Damascus: Calligraphers
Date: before 1230
ʿAbd al-Rahim ibn ʿAli ibn Hamid al-Dakhwar al-Tabib (d. 628/1230) was a prolific author on medical matters and a physician in the hospital of Nur al-Din in Damascus. He was also known as a calligrapher, writing in the style of the Iraqi master, Ibn al-Bawwab (d. c. 1022). See also: Engraver of seal rings; Engraver of inscribed plaques; Inlayers of metalwork.
Citation: James, David, ‘Qurʾans and Calligraphers of the Ayyubids and Zangids’, in Robert Hillenbrand and Sylvia Auld (eds), Ayyubid Jerusalem: The Holy City in Context, 1187-1250 (London: Altajir Trust, 2009), p. 354.
Date: before 1252-53
A native of Qus, the poet and calligrapher, Nasrallah ibn Hibatallah ibn Muhammad ibn ʿAbd al-Baqi Fakhr al-Qudda Abu al-Fath ibn Busaqa (d. 650/1252-53), was close to two Ayyubid sultans of Damascus, al-Muʿazzam ʿIsa (r. 1196-1227) and al-Nasir Dawud (r. 1226-29). He died in the Syrian capital. See also: Engraver of seal rings; Engraver of inscribed plaques; Inlayers of metalwork.
Citation: James, David, ‘Qurʾans and Calligraphers of the Ayyubids and Zangids’, in Robert Hillenbrand and Sylvia Auld (eds), Ayyubid Jerusalem: The Holy City in Context, 1187-1250 (London: Altajir Trust, 2009), p. 355.
Date: before 1273-74
Ismaʿil ibn Ibrahim ibn Abi al-Yasr Shakir Masnad al-Sham Taqi al-Din al-Tanukhi al-Maʿarri (d. 672/1273-74) was a Damascene calligrapher and scholar. He was secretary to the Ayyubid sultan of the city, al-Nasir Dawud (r. 1226-29). See also: Engraver of seal rings; Engraver of inscribed plaques; Inlayers of metalwork.
Citation: James, David, ‘Qurʾans and Calligraphers of the Ayyubids and Zangids’, in Robert Hillenbrand and Sylvia Auld (eds), Ayyubid Jerusalem: The Holy City in Context, 1187-1250 (London: Altajir Trust, 2009), p. 355.
Date: before 1276
Muhammad ibn ʿAbd al-Rahman ibn Muhammad ibn ʿAbdallah ibn Muhammad ibn Haffaz Badr al-Din Abu ʿAbdallah al-Salami al-Hanafi (also known as Ibn al-Fuwayra; d. 675/1276) was a Damascene scholar who taught at the Salihiyya madrasa in the Syrian capital. He was famous as a calligrapher. See also: Engraver of seal rings; Engraver of inscribed plaques; Inlayers of metalwork.
Citation: James, David, ‘Qurʾans and Calligraphers of the Ayyubids and Zangids’, in Robert Hillenbrand and Sylvia Auld (eds), Ayyubid Jerusalem: The Holy City in Context, 1187-1250 (London: Altajir Trust, 2009), p. 355.
Date: before 1283-84
ʿImad al-Din Abu ʿAbdallah (also known as Abu al-Fadl Muhammad ibn Muhammad ibn Hibatallah al-Shirazi al-Dimashqi al-Katib; d. 682/1283-84) was a master of muḥaqqaq and naskh scripts. Born in Shiraz, he later worked in Cairo and Damascus, dying in the latter city. See also: Engraver of seal rings; Engraver of inscribed plaques; Inlayers of metalwork.
Citation: James, David, ‘Qurʾans and Calligraphers of the Ayyubids and Zangids’, in Robert Hillenbrand and Sylvia Auld (eds), Ayyubid Jerusalem: The Holy City in Context, 1187-1250 (London: Altajir Trust, 2009), p. 356.
Date: before 1288
ʿUmar ibn Ismaʿil ibn Masʿud ibn Saʿd ibn Saʿid Abi al-Kataʾib (d. 687/1288) was a scholar, poet and calligrapher from Mayyafariqin. He wrote in the style of Yaqut al-Mustaʿsimi (d. 1298). He taught in madrasas in Damascus and served in the administration of the city. See also: Engraver of seal rings; Engraver of inscribed plaques; Inlayers of metalwork.
Citation: James, David, ‘Qurʾans and Calligraphers of the Ayyubids and Zangids’, in Robert Hillenbrand and Sylvia Auld (eds), Ayyubid Jerusalem: The Holy City in Context, 1187-1250 (London: Altajir Trust, 2009), p. 356.
Date: before 1291
The Yemeni physician, Ibrahim ibn Muhammad ibn Tarkhan (also known as ʿIzz al-Din Abu Ishaq ibn al-Suwaydi) worked in the hospital of Nur al-Din in Damascus. He wrote naskh and thulth scripts in the style of the famous Iraqi, Ibn al-Bawwab (d. c. 1022). He copied many works, particularly medical texts. See also: Engraver of seal rings; Engraver of inscribed plaques; Inlayers of metalwork.
Citation: James, David, ‘Qurʾans and Calligraphers of the Ayyubids and Zangids’, in Robert Hillenbrand and Sylvia Auld (eds), Ayyubid Jerusalem: The Holy City in Context, 1187-1250 (London: Altajir Trust, 2009), p. 356.
Date: before 1314
Ghazi ibn ʿAbd al-Rahman Shihab al-Din al-Katib (d. 713/1314) was a calligrapher from Damascus. He was influential as a teacher of calligraphy and worked in the style of al-Wali al-ʿAjami. He also wrote an important manual on penmanship. See also: Engraver of seal rings; Engraver of inscribed plaques; Inlayers of metalwork.
Citation: James, David, ‘Qurʾans and Calligraphers of the Ayyubids and Zangids’, in Robert Hillenbrand and Sylvia Auld (eds), Ayyubid Jerusalem: The Holy City in Context, 1187-1250 (London: Altajir Trust, 2009), p. 356.