This piece is formed entirely using only Arabic calligraphy in the ornamental Diwani Jali script. The text in this piece is the entire 80th book of the Qur’an. It is part of my ongoing project ‘The Quran for Solidarity‘.

تم تشكيل هذه القطعة باستخدام الخط العربي باستخدام التزيين الديواني الجالي فقط. النص في هذه القطعة هو سورة 80 كاملة من القرآن الكريم. وهو جزء من مشروعي  الحالي – القرآن للتضامن

This piece was prepared for my upcoming exhibition at the American embassy in Beirut.

30 ب 30سم على ورق سماكة 220 غرام. جهزت هذت القطعة لمعرضي في السفارة الاميركية في بيروت

This Surah, entitled ‘Abasa’, meaning ‘He frowned’ is composed of 42 different verses.  A translation of the whole surah can be seen below, courtesy of Sahih International. The Hindi numerals appear at the end of every verse. All 42 verses are included, and none are repeated.

هذه السورة، بعنوان “عبس”، وتتألف من 42 آية مختلفة. ويمكن الاطلاع على ترجمة كاملة للسورة أدناه، من صحيح انترناشيونال. وتظهر الأرقام الهندية في نهاية كل آية. تم تضمين كافة الآيات ال 42 ، بدون تكرار

عَبَسَ وَتَوَلَّى

80:01 The Prophet frowned and turned away

أَن جَاءَهُ الأَعْمَى

80:02 Because there came to him the blind man, [interrupting].

وَمَا يُدْرِيكَ لَعَلَّهُ يَزَّكَّى

80:03 But what would make you perceive, [O Muhammad], that perhaps he might be purified

أَوْ يَذَّكَّرُ فَتَنفَعَهُ الذِّكْرَى

80:04 Or be reminded and the remembrance would benefit him?

أَمَّا مَنِ اسْتَغْنَى

80:05 As for he who thinks himself without need

فَأَنتَ لَهُ تَصَدَّى

80:06 To him you give attention.

وَمَا عَلَيْكَ أَلاَّ يَزَّكَّى

80:07 And not upon you [is any blame] if he will not be purified.

وَأَمَّا مَن جَاءَكَ يَسْعَى

80:08 But as for he who came to you striving [for knowledge]

وَهُوَ يَخْشَى

80:09 While he fears [Allah],

فَأَنتَ عَنْهُ تَلَهَّى

80:10 From him you are distracted.

كَلاَّ إِنَّهَا تَذْكِرَةٌ

80:11 No! Indeed, these verses are a reminder;

فَمَن شَاء ذَكَرَهُ

80:12 So whoever wills may remember it.

فِي صُحُفٍ مُّكَرَّمَةٍ

80:13 [It is recorded] in honored sheets,

مَّرْفُوعَةٍ مُّطَهَّرَةٍ

80:14 Exalted and purified

بِأَيْدِي سَفَرَةٍ

80:15 [Carried] by the hands of messenger-angels,

كِرَامٍ بَرَرَةٍ

80:16 Noble and dutiful.

قُتِلَ الإِنسَانُ مَا أَكْفَرَهُ

80:17 Cursed is man; how disbelieving is he

مِنْ أَيِّ شَيْءٍ خَلَقَهُ

80:18 From what substance did He create him?

مِن نُّطْفَةٍ خَلَقَهُ فَقَدَّرَهُ
80:19 From a sperm-drop He created him and destined for him;

ثُمَّ السَّبِيلَ يَسَّرَهُ

80:20 Then He eased the way for him

ثُمَّ أَمَاتَهُ فَأَقْبَرَهُ

80:21 Then He causes his death and provides a grave for him.

ثُمَّ إِذَا شَاء أَنشَرَهُ

80:22 Then when He wills, He will resurrect him.

كَلاَّ لَمَّا يَقْضِ مَا أَمَرَهُ

80:23 No! Man has not yet accomplished what He commanded him.

فَلْيَنظُرِ الإِنسَانُ إِلَى طَعَامِهِ
80:24 Then let mankind look at his food –

أَنَّا صَبَبْنَا الْمَاء صَبًّا

80:25 How We poured down water in torrents,

ثُمَّ شَقَقْنَا الأَرْضَ شَقًّا

80:26 Then We broke open the earth, splitting [it with sprouts],

فَأَنبَتْنَا فِيهَا حَبًّا

80:27 And caused to grow within it grain

وَعِنَبًا وَقَضْبًا

80:28 And grapes and herbage

وَزَيْتُونًا وَنَخْلا

80:29 And olive and palm trees

وَحَدَائِقَ غُلْبًا

80:30 And gardens of dense shrubbery

وَفَاكِهَةً وَأَبًّا

80:31 And fruit and grass –

مَّتَاعًا لَّكُمْ وَلِأَنْعَامِكُمْ

80:32 [As] enjoyment for you and your grazing livestock.

فَإِذَا جَاءَتِ الصَّاخَّةُ

80:33 But when there comes the Deafening Blast

يَوْمَ يَفِرُّ الْمَرْءُ مِنْ أَخِيهِ

80:34 On the Day a man will flee from his brother

وَأُمِّهِ وَأَبِيهِ

80:35 And his mother and his father

وَصَاحِبَتِهِ وَبَنِيهِ

80:36 And his wife and his children,

لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مِّنْهُمْ يَوْمَئِذٍ شَأْنٌ يُغْنِيهِ

80:37 For every man, that Day, will be a matter adequate for him.

وُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ مُّسْفِرَةٌ

80:38 [Some] faces, that Day, will be bright –

ضَاحِكَةٌ مُّسْتَبْشِرَةٌ

80:39 Laughing, rejoicing at good news.

وَوُجُوهٌ يَوْمَئِذٍ عَلَيْهَا غَبَرَةٌ

80:40 And [other] faces, that Day, will have upon them dust.

تَرْهَقُهَا قَتَرَةٌ

80:41 Blackness will cover them.

أُوْلَئِكَ هُمُ الْكَفَرَةُ الْفَجَرَةُ

80:42 Those are the disbelievers, the wicked ones.