Ustadh: Muhammad Zakariya
" The temptation of Islamic reformers is to reject, in the name of modernity, anything they consider old-fashioned or out-moded. When it comes to classical calligraphic art and its associated disciplines, that argument might have some small merit, but the tendency is to throw the baby out with the bath water. The consequences of this attitude have been catastrophic to the original arts themselves, to the artists, to connoisseurs, and to critics. The reformers' argument seems to be that the classical art is moribund, lacking in originality, and irrelevant. In many cases that is, superficially at least, true. Yet all the great calligraphers were originators and innovators, as are the best of today's masters, such as Hasan Celebi. Indeed, late 20th-century Islamic calligraphy is alive and well -- and, although the developmental and evolutionary chain is still intact, the art today is quite unlike its precursors in all but spirit."Our own shaykh al-khatt, Muhamad Zakariya, USA, on Islamic Art and his work
Becoming a Calligrapher
"Let us offer you a deal," Ihsanoglu repeated in his impeccable diplomat's English. "In order to make progress in calligraphy, you must give up all you have learned and learn everything again from the beginning, from your hoca, who will be Hasan Celebi. If you accept, we will help you."
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