The Rise of the North Arabic Script and Its Kur’anic Development, with a Full Description of the Kur’an Manuscripts in the Oriental Institute

Handwriting as a fine art is no small part of artistic endeavor in the history of Arabic Islam.It has, therefore, received some attention from Western students ever since they became interested in the study of Arabic and Islam.The decipherment of difficult, sometimes intricate, scripts, especially on papyri, state papers, and inscriptions, drew the lion's share of such attention.Fairly extensive studies on the development of Arabic script from Nabataean have appeared.The beauty of fine Kui°ans was given a considerable amount of aesthetic appraisal.The descriptive terminology and nomenclature of a rather extensive literature in Arabic on Km°anic and other calligraphy was scarcely touched.Without descriptive text the great paleographic album of Moritz remained in large part a sealed book.This study is a brave, keen, and penetrating attempt to bring difficult literary statements to bear on actually existing manuscript evidence.This is a long step forward from the old period of "naskhl and Kufic"-terms used for the most part with confusing looseness.It is a step in the right direction, not the end attained.New students with more means at their disposal should be stimulated thereby.There are other problems as well.The influence of Manichaean practice especially on sacred calligraphy has barely been broached.In this connection Druze sacred calligraphy forms an interesting and important chapter.If interested readers do their duty by this excellent pioneer work of Dr. Nabia Abbott, it will elicit not merely constructive criticism, but a revitalized and humanized extension of the study of the art of writing as an important factor in the life of Muslim lands and peoples.