Arabic Calligraphy Styles

Sixteen authentic Arabic calligraphy styles, from classical Naskh and monumental Kufic to Persian Nastaliq and West African Kano. Pick a style to learn its story, then create your own artwork with it in the free generator.

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Naskh نسخ

The everyday script of books and the Qur'an: balanced, rounded and the easiest Arabic calligraphy style to read at small sizes.

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Kufic كوفي

Geometric, square-shouldered letterforms. Perfect for logos, tattoos, posters and anything that should look bold and structural.

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Diwani ديواني

Highly cursive with sweeping curves and tightly interlocked letters — the most decorative choice for names and wedding art.

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Ruqaa رقعة

Short strokes, flat baselines and small counters. This is how most of the Arab world handwrites today.

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Thuluth ثلث

Tall, dramatic verticals and deep curves. The showpiece style used for titles, mosque inscriptions and wall art.

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Modern حديث

A light, modern calligraphic hand — elegant thin strokes that suit minimal branding and social posts.

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Nastaliq نستعليق

A hanging, diagonal script with sweeping descenders and compact word shapes. Especially suited to Persian and Urdu poetry, names and elegant quotations.

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Qur’anic Naskh نسخ قرآني

Refined Naskh proportions, generous diacritics and a manuscript-like rhythm designed for dignified verses, literary passages and formal compositions.

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Fatimid Kufic كوفي فاطمي

A tall, compact display face inspired by Fatimid-era architectural inscriptions, with emphatic verticals and carved geometric presence.

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Maghrebi مغربي

The classic hand of North Africa and al-Andalus: rounded letters of even thickness, wide open bowls that dip below the line, and long stretched horizontals.

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Square Kufic كوفي مربع

Letters locked into a strict square grid of right angles — the boldest, most architectural style for logos, seals and statement pieces.

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Ornamented Kufic كوفي مزخرف

A hollow, outlined variant of square Kufic geometry — airy and ornamental, striking at large sizes for posters and tattoo outlines.

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Old Kufic كوفي قديم

Broad, horizontal letterforms with minimal curves, recalling the earliest Qur'an manuscripts. Solemn and timeless for heritage designs.

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Taliq (Persian) تعليق

Sloping, suspended strokes with dramatic rhythm — the Persian chancery hand, ancestor of Nastaliq, full of movement and flair.

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Kano (West African) كانو

The bold, wide-nibbed hand of West African Ajami manuscripts — rounded, confident and unmistakably different from Middle Eastern styles.

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Mohaqqaq-inspired محقق

Long horizontal sweeps and majestic proportions in the spirit of the 'king of scripts', ideal for dignified verses and certificates.

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