Shakeel Aslam,
Rawalpindi: (Parliament Times) The Islamic traditional calligraphy exhibition of renowned artist M.Azeem in connection with 12th Rabi-ul-Awwal opened under auspices of Rawalpindi Arts Council today. As many as 70 calligraphic precious art pieces were put on display at the gallery of arts council.The exhibition was inaugurated by Sajjada Nasheen of Ajmair Daragah ,Sheikh ul Mashaikh Hazrat Khawaja Dewan Syed Alley Habib Ali Khan who belongs to descendants of Khawaja Moeen-ud-Din Chishti Ajmairi(Khawaja Ghareeb Nawaz)
Speaking on the occasion Dewan Syed Alley Habib Ali Khan said “I really appreciate the efforts of Waqar Ahmed(Resident Director RAC) that he hosted this beautiful calligraphy exhibition of M.Azeem Iqbal,today and This is just seems like we have reached in the era of Prophet Muhammad(S.A.W.W) after seeing these tremendous traditional calligraphy paintings of Azeem Iqbal.”
During this occasion famous Islamic scholor Professor Haider Alvi said,”The style of calligraphy of M.Azeem Iqbal is quiet different from other calligraphers.He used Kufic, Naskh, Nastaliq, Tughra, Jalli, Reeka, Thullus and other scripts with different types of tools like wood qalam and peacock wings which reminds us the golden era of Prophet(S.A.W.W).His paintings reflect the old Islamic Art traditions.”
Calligraphy, a centuries-old decorative ornamental handwriting art, hails from the Greek civilization. The word ‘calligraphy’ is a combination of two Greek words ‘kalli’ (beautiful) and ‘graphia’ (to write). Since the advent of Islam , its holy book, the Quran, was written on different mediums. Calligraphists of that era used many writing styles to transcribe the manuscript of the holy book. Since then, this particular art has associated itself with spirituality and is the most popular form of design arts in the Muslim world. After acquiring the status of the noblest of all arts, it has been adorned on the ceiling, exterior, interior and domes of all famous mosques, shrines, buildings and monuments of religious importance in islam.
M.Azeem Iqbal used different material to produce masterpieces , mostly his work is on leather pieces. Beside leather he used large pieces of femur bones of camel ,goat and cow.He mixed both ancient and modern time of calligraphy in the form of collage by using different materials ,copper,gold,silver and other precious stones like Ruby in his paintings.His calligraphy depicts the sacrosanctity of the word in pure Islamic traditions by adding gold leaf.
While talking to the country news M.Azeem Iqbal said, “I started a unique style of calligraphy called “Ahad-i-Nabwi(PBUH). I am the only calligrapher who used those terms in calligraphy paintings beginning from the period of Holy Prophet Mohammad(PBUH)
Azeem Iqbal participated in several group and solo shows . He has also organized shows in major cities of Pakistan. He represented Pakistan in five international art exhibitions.He love to do innovations in diffenent style of calligraphy in his paintings.
At the ending of the exhibition Azeem Iqbal presented his master piece to Sajjada Nasheen Dewan Syed Alley Habib Ali Khan.
The exhibition will remain open for the next two days, so that families from Rawalpindi and Islamabad can visit arts council.
