Afghan Woman Writing Entire Quran in Calligraphy
In a corner of the Afghan city of Herat, inside the historic citadel known as “Qalaa Ekhtiaruddin”, a group of women are immersed in their artistic works. Around them are examples of their exquisite and beautiful pottery works, and at the entrance to this space is a sign with the name of the exhibition “Khitin Zar” (Clay Gold).
The name of the exhibition reflects the fact that these young women, despite the restrictions, are trying to turn clay into gold through their handicrafts.
In the center of this group, sits a young woman who looks different from the others and has more concerns. In front of her are pages with handwritten verses from the Quran, and next to her are dozens of large pages and calligraphy tools on a table.
Nikita Darrani was born and educated in Herat. “I am a calligrapher and I am currently handwriting the Quran with a Pashto translation,” she said.
Darrani has already completed the writing of various parts of the Quran on large sheets of paper and devotes several hours to this work every day.
“In the past, we used to write the Quran collectively, but now I do it alone with a Pashto translation, and this is my greatest dream in life.”
She points out that Arabic calligraphy has deep roots in Herat, which is what encouraged her to learn the art years ago.
Darrani says, “I learned to handwrite the Quran 10 years ago, when I was only 15 years old. My teacher was Mir Wali Ahmad, a famous calligrapher from Herat, who taught me this skill.”
Although Dari is taught in most schools in Herat, Darrani has dedicated time to learning Pashto literature, which is now helping her write a Pashto translation of the Quran.
The art of calligraphy in Herat is over a thousand years old, flourishing since the Timurid era, and remains one of the city’s most enduring arts, preserved by a handful of skilled calligraphers. The Herat Calligraphers’ Association serves as a hub for these artists and a space to encourage new generations to learn the art.
For Nikita, 25, her work is a precious opportunity at a time when many girls in Afghanistan face restrictions, with high schools and universities closed to them and widespread restrictions on girls’ participation in the labor market. Darrani says she is happy to have the opportunity to work and that her work also benefits other girls.
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She currently trains more than 20 women in her art workshop and hopes to pass on the art to girls in other provinces of Afghanistan. “Everything depends on the possibilities, and if the possibilities are available, my big dream will come true,” says the calligrapher.
She adds that some of the girls she has trained have now reached the level of masters and have even participated in exhibitions in Saudi Arabia.
“We export these products to the United States, Europe and different countries around the world. This is not just a business; it is a message that these are works made by Afghan women,” says Nikita, referring to the collection of pottery displayed at the exhibition.
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