Global calligrapher Obaida Al-Banki
The international calligrapher Ubaidah Muhammad Salih Al-Banki expressed his pride and happiness in his contribution to writing the lines of the new Qatari paper currency in its fifth issue, and that this is an honor for him and another new achievement that will be added to his previous achievements, on top of which is writing the Qatar Qur’an, pointing out that the beauty of the new designs, and that they will be On the ground it is more beautiful because the image does not reflect the original, and people will quickly get used to it as it contains symbols and connotations of Qatari heritage, the environment and Qatari sovereignty.
In an interview with Al-Sharq website, the bank explained that at the beginning he worked on writing many different models in most Arabic fonts and presented them to the Central Bank officials, who were in contact with him step by step until the opinion settled on four types of lines, thanking His Excellency Sheikh Fahd bin Faisal Al The second deputy governor of Qatar Central Bank and Mr. Muhammad Jassim Al-Kuwari, Executive Director of the Public Debt, Banking and Issuance Sector.
In response to a question about the types of fonts used, the bank answered that it chose 4 lines to write the new denominations of the Qatari riyal, which are the third, the verifier, the authorization and the copies, indicating that the Arabic calligraphy and the decorative elements on Arab coins have their importance as an official document issued by the state, as they are a corner and a sign of its insignia. Errors in her writing and letters and does not tolerate secondary speech in her texts.
The bank calligrapher gave a brief explanation of each of the four types used in writing on the new version of the Qatari currency:
1- Thuluth line:
He wrote in it the phrase “Qatar Central Bank”, which is currently recorded on the new version, indicating that it is considered as the father and mother of calligraphy and expresses modesty and greatness and writes on important matters, and it is one of the most famous types of calligraphy. It is one of the most difficult Arabic fonts in terms of rules and parallels, and it is characterized by flexibility, durability of composition and versatility of composition.
– Detective line
Al-Nabki says that he wrote the categories of currencies on the new version, as it is considered one of the most beautiful and difficult lines at the same time and a font with pomp and sobriety, huge in shape and not overlapping in the letters and written in one rhythm and was in the past a measure of other lines, which most of them originated from.
3- Leave line
The banker adds that from his name as it appears, the leave line was called this name because it was used to write written leaves, and the leave is in the sense of a certificate such as academic certificates that indicate that a student has completed his studies and obtained a certain degree in a specialization and that he is licensed in his field. He pointed out that he used to write the conclusion of the books and the other notes in it, noting that he wrote in it the phrase “a banknote of guaranteed value.”
4- Naskh font
The phrases “Governor of Qatar Bank” and “Minister of Finance” belong to the Naskh script, which is one of the Arabic scripts. It is called the Naskh script because of the large number of people who use it in their writings, whether for copying or transmitting books, and it is used in writing important matters such as daily publications, educational books, and Qur’ans. Al-Karima, and websites, and it is also the first line learned by young people in the Arab and Islamic world.
The bank continued his conversation with the East, explaining that the line used in the currency currently in circulation from the fourth edition is the Diwani line and it was one of the secrets of the Ottoman Sultanate in ancient times and its symbols were known only to the Diwan calligraphers, and the general public could not read it until this line was deciphered in the modern era .
With regard to its future projects, the bank revealed a new project to write the Qur’an in several lines for a party in Qatar.
The banker holds the sash of merit from His Highness Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, Emir of the country at the time of the inauguration of the Qatar Qur’an. He was born in 1964 in the Syrian city of Deir Ezzor and holds, in addition to the Syrian nationality, the Turkish honorary nationality, which Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan granted him in recognition of his international achievements in Calligraphy and especially the Holy Quran font.
He is the author of the Qatar Qur’an, after the first international competition for the line of the Noble Qur’an, in which more than 120 calligraphers from different parts of the world participated, and he completed writing the Qur’an within three and a half years, and he is a judge in many international competitions.
