surface. The artifact is an intaglio amulet seal engraved in the negative. Microscopic examination of the seal surfaces reveals that a rotary tool was used to make the initial inscription. At some later point, a diagonal spall was removed across part of the inscription. The diagonal spall appears to be along a natural crystal plane. It is impossible to determine if this was the result of intentional defacement or an accidental process that might have resulted in the eventual deposition of the seal. Strata dated by radiometric and relative methods coupled with the style of the Kufic script date the seal to the late-8th to 9th centuries CE. This artifact is the earliest known example of an Islamic amulet seal and of writing in the Zanzibar Archipelago.

The Impact of Chinese Seals on the Structure, Design, and Usage of the Īl-Khānids Seals and Coins

Il-Khanid seals and coins are a type of seal featuring figurative patterns typically characterized by the Rectangular style of Kufic script, the absence of figures, extensive use of calligraphy, geometric, and abstract patterns. Although it is based on the Persian seal-carving tradition, the Īl-Khānids seals and coins exhibit various elements from the Chinese seals (印章), and also similar in their style to the Mongolian writing systems. While the Silk Road, the central path for trade and economic purposes, brought together China and Persia, the two nations had strong influences regarding culture, tradition, and religion, and Persian art has applied many Chinese artistic elements, particularly in the art of seal making. Indeed, the historical evidence suggests that the Mongolian Empire employed the Chinese seals (印章) throughout their territory, stretching from China to Persia.
 The intercultural influences through the Silk Road seem to be well-rooted in Central Asia, and for the first time, Chinese culture is seen abundantly in the Īl-Khānids seal history, as well as the Rectangular style of Kufic script on the seals and coins, influenced by the Uighur script. This paper uses an interdisciplinary approach to analyse the Chinese and the Īl-Khānids seals and coins to survey transmission of the Chinese tradition through Silk Road cultural exchanges. The results show that there exists a strong possibility that the manner in which the writing of Arabic characters in the Rectangular Kufic writing system was inserted at the top to the bottom unexpectedly followed the style of Mongolian words.

Constructivism in the square Kufic script

يعنى هذا البحث بدراسة بنائية التكوين في الخط الكوفي المربع، إذ يعد الخط الكوفي من أقدم الخطوط العربية، وسمي بهذا الاسم نسبة إلى مدينة الكوفة فتعددت أنواعه وأشكاله وتسمياته ومنها الخط الكوفي المربع الذي اتسم كونه خط هندسي صرف شديد الاستقامة يعتمد على مبدأ التربيع في بناء الحروف؛ لتكوين هيأة هندسية تحتكم في بنائها جملة من العلاقات التنظيمية؛ والاسس التصميمية على وفق منظومة بنائية هندسية، حدد الباحثان مشكلة بحثهما بالتساؤل الاتي: ما هي بنائية التكوين في الخط الكوفي المربع؟، ولذلك عني البحث بالكشف عن بنائية التكوين في الخط الكوفي المربع ، للمدة من (1383ھ - 1963م) الى (1432ھ - 2011م)، في العراق. اشتمل الفصل الثاني على الاطار النظري إذ تناول المبحث الأول التكوين في الخط الكوفي المربع؛ اما المبحث الثاني فتضمن المرتكزات البنائية للتكوين في الخط الكوفي المربع ، ثم تلتها مؤشرات الإطار النظري والدراسات السابقة، وتضمن الفصل الثالث اجراءات البحث ، إذ اعتمد المنهج الوصفي التحليلي، وتضمن الفصل الرابع تحليل العينات، وعرض النتائج والاستنتاجات والتوصيات والمقترحات.

TIMUR’S WARRIORS AND FIRST MUSLIMS IN KISCHA VILLAGE: EPIGRAPHIC ANALYSIS OF ABU BAKAR-SHEIKH CEMETERY

The article overviews some tombstones of the Abu Bakar-sheikh cemetery (Darg. – Abu Bakar-shaikhla hIyabri), located in the center of the village of Kischa. During the detailed analysis of their styles, shapes, inscriptions, as well as interviews with locals, the authors divided the monuments into two groups according to their characteristic features. The first one is tombstones of Abu Bakar-sheikh’ followers, who after his death remained in the village. The monuments of this group are characterized with artistic variety, rich ornament, and the inscriptions carved on them, mainly written in Kufic script. By analogy with dated steles of the similar design in the Kubachi highlands and the Kaitag-Tabasaran zone, the monuments can be dated from the beginning to the first half of the 15th century. The second group of tombstones located in the same cemetery is distinguished by the lack of decoration and stone processing; the names of the buried have Turkic-Persian roots which is not characteristic of local anthroponymy. By combining these facts, as well as information from written sources and local legends, it was possible to draw a parallel between these burials and Timur's sixth campaign to Dagestan in 1396.
 The reconstruction of events established that Kischa village, located at the old trade route that connected Kaitag and Zirihgheran with Akusha, Usisha and Mugi villages, was in the way of Timur’s army heading towards Kaitag and Zirihgheran. Upon pillaging the village, timurids suffered some losses, and the only possible place for burring their dead in Kischa was the Muslim cemetery of Abu Bakar-sheikh. Thus, the paper describes the group of tombstones of Timur’s soldiers, which is unique in modern Dagestan.

MEDIEVAL EPIGRAPHY OF THE VILLAGE OF KHNOV (XI-XV CENTURIES): NEW DATA

The history of studying the rich epigraphic heritage of the ancient Dagestani village of Khnov dates back more than half a century. The vast majority of epigraphic monuments of the village are written in Arabic. Our work on the continuous study of khnovo inscriptions has led to the identification of many previously unknown monuments. The purpose of the article is to present the results of the author's study of medieval inscriptions of the XI–XV centuries. They cover different genres of epigraphy: construction, religious and edifying texts, inscriptions-epitaphs. Previously unknown Kufic inscriptions Dating from palaeographic features within the XI–XII centuries have been identified and introduced into scientific circulation for the first time. With good reason they can be considered the most ancient monuments of Kufic script from Knova. A newly discovered inscription of the XIV–XV centuries testifies to the early existence of the minaret in Hnova.
 In addition, we offer a new reading, interpretation or alternative Dating of a number of already known science khnovo inscriptions of the XII–XV centuries. These include the famous inscription from 1401 on the construction of the minaret, Kufic inscriptions of the epigraphic frieze of the mosque of the Western quarter, epitaphs of tombstones of the XIV–XV centuries. It was found that the writing style of Kufic frieze inscriptions differs from each other, which can indicate both the different nature of their creation, and the work of different carvers-calligraphers.

Application of soft computing techniques in machine reading of Quranic Kufic manuscripts

Research work in the field of offline Arabic handwriting recognition has seen an exponential growth during past decades. Despite much work dedicated to the recognition of handwritten Arabic text, there remains a lot to achieve in this regard. Though there exists a lot of work that is confined to the Arabic text, this paper presents an approach towards classifying and recognizing text written in one of the famous scripts of Arabic language i.e. Kufic script. The approach based on character segmentation does not perform well in recognizing Kufic text due to various complexities. The proposed system is based on word segmentation and employs a Histogram of Oriented Gradient (HOG) and Local Binary Pattern (LBP) feature extraction techniques. Later in the paper a comparison is given between the numerical results of proposed technique with previous Arabic text recognition techniques to show the effectiveness of present work. This approach yields effective results with 97.05% accuracy in recognizing the Arabic text written in Kufic script using Polynomial kernel of SVM classifier. Experimental results show that the proposed system for recognition of Kufic script performs better than the previous recognition systems for Arabic text.

Kufic Inscriptions of the 10th–13th Centuries from Avaristan

The paper presents the publication of several inscriptions in the Arabic Kufic script carved on stone in the period of the 10th-13th centuries and discovered in the Avar ethnic area of Dagestan. All of them, except the first one, are published for the first time. This epigraphic material indicates that the process of the gradual spread of Islam started in Dagestan already at the end of the 10th century.

The Impact of the Eras and Varieties of Kufic art, on the Placement of Kufic in Architectural Design

Kufic script is a form of calligraphy that has been in existence since the earliest years of Islam. A glance at arts in Islamic states reveals that calligraphy and a number of other art forms fared well, as painting was considered objectionable on religious grounds. The introduction of different versions of calligraphy for use in such buildings produces a wealth of images, enhancing the aesthetics of the buildings. Kufic reached its zenith in the Ottoman state, and the most glamorous examples of Kufic in architecture of Turkish states can be found in Ottoman structures. Kufic exhibits certain variations in terms of the forms used and the spots occupied in structures. This study is a comparative analysis of the types of Kufic and spots used in architectural design, and an analysis of the important examples, for a more complete picture of the varieties of Kufic used in various periods. Keywords: Kufic, Kufic in Ottoman state, Kufic and architecture, Kufic and mosques.

The Quintessential Features of Iranian Art in Saljuq Period

The reign of Saljuqian in Iran is considered as a flourishing era of Islamic-Iranian culture. In the Saljuq period, Iran art has experienced and underwent some changes as long as the presence of these evolutions as keystone in Iranian traditional arts have played a significant role in arts such as architecture, painting, pottery and etc. Since the effect of the Saljuq art has been so impressive, even it is not considered as a renaissance period, it can be accounted as one of the significant period in Iranian art. The purpose of this study is to point out some features of the Saljuq art through using descriptive-analytical approach, and to examine some aspects of arts including architecture, pottery, and textile in this period. What is more, the outcomes of the present paper reveal that with regard to the Saljuq architecture, mosques have been formed by nave, dome, and four-porch courtyard derived from Khorasan architecture art. The eminent buildings of this period are Jameh Mosque of Isfahan, Jam Minareh, Sanjar monument in Marv city. Successes have been also achieved in pottery art such as making pottery dishes with over glaze, and under glaze painting and red dishes with white cover. In the field of discovered metal works, there is a variety of bowls, vases and golden, silver and bronze cups which have been carved, embossed and inlayed by picture of animals and plants as well as Kufic script. Moreover, the silk textile known as Ordaki has been one of the brilliant samples of textiles art in this period, decorated with blue Kufic script. In overall, Saljuq arts have paved the way for more development of arts in the subsequent years.

Aesthetics word word Allah in Kufic script design configurations

Taken the word the word God itself the task when the Muslim calligraphers because of its holiness and majesty and altitude, so take Calligraphers innovate in their design, which represents the images and forms experiencing them prolific artistic output to highlight the aesthetic value through the use of Kufic script which is one of the most prominent lines his susceptibility diversity decorative Add the possibility of extending the letters in different directions because of the vision calligrapher aesthetic and an investigation is required for the word of the design, so the researcher examined by dividing into four chapters,Was the first research problem and the importance and goals and identify the term, while the second chapter was divided into two sections was the first diversity formal configurations word Allah in Kufic script, this section on two axes, while the second section Fajss to the aesthetics of the word word Majesty design, and touched the researcher to the most important foundations that have been adopted to achieve Nlk aesthetics, the third chapter devoted to research procedures and analysis of the samples according to the principal researcher in the form set out that his research tool, and the fourth quarter was the findings, conclusions and recommendations and proposals.

الخط الكوفي على عمائر في آسيا الوسطى النشأة والتطور (Kufic Script on the Buildings of Central Asia: The Rise and Development)

Kufic script played an important and effective role in the decoration of many buildings and applied arts in the Eastern Islamic World in general, and in Central Asia specifically, as it was suitable for decorative purposes especially at the top of Arabic letters, which were flexible in decoration, thus this script was suitable for any surface. The studies which dealt with Kufic script on buildings according to that perspective were few, and concentrated on the study of this script on a separate building or on the buildings of a city, or carrying out a survey of the monumental inscriptions on early buildings in Iran and Central Asia. The study of Kufic script on the building of Central Asia and its rise and development was very important, as well as understanding the contributions of the artists in the development of its styles in that area. The study aims at the following: - Follow stages of development of Kufic script on the building of Central Asia, the rise of each stage and the extent of development; - Compare the development of the script and its similarities on the applied arts in the same area, showing the similarities and differences between them; - Show which was earlier in the appearance of Kufic script, Iran or Central Asia; - Highlight the most important Kufic script inscribed on the buildings of Central Asia. They varied between simple Kufic script which appeared at the base of the minaret of Prince Abu l’abass Mamoun ibn Khorezm Shah at Urgansh dating 401AH / 1010-1011CE. (Please note that this article is in Arabic)

الخط الكوفي الهندسي الشكل حلية زخرفية بجامع البرديني بالقاهرة "دراسة تحليلية مقارنة" (Geometric Kufic Script A Decorative Ornament in al-Bardini Mosque in Cairo ‘A Comparative Analysis Study’)

The Mosque of al-Khawaja Karim al-Din ibn Ahmad al-Bardini al-Shafei (1025-1038 AH/1616-1629 CE) monument no. 201, Daudi street, (previously Darb al-Fawakhir), north of Queen Safeya Mosque, Darb al-Ahmar, south of Cairo, in Mamluk style and its layout comprises a lounge perpendicular to it from the south-east is the Qibla Iwan (Mecca direction locator), with a curtain/drape on the inner left-side of its main door. It is perpendicular north- west to the lounge. The sheath is marble inlaid with mother-of-pearl in different areas, decorated with rectangular fillings including 12 star-shaped plates, and other various geometric motifs. This paper deals with the geometric kufic script in the Mosque. The author reads each inscription, carefully analyzes it, measures it, and compares it to other similar samples from previous historical periods. (Please note that this article is in Arabic)

Yemeni Squares

Having noted the simple but elegant design of a tiling pattern in a Yemeni mosque based on the division of a square into 10 × 10 small squares or cells, the authors have created Yemeni squares by generalizing the design to a square consisting of 2n × 2n cells. They prove an algebraic property of such squares and enumerate by computer all such squares up to n = 6. The original Yemeni square spells out the name Ali in square Kufic script; the reader may be able to find other examples of words in the figures provided in the article.

Cypress Beams, Kufic Script, and Cut Stone: Rebuilding the Master Narrative of European History

In the year 769 a crisis appeared likely to engulf the Japanese imperial court at Nara. The empress Shotoku, aged fifty-two and childless, indeed never married, gave many signs that she intended to appoint a Buddhist priest named Dokyo as her successor. A noted faith healer, Dokyo was credited with curing the empress of a serious illness, for which she rewarded him with a succession of high offices in the imperial bureaucracy. That he was looked upon with favor by the empress was thus no secret, but there may have been more to their relationship than a magical cure and political rewards. One source from a few decades later says flatly that the two of them shared the same pillow. Dokyo had, in any case, arrived almost to the pinnacle of Japanese power, and yet there stood between him and the very top the inescapable fact that he was a commoner.1 Apart from any personal feelings for Dokyo, Shotoku had a long history of favoring the progress of Buddhism in her country. In this she was following the inclinations and policies of her father, Emperor Shomu, who, for example, decreed that every province must build and maintain an official Buddhist temple, where ceremonies would be carried out on a regular basis and where statues and sutras would be kept and accorded due honor. It was Shomu, moreover, who launched the project for erecting a massive gilded bronze statue of Buddha; its construction consumed over three hundred tons of copper and sixteen tons of gold. The temple enclosing it is the world's largest wooden structure. Before the statue was com pleted, though, Shomu abdicated in favor of his daughter in order to pursue his desire to become a Buddhist priest. She took the name Koken at the start of what turned out to be for her the first of two reigns, and she issued an edict declaring the name of the new era to be Heavenly Peace and Victorious Buddhism. Within a few years the great statue was completed, and she had it dedicated in what is

Ivories and Inscriptions from Islamic Spain

Precious boxes of finely carved ivory are some of the fanciest and best-known works of early Islamic art from Spain. Two of the most famous examples are the so-called al-Mugirah pyxis, a small cylindrical box in the Louvre (fig. 1), and the so-called Pamplona casket, a large rectangular box with pitched lid preserved in the Museo de Navarra at Pamplona (fig. 2). These two pieces can be taken to epitomize a group of 29 ivories produced under Muslim patronage in the Ibe rian peninsula from the mid-tenth century to the mid-eleventh.1 The two objects shown here share many visual and technical similarities that are common to the group. They are finely carved in relief on a smooth ground, and most of the surface is covered by a dense patterning of plants and leaves. A few of the pieces are exclusively decorated with vegetal ornament, but most, in cluding these two, have cartouches or medallions formed by twisting bands and filled with vignettes and small figural scenes. Complete pieces usually have (or had) inscriptions in Arabic, carved in a plain or foliated kufic script around the lower edge of the lid. The two objects exemplify the two techniques of construction used to craft the Spanish ivories. The small pyxis is carved from a single piece of ivory, whereas the larger casket is composed of nineteen ivory plaques fitted around a wooden frame. Most of the objects, like these two, were meant to be seen from the outside. The only one clearly meant to be viewed open is a hinged box in Burgos with a plain, undecorated exterior.2 It is divided lengthwise into two halves, each of which contains five large concave roundels linked by four small holes. Cylindrical slots at both ends of both sides are framed by short repeated texts in Arabic. This piece has been called either a game box or a cosmetic case. The other ivories probably served as containers for precious substances. A poem which goes around one in the Hispanic Society of America is composed in the first person as though the object were speaking and mentions its function as a container for precious unguents: