Origins & Early Life

Ibn Muqla (Arabic: ابن مقلة) was a polymath, calligrapher, vizier, and poet prominent in Baghdad during the Islamic Golden Age. Born in 9th century Baghdad, Ibn Muqla systematized Arabic calligraphy through geometric and mathematical principles, revolutionizing the art form and beginning the classical Islamic calligraphic tradition. Rising to high state posts as a young man, his career culminated in his assumption of the senior ministerial title of the Abbasid Caliphate, the vizierate, thrice: in 928–930, 932–933 and 934–936. Unable to successfully challenge the growing power of regional emirs, he lost his position to the first amir al-umara, Ibn Ra'iq, and died in prison.

Pivotal Works & Achievements

He is widely celebrated for inventing the Thuluth style of Islamic calligraphy along with five other styles–including Naskh, a smooth cursive style that replaced the older Kūfi style as the primary script for writing manuscripts of the Qur'an. His skill in the art of calligraphy was so great that his contemporaries are recorded to have attributed religious and prophetic attributes to his abilities, with one contemporary calling him a "prophet of calligraphy." Ibn Muqla was born...

Enduring Legacy & Impact

The historical impact and works continue to influence the modern world.

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