This month, NASR invited the highly acclaimed Master Calligrapher Haji Noor Deen to Southern Ontario. Haji Noor teaches calligraphy at the Islamic College in Zhenzhou, China, and was the first Chinese Muslim to be awarded the Egyptian Certificate of Arabic Calligraphy. He has lectured at many prestigious institutions, including, Harvard, Cambridge, U.C. Berkley, M.I.T., and the Zaytuna Institute. He has been invited to display his work in communities around the world. NASR felt it would be an excellent opportunity to have such a great scholar and artist share his craft and knowledge with our community. View pictures from the event

On Saturday, September 8, Haji Noor spent the day with 50 attendees in an intimate workshop setting in the beautiful Noor Cultural Centre in Toronto. The day began with an introduction to the art of calligraphy, a discussion of the calligrapher’s tools, and a lesson on the various styles of Islamic calligraphy.

After the lunch break everyone was given a chance to try their hand at calligraphy, under the tutelage of Haji Noor. Each person recieved individual tips and critiques from the Master Calligrapher, helping them to build and improve upon their technique. It was an opportunity for all in attendance to not only marvel at Haji Noor’s immense skill and beautiful creations, but also to gain a deeper understanding of and appreciation for the art of Islamic calligraphy.

Due to the success of this event, NASR hopes to bring Haji Noor back to the Southern Ontario region in the future so that others may share this unforgettable experience, Allah willing.