Calligraphy and writing aesthetics in Islamic tradition

Nahj al-Balāgha|Volume 1|Book 3|Chapter 315

Nahj al-Balāgha

Book 3, Chapter 315

Calligraphy and writing aesthetics in Islamic tradition
1 Ḥadīth
Ḥadīth 388

٣١٥. وَقَالَ (عليه ‏السلام) لِكَاتِبِهِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِى رَافِعٍ: أَلِقْ دَوَاتَكَ وَأَطِلْ جِلْفَةَ قَلَمِكَ وَفَرِّجْ بَيْنَ السُّطُورِ وَقَرْمِطْ بَيْنَ الْحُرُوفِ فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ أَجْدَرُ بِصَبَاحَةِ الْخَطِّ.

315. Amīr al-mu’minīn, peace be upon him, said to his secretary ‘Ubaydullāh ibn Abī Rāfi‘: Put cotton flake in the ink-pot, keep the nib of your pen long, leave space between lines and close up the letters because this is good for the beauty of the writing.