Shufa

The Propher Muhammed

 (صلى الله عليه وسلم).): “Seek knowledge as far as China” (Utlubu-l-‘ilm wa law fi-s-sin), For some time I had been using Arabic calligraphy in my works, then during a visit to China I met the great Chinese masters of Calligraphy and so started practicing this art too.

Though they are different cultures they have something in common. The spirit of the writers is identical and concentration and inner peace are at the basis of their creation. This was true of our amanuenses who copied miniatured codexes in the monasteries, and it is true of the zen monks, the masters of the “Shodo”, in the same way that faith inspires koranic writings.