العربية

Calligraphers: an index

160 calligraphers of the Arabic script, from Ibn Muqla to the masters of our day. Each has a page: their life, what they achieved, who taught them and whom they taught, the scripts they wrote, and their works where an open collection holds them.

The canon

Those who set a script's proportions, its form or the way it is taught.

✒Ibn Muqla886–940 · BaghdadThuluth · Naskh · Muhaqqaq

Ibn al-Bawwabd. 1022 · BaghdadNaskh · Thuluth · Rayhan

Yaqut al-Musta'simid. 1298 · BaghdadThuluth · Naskh · Muhaqqaq

Sultan Ali Mashhadi1437–1520 · MashhadNasta'liq

Sheikh Hamdullah1436–1520 · Amasya & IstanbulThuluth · Naskh · Muhaqqaq

Mir Ali Heravi (Mir Ali al-Katib)1476–1544 · Herat & BukharaNasta'liq

Ahmed Şemseddin Karahisarid. 1556 · Afyonkarahisar & IstanbulThuluth · Naskh · Muhaqqaq

Mir Emad Hasani (Mir Emad al-Hasani Qazvini)1554–1615 · Qazvin & IsfahanNasta'liq

Hâfiz Osman1642–1698 · IstanbulNaskh · Thuluth · Riqa'

Mehmed Esad Yesarid. 1798 · IstanbulTa'liq · Jali ta'liq

Mustafa Râkım1758–1826 · IstanbulThuluth · Naskh · Jali thuluth

Mahmud Celâleddin Efendi1750–1829 · Dagestan & IstanbulThuluth · Naskh · Jali thuluth

Yesârîzâde Mustafa İzzet Efendid. 1849 · IstanbulTa'liq · Jali ta'liq

Kazasker Mustafa İzzet Efendi1801–1876 · Tosya & IstanbulThuluth · Naskh · Riqa'

Mirza Gholamreza Esfahani (Gholamreza Khoshnevis)1830–1887 · TehranNasta'liq · Shikasta

Mehmed Şevki Efendi1829–1887 · IstanbulThuluth · Naskh · Riqa'

Mirza Muhammad Reza Kalhor1829–1892 · Kermanshah & TehranNasta'liq · Shikasta

Sami Efendi1838–1912 · IstanbulThuluth · Naskh · Jali thuluth

Hashem al-Baghdadi1917–1973 · BaghdadThuluth · Naskh · Ruq'ah

✒Hamid Aytaç1891–1982 · Diyarbakır & IstanbulJali thuluth · Thuluth · Naskh

✒Sayyid Ibrahim1897–1994 · CairoThuluth · Naskh · Diwani

Uthman Taha1934– · al-Bab, SyriaNaskh · Thuluth · Ruq'ah

✒Hasan Çelebi1937–2025 · IstanbulThuluth · Naskh · Jali thuluth

Mir Ali TabriziNasta'liq

Masters

Masters of their schools and of the generations they taught.

Ibn al-Wahid (Sharaf al-Din Muhammad ibn Sharif)1249–1311 · Damascus & CairoThuluth

Ahmad ibn al-Suhrawardi1256–1340 · BaghdadMuhaqqaq · Naskh · Thuluth

Abdallah al-Sayrafid. 1345 · TabrizMuhaqqaq · Naskh · Thuluth

Arghun al-Kamilid. 1349Rayhan · Naskh · Muhaqqaq

Mubarakshah ibn Qutbd. 1358Naskh

Baysunghur (Ghiyath al-Din Baysunghur ibn Shahrukh)1397–1433 · HeratThuluth · Muhaqqaq · Riqa'

Shah Mahmud Nishapuri (Zarrin Qalam)1495–1564 · Nishapur & MashhadNasta'liq

Abd al-Rashid Daylami (Rashida)d. 1670 · QazvinNasta'liq

Derviş Ali the Elder (Büyük Derviş Ali)d. 1673 · IstanbulThuluth · Naskh · Muhaqqaq

Suyolcuzade Mustafa Eyyubi1619–1686 · IstanbulThuluth · Naskh · Muhaqqaq

Yedikuleli Seyyid Abdullah Efendi (Haşimizade Abdullah Efendi)1670–1731 · IstanbulThuluth · Naskh · Muhaqqaq

Darvish Abd al-Majid Taleqani1737–1771 · Taleqan & IsfahanShikasta · Nasta'liq

İsmail Zühdi (Yeni İsmail Zühdi, İsmail Zühdi the Second)d. 1806 · Ünye & IstanbulThuluth · Naskh · Riqa'

Muhammad ibn al-Qasim al-Qandusi1790–1861 · Kenadsa & FesMaghribi

Abdullah Zühdi Efendi1836–1879 · Damascus & CairoThuluth · Naskh · Jali thuluth

Mehmed Şefik Bey1820–1880 · IstanbulThuluth · Naskh · Jali thuluth

Mehmed Nazif Bey (Hacı Nazif Bey)1846–1913 · Rusçuk & IstanbulThuluth · Naskh · Jali thuluth

Mehmed Abdülaziz Rifâî (Hattat Aziz Efendi)1872–1934 · IstanbulThuluth · Naskh · Ta'liq

✒Mustafa Ghazlan Bey1890–1938 · MinufiyyaDiwani · Thuluth · Naskh

Mehmed Hulusi Yazgan (Hulusi Efendi)1868–1940 · IstanbulTa'liq · Jali ta'liq · Thuluth

Kâmil Akdik1861–1941 · IstanbulThuluth · Naskh · Diwani

İsmail Hakkı Altunbezer1873–1946 · IstanbulThuluth · Naskh · Jali thuluth

Najib Hawawini1878–1956 · Damascus & CairoThuluth · Nasta'liq

Mustafa Halim Özyazıcı1898–1964 · IstanbulJali thuluth · Thuluth · Naskh

✒Muhammad Husni (Muhammad Kamal Husni al-Baba)1894–1969 · Damascus & CairoThuluth

✒Necmeddin Okyay1883–1976 · IstanbulTa'liq · Jali ta'liq · Thuluth

✒Hafiz Muhammad Yusuf Sadidi1927–1986 · Bhon, PunjabNasta'liq · Thuluth · Naskh

✒Sadequain (Syed Sadequain Ahmed Naqvi)1930–1987 · Amroha & KarachiHurufiyya · Kufic

✒Sayyid Hassan Mirkhani (Siraj al-Kuttab)1912–1990 · TehranNasta'liq · Naskh · Thuluth

✒Muhammad Abd al-Qadir Abd Allah1917–1997 · CairoDiwani · Naskh

Charles Hossein Zenderoudi1937– · TehranHurufiyya

Gholam Hossein Amirkhani1940– · TaleqanNasta'liq

Mohamed Zakariya1942– · Ventura, CaliforniaThuluth · Naskh · Ta'liq

Shakir Hassan Al Said1925–2004 · Samawah & BaghdadHurufiyya

✒Wajih Nahle1932–2017 · BeirutHurufiyya

✒Yusuf Dhannun1932–2020 · MosulRuq'ah · Diwani · Kufic

✒Abbas Shakir Judi al-Baghdadi1951–2023 · Baghdad & the United StatesJali thuluth · Thuluth · Naskh

✒Haji Noor Deen Mi Guangjiang1963– · YuchengSini · Naskh · Diwani

Pir Yahya al-Sufi (Yahya al-Jamali al-Sufi)Muhaqqaq · Thuluth · Tawqi'

Ali Reza Abbasi (Ali Reza Tabrizi)TabrizThuluth · Naskh · Nasta'liq

✒Hasan Çelebi (Karahisari's adopted son; Hasan b. Abdullah, Hasan Halife)IstanbulThuluth · Naskh · Jali thuluth

Muhammad Mu'nis Zadeh (Muhammad Efendi Mu'nis)Thuluth · Naskh

Calligraphers by century

The 12th century

The 14th century

The 15th century

ʿAbd al-Rahman Khwarazmid. 1462Nasta'liq

Hayreddin Mar'aşi (Khayr al-Din al-Mar'ashi)d. 1472 · Maraş & AmasyaThuluth · Naskh · Muhaqqaq

Mawlana Azhar Tabrizid. 1475 · Tabriz & MeccaNasta'liq · Thuluth

✒Asadullah Kirmani (Esedullah-ı Kirmani)d. 1488 · Kirmanshah & AnatoliaMuhaqqaq · Thuluth · Tawqi'

Abd al-Karim Khwarazmid. 1491Nasta'liq · Naskh

ʿAbd al-Rahim Khwarazmi Anisid. 1493 · ShirazNasta'liq

✒Abd al-Hayy Munshi Astarabadid. 1501 · Astarabad & TabrizTa'liq · Tawqi'

Sultan Ali Qa'enid. 1508 · Qa'enNasta'liq · Naskh · Riqa'

The 16th century

✒Alaeddin Ali Çelebi (Vasi Alisi)d. 1543 · Filibe & Bursa

Malik Daylami (Malek Deylami)1518–1562 · Deylam & QazvinNasta'liq · Thuluth · Naskh

Mir Sayyid Ahmad Mashhadid. 1578 · Mashhad & MazandaranNasta'liq

Ala al-Din Tabrizi1523–1601 · TabrizThuluth · Naskh · Muhaqqaq

✒Qazi Ahmad Monshi Qomib. 1546 · QomNasta'liq

The 17th century

✒Seyyid Kasim Gubarid. 1625 · Diyarbakır & IstanbulJali thuluth

ʿAbd al-Rahim ʿAnbarin-Qalamd. 1627 · HeratNasta'liq

✒Sultan ibn Nasir al-Juburi1661–1725 · al-Khabur

The 18th century

✒Mehmed Emin Tokadi1664–1745 · Tokat & IstanbulThuluth · Naskh · Ta'liq

Eğrikapılı Mehmed Rasim1688–1756 · IstanbulThuluth · Naskh · Jali thuluth

Abdurrahman Hilmid. 1805 · IstanbulThuluth · Naskh

The 19th century

Esmâ İbret Hanım1780–1830 · IstanbulThuluth · Naskh

Mirza Abbas Nuri (Mirza Buzurg)1789–1839 · NurNasta'liq

Vesal Shirazi1782–1846 · ShirazNaskh · Nasta'liq · Shikasta

✒Sufyan al-Wahbid. 1850 · Baghdad

Fath-Ali Hijab Shirazid. 1853 · ShirazNasta'liq

✒Zia al-Saltaneh (Shah Begum)1799–1873 · KarbalaNaskh

Omm Salmehb. 1801 · TehranNaskh · Riqa'

Mirza Mohammad Davari Shirazi1822–1866 · ShirazNasta'liq · Shikasta

Viqar Shirazi1816–1881 · ShirazNaskh · Nasta'liq · Riqa'

Mirza Abu'l-Qasim Farhang Shirazi1826–1891 · ShirazThuluth · Ta'liq

Mishkin-Qalam (Mirza Husayn Isfahani)1826–1912 · Shiraz & AcreNasta'liq · Shikasta · Naskh

Mir Mohsun Navvab1833–1918 · Shusha

Mirza Ahmad Khan Moshir al-Saltaneh1844–1918 · Amol & TehranNasta'liq · Shikasta

Hacı Hasan Rıza Efendi1849–1920 · IstanbulNaskh · Thuluth · Jali thuluth

Muhammad Tahir al-Atassi1860–1940 · HomsNaskh · Thuluth

The 20th century

Mamduh al-Sharif1885–1934 · DamascusThuluth · Naskh · Diwani

✒Shaykh Abu Salih Yusuf Abd al-Khaliq1882–1949 · Majdal Baana

✒Macit Ayral (Majid Bey Zuhdi)1891–1961 · IstanbulThuluth · Jali thuluth · Naskh

✒Abd al-Hadi Zayn al-Abidin1888–1965 · HomsKufic · Nasta'liq

Nassib Makarem1889–1971 · AitatThuluth · Nasta'liq · Diwani

✒Muhammad Badawi al-Dirani1894–1967 · DamascusNasta'liq · Thuluth · Naskh

✒Kadhim al-Khattat (Kadhim Abd al-Jawad al-Najjar)1906–1967 · Najaf

✒Fahd al-Andary1903–1973 · Abadiyeh

✒Muhammad Abduh (calligrapher)1901–1981 · Alexandria

✒Muhammad Tahir al-Kurdi1903–1980 · Mecca & JeddahNaskh · Thuluth · Ruq'ah

Ibrahim al-Rifai1904–1983 · AleppoThuluth · Naskh

✒Naji Zain al-Din al-Masraf1901–1986 · BaghdadThuluth

Ahmad Najafi Zanjani (al-Ma'sumi)1908–1982 · Najaf & TehranNaskh · Thuluth · Riqa'

✒Muhammad Zarzur1911–1982 · DamascusNasta'liq · Thuluth

✒Kamel al-Baba1905–1991 · Sidon

✒Ibrahim Zarrin-Qalam1905–1994 · ZanjanNasta'liq · Shikasta

✒Abdelmoula Najmib. 1913 · ChiadmaMaghribi

✒Muhammad-Tahir Hashemi1915–1991 · Dowlatabad & KermanshahNaskh · Nasta'liq

✒Hilmi Habbab1909–2000 · DamascusThuluth · Naskh · Ta'liq

Faramarz Pilaram1937–1983 · Tehran & MahmudabadHurufiyya

✒Kamel Ibrahim1925–2002 · Alexandria

✒Waleed al-A'dhami1930–2004 · Baghdad

✒Sayed Nafees al-Hussaini1933–2008 · Kahoriala & LahoreNaskh · Nasta'liq · Kufic

✒Mahdi al-Juburi1928–2015 · al-Rumaytha & Baghdad

✒Afif Abd al-Fattah Tabbarah1923–2022 · Beirut

Muhammad Sa'id al-Sakkar1934–2014 · al-Miqdadiyah & ParisHurufiyya

✒Sami Burhan1929–2021 · Aleppo & RomeHurufiyya

✒Ahmad al-Bari1950–2013 · Damascus & YaldaThuluth · Naskh · Nasta'liq

✒Hasan Qasim Habash1943–2021 · MosulKufic · Thuluth · Naskh

✒Muhammad Amin Khayyata1944–2024 · Aleppo

Jasim al-Najafi1950–2026 · NajafThuluth · Kufic · Ta'liq

Yasser Jradi1970–2024 · Gabès & TunisMaghribi · Hurufiyya

✒Fatima al-Baqqali1974–2024 · DubaiThuluth · Naskh · Diwani

Living calligraphers

✒Fatma Al SharshaniDiwani · Naskh · Thuluth

Maryam Al Balooshi

✒Yasser Badreddine1942– · NabatiehRuq'ah · Naskh · Nasta'liq

Hassan Massoudy1944– · NajafHurufiyya

Jalil Rasouli1947– · HamadanNasta'liq · Shikasta

Salah Shirzad1948– · KirkukThuluth · Kufic

✒Mamoun Sakkal1950– · DamascusKufic

✒Taha Al Bustani1950– · Baghdad

✒Mouneer al-Sha'rani1952– · SalamiyahKufic · Thuluth · Diwani

✒Ibrahim Abu Tawq1958– · AmmanHurufiyya

✒Adnan al-Shaykh Uthman1959– · HomsJali thuluth · Thuluth · Naskh

Noureddine Kour1960– · OranHurufiyya · Thuluth · Diwani

Towhidi Tabari1964– · BabolNasta'liq · Shikasta

Ubaydah al-Banki1964– · Deir ez-ZorThuluth · Naskh · Muhaqqaq

✒Janna Ezat1965– · MosulThuluth · Jali thuluth

✒Abd al-Jalil Ilyan1966– · ManbijTa'liq · Jali ta'liq · Nasta'liq

Nassar Mansour1967– · AmmanMuhaqqaq · Thuluth · Naskh

Masoud Nejabati1967– · Tehran

✒Nuria Garcia Masip1978– · IbizaThuluth · Naskh · Ruq'ah

Dates unknown

Ahmad NeyriziNeyriz & IsfahanNaskh · Thuluth · Riqa'

Yahya ibn Mahmud al-WasitiWasitNaskh

Dust Muhammad HaraviKushvan & QazvinNasta'liq · Naskh · Riqa'

Jafar Tabrizi (Ja'far Baysunghuri)TabrizNasta'liq · Thuluth · Naskh

Written by the MASHQ studio · last updated 2026-10-05. Further reading, the standard references in English: Sheila S. Blair, Islamic Calligraphy (Edinburgh University Press, 2006) · Annemarie Schimmel, Calligraphy and Islamic Culture (New York University Press, 1984) · Yasin Hamid Safadi, Islamic Calligraphy (Thames and Hudson, 1978).