Learn Thuluth, step by step
Each lesson takes a letter through four steps: you write over the faint model, then inside the hollow model, then beside the model on an empty line, then from memory. Writing beside the model is the calligraphers' own way, the mashq; the faint and the hollow model are copybook aids of today. You move on when your score reaches the pass mark. Every letter is measured in dots of the pen that writes it: in Thuluth the alif stands seven dots tall, the dots set corner on corner beside it.
Level 1 is free. The other levels come with a plan. See the plans · I have a plan
Level 1 · The pen and the dot
- ا The alif: the yardstick of every letter ✓
- ب · ن The dot: the pen drawn its own width, the measure of every letter ✓
Level 2 · The single letters (mufradat)
- ب · ت · ث baa family with a plan ✓
- ن · ي noon and yaa: the bowls with a plan ✓
- ج · ح · خ jeem family with a plan ✓
- د · ذ daal family with a plan ✓
- ر · ز raa family with a plan ✓
- س · ش seen family with a plan ✓
- ص · ض saad family with a plan ✓
- ط · ظ taa family with a plan ✓
- ع · غ ain family with a plan ✓
- ف · ق faa and qaaf with a plan ✓
- ك kaaf with a plan ✓
- ل laam with a plan ✓
- م meem with a plan ✓
- ه · و haa and waw with a plan ✓
- ة · ى · ء taa marbuta, alif maqsura, hamza with a plan ✓
Level 3 · Joins (murakkabat)
- لا · لم lam-alif and lam-meem with a plan ✓
- بب · بن teeth joins with a plan ✓
- سم · سن seen joins with a plan ✓
- عن · عم ain joins with a plan ✓
- فن · قل faa and qaaf joins with a plan ✓
- كل · كم kaaf joins with a plan ✓
- مح · لح joins into jeem with a plan ✓
- هم · به haa joins with a plan ✓
Level 4 · Words
- من · في two-letter words with a plan ✓
- على · قلم the pen with a plan ✓
- حبر · خط ink and line with a plan ✓
- مشق · كتب practice and writing with a plan ✓
- نور · سلام light and peace with a plan ✓
- بيت · عين house and eye with a plan ✓
Level 5 · Lines from the master pieces
- الله ولي التوفيق God grants success with a plan ✓
- أستغفر الله مما كان I seek God’s forgiveness for what has been with a plan ✓
- إن البذاذة من الإيمان Plainness is part of faith with a plan ✓
- سبحانك اللهم وبحمدك Glory be to You, O God, and with Your praise with a plan ✓
- بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم In the name of God, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful with a plan ✓
- أعوذ بالله السميع العليم من الشيطان الرجيم I seek refuge in God, the All-Hearing, the All-Knowing, from Satan the outcast with a plan ✓
Level 6 · Composition
- سبحانك اللهم وبحمدك · إن البذاذة من الإيمان Two lines, one page with a plan ✓
- بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم · الله ولي التوفيق Two lines, one page with a plan ✓
- أعوذ بالله السميع العليم من الشيطان الرجيم · أستغفر الله مما كان Two lines, one page with a plan ✓
Practice sheets · Naskh · Ruq'ah · Diwani · Farsi (Nastaliq)
Mashq Learn plans: from AED 15 a month
Send a photo of your paper page for a calligrapher’s correction