The poetic gems of many famous Urdu poets have long enthralled readers, listeners, thinkers and philosophers. They have regaled audiences at ghazal eveningsand mushaira baithaks, and are often recounted on latenight radio programmes. In the age of social media, Urdu couplets are widely uploaded, shared and liked on Facebook pages dedicated to Urdu shayari. But the images on which these couplets are placed do no justice to them. The Internet is full of tackywallpapers that have Urdu poetry embossed on them. Instead, a Ghalib poem deserves a more elegant treatment. It would be best to blend the art of calligraphic handwriting with Ghalib’s pearls of wisdom. In the world of Urdu poetry art, the thoughtful words of many famous thinkers such as Allama Iqbal, FiraaqGorakhpuri, Josh Malihabadi, Jaun Elia, Mirza Ghalib, etc, are written in calligraphic styles, often with a drawing of the poet on the side.Urdu calligraphy art is a good way of giving a tribute to the great shayars of the past.
The primary font for writing the Urdu script is Nast’aliq, which developed in Iran in the 15th century. In Nast’aliq, letters sloping leftwards, thereby having a ‘hanging’ or ‘ta’liq’ look. Originally devised for writing Arabic, Nastaliq later began being used for writing in Farsi, Urdu, Punjabi, Kashmiri and Pashto. Nastaliqstyle was used for writing court paper and other official documents. It is also said to have been used by the Mughals in India.
In the current age too, Nastaliqis the main style usedfor writing Urdu. As Urdu’s Persian script is derived from Arabic script, it can be written in Diwani, Tughra and Thuluth calligraphic styles, which are traditionally used for Islamic art. But Urdu comes out best in Nastaliq, because it has always been written that way.
Also, Nastaliqis suitable for writing Urdu ghazals as it is less ornate than other styles and thereby occupies less space. So, it can comfortably accommodate an eight-line Urdu poem on a small sheet of paper which you can frame and fix to your wall, and therefore uplift the visual appeal of your living or working spaces.
Can Urdu poetry posters be included in the larger category of Islamic calligraphy art? No. The subject matter of Urdu poetry is mostly non-religious, and thus it can be related to by people of different religions. Indeed, some of the poems may even be blasphemous and thus un-Islamic.
But since most Urdu speakers are Muslim, a great deal of new-age Urdu shayari is quite spiritual in nature with use of terms specific to the Muslim religion like ‘namaaz’, ‘ibaadat’, ‘wudhu’, etc. In that case, then Urdu poetry art can be included in the larger realm of Islamic calligraphy art. We must remember that Islamic calligraphy art has diversified into the use of English, where English translations of Quranic verses are written in calligraphic style. If Urdu poetry touches upon Islamic themes, then Urdu calligraphy art can also be considered a part of Islamic calligraphy art.
No. The subject matter of Urdu poetry is mostly non-religious, and thus it can be related to by people of different religions. Indeed, some of the poems may even be blasphemous and thus un-Islamic. In the current age too, Nastaliqis the main style usedfor writing Urdu. As Urdu’s Persian script is derived from Arabic script, it can be written in Diwani, Tughra and Thuluth calligraphic styles, which are traditionally used for Islamic art.
