Ibn Muqla, full name Abu Ali Muhammad ibn ‘Abdullah ibn Muqla al-Qasim al-Hashimi, was a prominent figure in the Abbasid Caliphate during the 9th and 10th centuries CE. He was born in Baghdad, Iraq, and he served as a high-ranking official, vizier, and calligrapher under several Abbasid caliphs, notably Caliph al-Mu’tadid and Caliph al-Muktafi.
Ibn Muqla is best known for his significant contributions to Arabic calligraphy. His legacy is remarkable not only for his artistic achievements but also for enduring imprisonment during his lifetime, reportedly for political reasons. It’s said that during his time in prison, Ibn Muqla developed and refined his famous “Six Scripts” (Aqlam al-Sitta), a set of standardized calligraphic styles that became foundational in Arabic calligraphy. He established the rules for proportionality and symmetry in writing. Despite facing such adversity, his contributions to calligraphy endured, cementing his reputation as one of the greatest calligraphers in Islamic history.
His contributions to calligraphy include refining existing scripts, such as Kufic, and developing new styles, such as Naskh and Thuluth. Ibn Muqla’s expositions on calligraphy, including “Kitab al-Khatt” (The Book of Calligraphy), provided guidance to aspiring calligraphers and served as authoritative texts on the subject.
In addition to his achievements in calligraphy, Ibn Muqla was a skilled statesman and administrator. He held various government positions, including director of the bureau of correspondence (diwan al-insha’) and minister of finance (wazir al-khazinah), under the Abbasid caliphs.
Ibn Muqla’s legacy continues to be celebrated, particularly within the realm of Arabic calligraphy, where his standardized scripts and calligraphic principles laid the foundation for subsequent developments in the art form. He is remembered as one of the greatest calligraphers in Islamic history, and his name remains revered among calligraphers and scholars.
(PS: The image is fictional, not actual picture of Ibn-e-Muqla)
