Ahmad Najafi Zanjani

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Ahmad Najafi Zanjani
Personal Information
Full NameAhmad Najafi Zanjani
Well-Known AsMa'sumi the calligrapher
Birth1908
Studied inNajaf, Türkiye, Syria, Iran
DeathJuly 8, 1982
Burial PlaceMashhad
Scholarly Information
Professors'Abd al-Javad Mahallati * Hasan Zarrin * Hashim al-Baghdadi * Hamid al-Amadi
StudentsSayyid Murtada Nujumi
WorksScriber of the Qur'an and religious books * Inscription writer for the shrines of Ahl al-Bayt (a), Imamzadas and mosques


Aḥmad Najafī Zanjānī (Arabic: احمد نجفي زنجاني) (1982-1908) is renowned as Ma'sumi the calligrapher, a Shi'a cleric, an inscription writer for the shrines of Ahl al-Bayt (a), a scribe of the Qur'an, and a prominent advocate for the revival of calligraphy in Iran. He is widely regarded as the last surviving calligrapher in the style of the Safavid and Qajar periods.

Prior to the Islamic Revolution of Iran, he held the position of correcting and completing historical inscriptions, genealogies, handwritten Qur'ans, and copying valuable books on behalf of the Ministry of Culture and Arts. Najafi's body of works encompasses over a hundred volumes. Notable among his remaining works are five periods of writing the Qur'an, inscribing Qur'an 112 on a rice grain with his signature and date, a 250-meter inscription for the Tehran University Mosque, and the inscription for the fourth darih of Imam al-Rida (a). It is said that Najafi also contributed to the inscriptions of al-Aqsa Mosque. One of his most esteemed students in the field of calligraphy is Sayyid Murtada Nujumi, a Shi'a mujtahid.

Biography

Ahmad Najafi Zanjani, born in 1908 (1326 AH) in Najaf,[1] began his educational journey at the prestigious Iranian Murtazawi School in Najaf at the tender age of seven. Immersed in the world of seminary sciences, he eagerly delved into the realms of Arabic literature, jurisprudence, and principles of jurisprudence .[2]

After spending around twenty five years in Iraq, Ma'sumi returned to his homeland, settling in the vibrant neighborhood of Darkhungah in Tehran.[3] On July 8, 1982, at the age of 74, he passed away,[4] finding his final resting place in Mashhad.[5]

Amidst his pursuit of knowledge, Najafi Zanjani discovered a profound passion for the art of calligraphy.[6] By the age of 25, his remarkable skills as a calligrapher had gained him widespread recognition.[7] Under the guidance of revered masters, he honed his expertise in the thuluth style of calligraphy under Mirza 'Abd al-Ali Thani Yazdi, affectionately known as Ashraf al-Kuttab, and perfected the Naskh style under Mirza 'Abd al-Javad Mahallati. Additionally, he studied the intricate art of Nasta'liq calligraphy under the tutelage of Mirza Hasan Zarrin.[8]

Zanjani's dedication to his craft led him to seek wisdom from esteemed calligraphers such as Hashim al-Baghdadi and Muhammad 'Ali Fadli al-Baghdadi from Najaf, Hamid al-Amadi from Türkiye, and Badawi al-Dayrani from Syria.[9] His unwavering commitment and expertise earned him official permission to practice calligraphy.[10] Through diligent practice, he evolved from a student to a skilled calligrapher, undertaking the noble task of transcribing and copying religious and literary texts under the watchful eye of experienced calligraphy masters.[11] Habibullah Fada'ili, a prominent scholar in the field of calligraphy, traces the beginning of Zanjani's writing journey back to the year 1916.[12] Remarkably, his first notable achievement was the transcription of Khasa'is al-Zaynabiya, completed at the age of thirteen.[13]

Position

The inscription on the head of Tehran University Mosque

Ahmad Najafi Zanjani recognized as Ma'sumi the calligrapher, is esteemed as one of the proponents of thuluth calligraphy[14] in the history of Iranian calligraphy, having trained numerous talented students.[15] In the 1970s, during the revival of thuluth calligraphy by the Association of Iranian Caligraphers, Najafi Zanjani's works were considered exemplary and in accordance with all the rules, leading to an invitation for collaboration.[16]

The inscription at the entrance of the library of Imam Amir al-Mu'minin (a) in Najaf

Ma'sumi is regarded as the final living representative of calligraphers in the Safavid and Qajar periods, specializing in the art of inscriptions.[17] Prior to the Islamic Revolution of Iran, he played a vital role in correcting and completing historical inscriptions, genealogies, handwritten Qur'ans, and the meticulous copying of valuable books under the patronage of the Ministry of Culture at the time.[18] Among his notable students in the art of calligraphy was Sayyid Murtada Nujumi, an Iranian mujtahid and master calligrapher, who received permission from Ma'sumi to autograph and sign his own works.[19] Following the Islamic Revolution of Iran, Najafi Zanjani has been honored and commemorated on multiple occasions.[20]

Artistic Activities and Works

Ma'sumi script, a renowned calligraphic style, has seen the creation of an impressive collection of over a hundred volumes of books.[21] Among these works, one can find significant pieces such as the five volumes of the Qur'an, Safinat al-Bihar in two volumes, Mafatih al-Jinan (which features lithography), as well as Rasa'il and Kitab al-Tahara by Sayyid Husayn Burujirdi, all beautifully written by Ma'sumi Zanjani.[22]

The talent of Ma'sumi, the esteemed calligrapher, extends beyond traditional book writing. He has demonstrated his exceptional skill by inscribing Qur'an 112, complete with his signature and date, onto a minuscule grain of rice—an astonishing feat that he accomplished four times. Two of these remarkable rice inscriptions are carefully preserved in the library of Imam Amir al-Mu'minin (a) in Najaf, while the other two reside in Tehran.[23] Moreover, Ma'sumi's craftsmanship can be witnessed in the form of ziyara-text adorning various locations, such as the shrine of 'Abd al-'Azim al-Hasani in Ray, each bearing the eloquent Ma'sumi calligraphy.[24]

In addition to his literary endeavors, Ma'sumi has left an indelible mark as a master of inscriptions. His artistic talents have graced the shrines of the revered Imams (a) and Imamzadas, as well as holy sites, tombs, and mosques both within and outside of Iran.[25] Notable examples of his work include the inscription at Abu Ali Sina in Hamadan, the epigraphy adorning the A'ina mosque in Qom, the majestic calligraphy at the fourth shrine of Imam al-Rida (a), and the exquisite inscription at the shrine of Ruqayya bt. al-Imam al-Husayn (a) in Damascus.[26] It is even believed that the inscriptions at al-Aqsa Mosque are also made by the masterful hands of Ma'sumi.[27]

Gallery

  • Sura al-Isra' written by Najafi Zanjani.

    Sura al-Isra' written by Najafi Zanjani.

Notes

  1. ↑ Zāriʿī, Khaṭṭāṭ-i katība-hā-yi ḍarīḥ-i chahārum-i ḥaram-i Raḍawī Najafī Zanjānī Aḥmad, p. 108.
  2. ↑ Ḥāj Mīrzā Aḥmad Najafī Zanjānī, Hunar wa Mardum Journal, p. 31.
  3. ↑ Qāsimī, Nuqṭa ʿatfī dar khaṭṭ-i naskh-i Irānī: guft wa gū bā ustād Ṭarīqatī darbārah-yi Qurʾān kitābat shudih tawassuṭ-i marhūm Najafī Zanjānī, p. 19.
  4. ↑ Fishangchī, Taqwīm-i tajassumī, p. 36.
  5. ↑ Memorial and honoring ceremony for Master Mirza Ahmad Najafi Zanjani (Persian).
  6. ↑ The 25th anniversary of the death of the calligrapher of the inscriptions of Imam Rida's (a) shrine (Persian).
  7. ↑ Ḥāʾirī, Rūzshumār-i shamsī, p. 257.
  8. ↑ Hunar-i Katība-nigārī ākharīn bāzmāndi-yi khūd rā az dast dād, Faṣlnāmah-yi Hunar Journal, p. 183.
  9. ↑ Qāsimī, Nuqṭa ʿatfī dar khaṭṭ-i naskh-i Irānī: guft wa gū bā ustād Ṭarīqatī darbāra-yi Qurʾān kitābat shudi tawassuṭ-i marhūm Najafī Zanjānī, p. 19.
  10. ↑ Zāriʿī, Khaṭṭāṭ-i katība-hā-yi ḍarīḥ-i chahārum-i ḥaram-i Raḍawī Najafī Zanjānī Aḥmad, p. 109.
  11. ↑ Hunar wa Mardum Journal, Ḥāj Mīrzā Aḥmad Najafī Zanjānī, p. 31.
  12. ↑ Faḍāʾilī, Aṭlas-i khaṭṭ taḥqīqī dar khuṭūṭ-i Islāmī, p. 371.
  13. ↑ The 25th anniversary of the death of the calligrapher of the inscriptions of Imam Rida's (a) shrine (Persian).
  14. ↑ is a script variety of Islamic calligraphy.
  15. ↑ Master Najafi Zanjani, the reviver of the Thuluth style of calligraphy/The shadow of 'Usman Taha on the writing of the Qur'an by Ustad Najafi (Persian)
  16. ↑ Hunar-i Katība-nigārī ākharīn bāzmāndi-yi khūd rā az dast dād, Faṣlnāmah-yi Hunar Journal, p. 183.
  17. ↑ Hunar-i Katība nigārī ākharīn bāzmāndi-yi khūd rā az dast dād, Faṣlnāmah-yi Hunar Journal, p. 183.
  18. ↑ Zāriʿī, Khaṭṭāṭ-i katība-hā-yi ḍarīḥ-i chahārum-i ḥaram-i Raḍawī Najafī Zanjānī Aḥmad, p. 108.
  19. ↑ Ustād Nujūmī sarāmad-i thuluth niwisān, Kayhān-i Farhangī journal, p. 12; Nujūmī, Kīmīyā-yi Hastī zindigīnāma-yi khūdniwisht-i kamtarīn-i bandigān Sayyīd Murtaḍā Nujūmī, bih ihtimām-i Muḥammad ʿAlī Sultānī, p. 189.
  20. ↑ See: Guzārish-i tafṣīlī panjumīn namāyishgāh-i Qurʾān-i Karīm. Māh-i Dīn Journal, p. 5; Master Najafi Zanjani, the reviver of the Thuluth style of calligraphy/The shadow of 'Usman Taha on the writing of the Qur'an by Ustad Najafi (Persian).
  21. ↑ Hunar wa Mardum Journal, Ḥāj Mīrzā Aḥmad Najafī Zanjānī, p. 31. Qāsimī, Nuqṭa ʿatfī dar khaṭṭ-i naskh-i Irānī: guft wa gū bā ustād Ṭarīqatī darbārah-yi Qurʾān kitābat shudih tawassuṭ-i marhūm Najafī Zanjānī, p. 20.
  22. ↑ Qāsimī, Nuqṭa ʿatfī dar khaṭṭ-i naskh-i Irānī: guft wa gū bā ustād Ṭarīqatī darbārah-yi Qurʾān kitābat shudih tawassuṭ-i marhūm Najafī Zanjānī, p. 20.
  23. ↑ Zāriʿī, Khaṭṭāṭ-i katība-hā-yi ḍarīḥ-i chahārum-i ḥaram-i Raḍawī Najafī Zanjānī Aḥmad, p. 109.
  24. ↑ Qāsimī, Nuqṭa ʿatfī dar khaṭṭ-i naskh-i Irānī: guft wa gū bā ustād Ṭarīqatī darbārah-yi Qurʾān kitābat shudih tawassuṭ-i marhūm Najafī Zanjānī, p. 20.
  25. ↑ Hunar wa Mardum Journal, Ḥāj Mīrzā Aḥmad Najafī Zanjānī, p. 31.
  26. ↑ Faḍāʾilī, Aṭlas-i khaṭṭ taḥqīqī dar khuṭūṭ-i Islāmī, p. 371.
  27. ↑ Qāsimī, Nuqṭa ʿatfī dar khaṭṭ-i naskh-i Irānī: guft wa gū bā ustād Ṭarīqatī darbārah-yi Qurʾān kitābat shudih tawassuṭ-i marhūm Najafī Zanjānī, p. 20.

References

  • Faḍāʾilī, Ḥabīb Allāh. Aṭlas-i khaṭṭ taḥqīqī dar khuṭūṭ-i Islāmī. Isfahan: Nashrīya-yi Anjuman-i Āṭhār-i Millī-yi Isfahān, 1391 AH.
  • Fishangchī, Mīnā. Taqwīm-i tajassumī. Tandīs Journal, no. 102, Tīr 1386 Sh.
  • Fishangchī, Mīnā. Taqwīm-i tajassumī. Tandīs Journal, no. 127, Tīr 1387 Sh.
  • Guzārish-i tafṣīlī panjumīn namāyishgāh-i Qurʾān-i Karīm. Māh-i Dīn Journal, no. 4 and 5, Isfand 1376 Sh.
  • Ḥāj Mīrzā Aḥmad Najafī Zanjānī. Hunar wa Mardum Journal, No. 53 and 54, Isfand 1345 Sh.
  • Ḥāʾirī, ʿAlī. Rūzshumār-i shamsī. Qom: Markaz-i Pazhūhishha-yi Islāmī-yi Ṣidā wa Sīmā, 1386 Sh.
  • Hunar-i Katība-nigārī ākharīn bāzmāndi-yi khūd rā az dast dād. Faṣlnāmah-yi Hunar Journal, no. 1, 1360 Sh.
  • Nujūmī, Sayyīd Murtaḍā. Kīmīyā-yi Hastī zindigīnāma-yi khūdniwisht-i kamtarīn-i bandigān Sayyīd Murtaḍā Nujūmī, bih ihtimām-i Muḥammad ʿAlī Sultānī. Tehran: Nashr-i Sahā, 1379 Sh.
  • Qāsimī, ʿAlī Riḍā. Nuqṭa ʿatfī dar khaṭṭ-i naskh-i Irānī: guft wa gū bā ustād Ṭarīqatī darbārah-yi Qurʾān kitābat shudih tawassuṭ-i marhūm Najafī Zanjānī. Gulistān-i Qurʾān Journal, no. 155, Murdād 1382 Sh.
  • Ustād Nujūmī sarāmad-i thuluth niwisān. Kayhān-i Farhangī journal, no. 14, Urdībihisht 1364 Sh.
  • Zāriʿī, Abu l-Faḍl. Khaṭṭāṭ-i katība-hā-yi ḍarīḥ-i chahārum-i ḥaram-i Raḍawī Najafī Zanjānī Aḥmad. Āstān-i Hunar Journal, no. 9, Tābistān 1393 Sh.
  • استاد نجفی زنجانی؛ احیاگر تراث خط ثلث/ سایه عثمان‌طه بر کتابت قرآن استاد نجفی (Master Najafi Zanjani, the reviver of the Thuluth style of calligraphy/The shadow of 'Usman Taha on the writing of the Qur'an by Ustad Najafi (Persian)). Accessed: 2014/11/01.
  • بیست و پنجمین سال درگذشت خوشنویس کتیبه های حرم امام رضا(ع) (The 25th anniversary of the death of the calligrapher of the inscriptions of Imam Rida's (a) shrine (Persian)). Accessed: 2007/07/08.
  • نکوداشت استاد میرزا احمد نجفی زنجانی (Memorial and honoring ceremony for Master Mirza Ahmad Najafi Zanjani (Persian)). Accessed: 2023/05/09.
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