Sharjah Museum of Calligraphy has been promoting the art of Arabic calligraphy through free lessons to the public since it opened in 2002.
This year, the museum is running a one-month course that started on May 9. It offers hands-on experience, types of ornamentations, and techniques used in calligraphic work.
Every Monday and Wednesday, people learn the practice and methods of implementing the Diwani script, a formal calligraphy style of the Ottoman court that was developed between the 16th and early 17th centuries.
The script developed further to include the styles Riq'a Diwani and Jeli Diwani.
The first does not have any decorations and lines are straight, except for the lower parts of the letters.
The Jeli Diwani, or clear style, has intertwined letters and straight lines from top to bottom.
“Calligraphy is a unique art that distinguishes the Arab nations from the rest of the world and it certainly deserves the attention given to it by the government of Sharjah,” said Shaher Al Taref, instructor and calligraphist at the Sharjah Department of Culture.
Mr Al Taref said it was important to promote calligraphy because of a lack of representation of the Arabic language in modern technology tools.
“No matter how advanced technology can get, we cannot give up on the human hand to produce creative works including masterpieces from letters,” he said.
“For us as calligraphists, every Arabic letter is one that has a soul and unique characteristics which allow calligraphists to employ their own styles.”
Mr Al Taref holds a diploma in calligraphy from the Fine and Applied Arts Institute in Syria.
“I have instructed two other courses in previous years, including one online,” he said.
The Sharjah Museum of Calligraphy, part of the Sharjah Museums Authority, holds two courses each year.
Residents from countries including Arab nations, Afghanistan, India, Bangladesh and Pakistan have taken part in training courses over the years.
Sister and brother Haseena and Abdullah Salehi, from Afghanistan, signed up for this course for the first time.
Both have loved calligraphy since they were children.
“I’ve always loved Arabic calligraphy but had no time or opportunity to take dedicated courses before now,” said Haseena, 25, a cost control manager at a company in Ajman.
She takes a two-hour leave from her job to attend the course.
“I have to stay in the office after hours to make up for the time I spend on the course but it's a fair price for me, as it means I learn what I love,” she said.
Her brother Abdullah, 20, tried to convince his friends to join him in the course.
“They will start next week,” he said.
He said he knows the basics and has learnt how styles of Arabic calligraphy differ from one another.
Yemeni father of six, Yassir Al Saadi, 41, tried to share his passion for Arabic calligraphy with his children.
“None of them wanted to come but that didn’t discourage me and I come from Dubai for this,” he said.
Mr Al Saadi, a technician at Dubai Media Corporation, said calligraphy was an art, rather than a form of writing. It is his second course at the museum.
“The first one was nearly three years ago and taught participants Al Thuluth script. These are not-to-miss opportunities for me that teach me what I love while also preserving a distinctive art,” he said.
Eman Yousef, 37, from Egypt, whose mother is a calligraphist, drives from the Al Qudra area in Dubai to take the course.
“I took part in other art and calligraphy courses that were previously organised by Sharjah Museums Authority,” she said.
She said art and calligraphy went hand in hand.
“One can make captivating paintings using letters,” she said “It has even become a trend with many celebrities like Angelina Jolie using Arabic calligraphy in their tattoos.”
Located in the house of Hamad Al Midfa in the Heart of Sharjah, the museum displays paintings by local and international artists and calligraphers.
Objects on display include Ottoman silver pen cases and inkwells that date to the early 18th century and were presented to the museum by Sharjah ruler Sheikh Dr Sultan bin Muhammad Al Qasimi.
The museum also holds exhibitions and conducts programmes that are accessible to all.
In May 2020, a one-month course was organised by the museum that taught 30 prisoners the basics of Al Roka and Al Diwani Arabic writing styles.
RESULTS
6.30pm Handicap (TB) US$65,000 (Dirt) 1,400m
Winner Golden Goal, Pat Dobbs (jockey), Doug Watson (trainer)
7.05pm Dubai Racing Club Classic Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (Turf) 2,410m
Winner: Walton Street, William Buick, Charlie Appleby.
7.40pm Dubai Stakes Group 3 (TB) $130,000 (D) 1,200m
Winner Switzerland, Tadhg O’Shea, Satish Seemar
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Winner Lord Giltters, Adrie de Vries, David O’Meara
8.50pm Al Maktoum Challenge Round-1 (TB) $228,000 (D) 1,600m
Winner Military Law, Antonio Fresu, Musabah Al Muhairi.
9.25pm Al Fahidi Fort Group 2 (TB) $163,000 (T) 1,400m
Winner Land Of Legends, Frankie Dettori, Saeed bin Suroor
10pm Dubai Dash Listed Handicap (TB) $88,000 (T) 1,000m
Winner Equilateral, Frankie Dettori, Charles Hills.
Tearful appearance
Chancellor Rachel Reeves set markets on edge as she appeared visibly distraught in parliament on Wednesday.
Legislative setbacks for the government have blown a new hole in the budgetary calculations at a time when the deficit is stubbornly large and the economy is struggling to grow.
She appeared with Keir Starmer on Thursday and the pair embraced, but he had failed to give her his backing as she cried a day earlier.
A spokesman said her upset demeanour was due to a personal matter.
Key facilities
- Olympic-size swimming pool with a split bulkhead for multi-use configurations, including water polo and 50m/25m training lanes
- Premier League-standard football pitch
- 400m Olympic running track
- NBA-spec basketball court with auditorium
- 600-seat auditorium
- Spaces for historical and cultural exploration
- An elevated football field that doubles as a helipad
- Specialist robotics and science laboratories
- AR and VR-enabled learning centres
- Disruption Lab and Research Centre for developing entrepreneurial skills
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Benefits of first-time home buyers' scheme
- Priority access to new homes from participating developers
- Discounts on sales price of off-plan units
- Flexible payment plans from developers
- Mortgages with better interest rates, faster approval times and reduced fees
- DLD registration fee can be paid through banks or credit cards at zero interest rates
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The specs
Engine: 2.9-litre, V6 twin-turbo
Transmission: seven-speed PDK dual clutch automatic
Power: 375bhp
Torque: 520Nm
Price: Dh332,800
On sale: now
Two products to make at home
Toilet cleaner
1 cup baking soda
1 cup castile soap
10-20 drops of lemon essential oil (or another oil of your choice)
Method:
1. Mix the baking soda and castile soap until you get a nice consistency.
2. Add the essential oil to the mix.
Air Freshener
100ml water
5 drops of the essential oil of your choice (note: lavender is a nice one for this)
Method:
1. Add water and oil to spray bottle to store.
2. Shake well before use.
Dust and sand storms compared
Sand storm
- Particle size: Larger, heavier sand grains
- Visibility: Often dramatic with thick "walls" of sand
- Duration: Short-lived, typically localised
- Travel distance: Limited
- Source: Open desert areas with strong winds
Dust storm
- Particle size: Much finer, lightweight particles
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- Duration: Can linger for days
- Travel distance: Long-range, up to thousands of kilometres
- Source: Can be carried from distant regions
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Three trading apps to try
Sharad Nair recommends three investment apps for UAE residents:
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- Finally, StashAway could work for those who want a hands-off approach to their investing. “It removes one of the biggest challenges for novice traders: picking the securities in their portfolio,” Mr Nair says. “A goal-based approach or view towards investing can help motivate residents who may usually shy away from investment platforms.”
Profile of Whizkey
Date founded: 04 November 2017
Founders: Abdulaziz AlBlooshi and Harsh Hirani
Based: Dubai, UAE
Number of employees: 10
Sector: AI, software
Cashflow: Dh2.5 Million
Funding stage: Series A
The BIO:
He became the first Emirati to climb Mount Everest in 2011, from the south section in Nepal
He ascended Mount Everest the next year from the more treacherous north Tibetan side
By 2015, he had completed the Explorers Grand Slam
Last year, he conquered K2, the world’s second-highest mountain located on the Pakistan-Chinese border
He carries dried camel meat, dried dates and a wheat mixture for the final summit push
His new goal is to climb 14 peaks that are more than 8,000 metres above sea level
UEFA CHAMPIONS LEAGUE FIXTURES
All kick-off times 10.45pm UAE ( 4 GMT) unless stated
Tuesday
Sevilla v Maribor
Spartak Moscow v Liverpool
Manchester City v Shakhtar Donetsk
Napoli v Feyenoord
Besiktas v RB Leipzig
Monaco v Porto
Apoel Nicosia v Tottenham Hotspur
Borussia Dortmund v Real Madrid
Wednesday
Basel v Benfica
CSKA Moscow Manchester United
Paris Saint-Germain v Bayern Munich
Anderlecht v Celtic
Qarabag v Roma (8pm)
Atletico Madrid v Chelsea
Juventus v Olympiakos
Sporting Lisbon v Barcelona
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UAE currency: the story behind the money in your pockets
