"Sufficient for us is Allah, and [He is] the best Disposer of affairs." Quran: 3:173
Japanese ink on ahar paper; gold and color illumination by Zahra Masumi 2016
Nihad Dukhan
Art starts with a line. A line that is first pursued for its intrinsic beauty and then purified. This is what I try to employ when I use my reed pen to produce the lines that form Arabic letters, and words, that are combined into an Arabic/Islamic calligraphy artwork. I also adhere to all of the well-established and strict rules of this time-honored art in terms of size, shape and proportions.
My selection of the text is vital. As a calligrapher I think I must have a connection to the text, and be inspired by its meaning, and by its music when it is vocalized. The text must also contain a message that can resonate with the viewer. I mostly select verses from the Quran, saying of Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) and Arabic poetry. My text is usually short, which contributes to clarity and efficiency of my calligraphic designs.
As a Muslim Arab-American and a master calligrapher, my predicament has been two-fold: a) how to penetrate the language and cultural barriers and touch people who do not know Arabic, and b) how to reach Arabs and Muslims who have little or no knowledge of the significance of Arabic/Islamic calligraphy. In order to conquer this, I endeavor to produce calligraphic designs that are iconic, provoking and able to project intense visual impact- an impact that is compelling, and hopefully memorable. My calligraphic work has been described as “sculpting in two dimensions.”
My designs, like most of Arabic/Islamic calligraphy designs, often contain themes concerning the meaning of life, beauty, truth, love, kindness and goodness. A successful design combines such meanings with beauty provided by the calligraphy. As such, I strive to make each of my calligraphic pieces a quiet invitation to mediation. The minimalism in my designs offers a message of silence- a breathing space that counters the clutter, chatter and dust of the complex modern life. This can’t be more relevant in this strange time of Corona.
I am hoping that my effort will establish, or strengthen, people’s connection to and appreciation of Arab and Islamic cultures. It would be so satisfying for me if some people use my artwork as a vehicle to develop new capacity for beauty and enhanced cross-cultural competency. One of my aspirations is to contribute to restoring the stature of the art of Arabic/Islamic calligraphy as one of the excellences that embodies Islam’s spirit and serves as the emblem of its civilization.
“Each of my pieces is a quiet invitation to meditation.”
Nihad Dukhan is a Palestinian-American master of Arabic and Islamic calligraphy. He is also a professor of mechanical engineering at University of Detroit Mercy, Detroit, Michigan.
His interest in calligraphy began when he was in the sixth grade in Gaza, Palestine. He studied with the noted Istanbul grand master calligrapher Hasan Çelebi (pronounced Chalabi) in Thuluth and Naskh styles and received his ijazah (master of calligraphy degree) in 2009 after 11 years of study. He also studied Taliq style with master calligrapher Mohamed Zakariya, and received his other ijazah in 2013, after 7 years of study. Between 2013 and 2015, Dukhan relocated to Istanbul where he received advanced training under guidance of master calligrapher Davud Bektaş in Jaly Thuluth style.
His work has been exhibited in US cities and in Istanbul, Turkey. His designs are sold in the US, Europe, the Middle East and Japan. His commissions include framed works for homes and offices, company logos, book covers, CD jackets, wedding invitations, and others.
Professor Dukhan is active in promoting Arabic/Islamic calligraphy and increasing people’s awareness of its cultural significance through exhibits, lectures and workshops. His web site is at www.ndukhan.com and can be contacted at ndukhan@att.net.