Since the rise of Islam in the seventh century, the art of Arabic calligraphy has been cultivated from Egypt to Iran, but also in most of the lands between Africa and China. In these different contexts, men, but also women, Muslim and at times non-Muslim, have applied themselves to the “art of the line,” as it is known in Arabic.

The present book is the catalogue of an exhibition held at Dar El-Nimer for Arts and Culture (Beirut), 12 April-19 October 2017. Beautifully illustrated, it invites the reader to explore the worlds of Arabic calligraphy, its ever-changing expressions, and its meaning, from proclamations of authority in the public sphere to intimate beliefs about the power of the Word.

Alain Fouad George is I.M. Pei Professor of Islamic Art and Architecture at the University of Oxford. He has published extensively on Islamic calligraphy and manuscripts, with a particular focus on early Qur’ans.