Introduction to Arabic Calligraphy

Arabic Calligraphy with Khalid Casado

We are grateful for the opportunity to welcome Ustad Khalid to New York City as part of his exhibition and workshop series in the United States this spring.

Islamic Calligraphy Workshop

Join us for an immersive session where you will learn the basics of this timeless sacred art form. Discover the history, discipline and dhikr behind each pen stroke.

No experience necessary—just bring your curiosity and open heart.

All supplies will be provided, including qalam, ink and paper.

Intermediate and advanced students are also welcome and Ustad Khalid is available to review your meshq or help fine-tune your qalam, ink or lyca.

The Calligrapher: Ustad Khalid

Today, Ustad Khalid is among a preeminent group of ordained master calligraphers in the Ottoman tradition, belonging to a direct lineage from Şeyh Hamdullah (d. 1520), the legendary master widely regarded as the father of Ottoman calligraphy.

Although he had long felt a special attraction to the forms of Arabic calligraphy, it was not until 2008 that he first took up the reed pen, attending a brief introductory course in nesih script. He soon felt the need to study with a true master who could transmit this sacred tradition through living discipline and direct instruction.

That search led him to the renowned calligrapher Nuria García Masip, who became his first teacher, mentor and master. Under her guidance, he traveled to Istanbul for the first time in 2009, where he was introduced to the great Ottoman calligraphic tradition and to the masters from whom she herself had learned. He began his first formal lessons with her support, and with the master calligrapher (hattat) Davut Bektaş, always under the supervision of the legendary master Hasan Çelebi. Around two years later, he also began studying with the master hattat Ferhat Kurlu, who, together with Nuria García Masip, became one of his strongest formative influences.

In 2014, after years of devoted study, he received his ijazet—his formal calligraphy diploma—in the sülüs and nesih scripts at IRCICA (the Research Centre for Islamic History, Art and Culture) in Istanbul, signed by Hasan Çelebi, Ferhat Kurlu, and Nuria García Masip.

In addition to his command of the qalam, Ustad Khalid has explored the companion arts that complete this sacred artistic tradition, including illumination (tehzib), papermaking, bookbinding, and gilding. In recent years, he has continued expanding his calligraphic repertoire and compositions, carrying the core Ottoman discipline to new heights while preserving the integrity of its classical forms in both letter and spirit.

Ustad Khalid teaches and exhibits internationally. His work has been featured in exhibitions and biennials in Sharjah, Medina, Barcelona, Washington, DC, and, most recently, Mexico City.

This workshop is hosted in partnership with Asad Husain, also a student of calligraphy, based in New York.

About The Reed Society for the Sacred Arts

The Reed Society for the Sacred Arts (RSSA) is hosting this workshop in partnership with Asad Husain, also a student of Islamic calligraphy, based in New York.

RSSA works with a global network of artists and musicians to nurture the cultural, intellectual, and spiritual wisdom woven into sacred art forms. Its work serves not only as a platform for cultural preservation, but also as a source of healing and reconnection for diverse communities, particularly diaspora communities, immigrants, and refugees seeking to engage with their heritage.

In collaboration with leading artists and institutions, RSSA curates a rich array of programs, including hands-on workshops, immersive retreats, musical performances, academic lectures, and exhibitions. The Society’s work spans disciplines such as Arabic and Ottoman calligraphy, Islamic illumination (tehzib), sacred geometry, and traditional music forms including Qawwali and Sufi-inspired vocal traditions.

The Reed Society has partnered with organizations such as the Smithsonian’s National Museum of Asian Art, The Walters Art Museum, The Kennedy Center, and major universities including Harvard, George Washington University, and Stanford.

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For questions or to register, please contact: [email protected]

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