''Reqāʿ'' () is one of the six scripts of

Arabic calligraphy Arabic calligraphy is the artistic practice of penmanship, handwriting and calligraphy based on the Arabic alphabet. It is known in Arabic language, Arabic as ''khatt'' (), derived from the words 'line', 'design', or 'construction'. Kufic is the ...

used primarily for letters, edicts, or manuscripts. ''Reqa''' was used for private correspondence on small papers or for nonreligious books and texts.

Ibn al-Nadim Abū al-Faraj Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq an-Nadīm (), also Ibn Abī Yaʿqūb Isḥāq ibn Muḥammad ibn Isḥāq al-Warrāq, and commonly known by the '' nasab'' (patronymic) Ibn an-Nadīm (; died 17 September 995 or 998), was an important Muslim ...

mentioned in his book

Al-Fehrest The () (''The Book Catalogue'') is a compendium of the knowledge and literature of tenth-century Islam compiled by Ibn al-Nadim (d. 998). It references approx. 10,000 books and 2,000 authors.''The Biographical Dictionary of the Society for the ...

, that the inventor of ''Reqa''' script was

Al-Fadl ibn Sahl Abu l-Abbas al-Fadl ibn Sahl ibn Zadhanfarukh al-Sarakhsi (; died 818), titled Dhu 'l-Ri'āsatayn (, "the man of the two headships"), was a famous Persian vizier of the Abbasid era in Khurasan, who served under Caliph al-Ma'mun (r. 813–832). He ...

. The

script Script may refer to: Writing systems * Script, a distinctive writing system, based on a repertoire of specific elements or symbols, or that repertoire * Script (styles of handwriting) ** Script typeface, a typeface with characteristics of handw ...

was one of the most popular scripts in the

Ottoman Empire The Ottoman Empire (), also called the Turkish Empire, was an empire, imperial realm that controlled much of Southeast Europe, West Asia, and North Africa from the 14th to early 20th centuries; it also controlled parts of southeastern Centr ...

. ''Reqa was gradually simplified by other calligraphers and was changed to a new script called ''Ruqʿah'' () or ''Riqʿah'' (), which is now the most common handwritten script in

Arab Arabs (, , ; , , ) are an ethnic group mainly inhabiting the Arab world in West Asia and North Africa. A significant Arab diaspora is present in various parts of the world. Arabs have been in the Fertile Crescent for thousands of years ...

countries.

References

Typefaces Arabic calligraphy {{arabic-script-stub