Creator of Al Quran \'Mushaf\'

KOMPAS/ILHAM KHOIRI

Isep Misbah

The Religious Affairs Ministry Al Quran Manuscript rewriting committee (LPMQ) issued the standard Indonesian font for the Al Quran manuscript in March 2018. The Arabic font is called LPMQ Misbah, named after its 44-year-old calligrapher, Isep Misbah.

“This is my contribution to Indonesia. Hopefully, it will be useful,” Isep said on Thursday (7/6/2018) at his house in the Serua subdistrict of Ciputat, South Tangerang, Banten.

The LPMQ Misbah font consists of around 300 Arabic letters, including single letters, letter components, combined letters and punctuation marks. It also contains automatic text for special phrases and words such as Allah, Muhammad and Basmallah.

“Actually, I was not entirely alone on this [project],” said Isep.

This is true. The font project was initiated by the LPMQ’s information technology (IT) team. At the end of 2017, Isep was appointed to create the Arabic script. He sketched the script on a sheet of paper in an Indonesian adaptation of the Uthman Thaha font. The script followed the Naskhi style, combined with the styles of Iraqi calligrapher Hasyim Muhammad Al-Baghdadi and Turkish calligrapher Muhammad Syauqi Afandi.

Then, the IT team digitalized the letters and converted them into software. The font has been applied in the ministry’s Al Quran app, which is available in Android, iOS and desktop versions. In the LPMQ Misbah, Indonesia now has its own Al Quran alphabet that is on the same level as the Uthman Thaha font from Saudi Arabia or Amiri font from Egypt.

International recognition

Isep Misbah was appointed to create the font, as he has a national, even international, reputation. He won the calligraphy competition during the 2000 Quran recitation contest (MTQ), followed by the Arabic decoration contest in the MTQ 2003. At the regional level, he was the six-time winner during the ASEAN calligraphy competitions in Brunei Darussalam from 1996 through 2006.

On the international stage, Isep received awards at the International Al-Burda Award in United Arab Emirates (2010), the Mahrajan Assafeer IV in Iraq (2015) and the Mustaqbal Asaatidzah in Zeytinburnu, Turkey (2017). Isep’s handwritten script combines classic and modern styles.

“It shows that an Indonesian calligrapher was appreciated at international level,” he said.

In 2016, Isep was appointed to recreate the standard Indonesian font for the Al Quran. When Kompas visited his Noqtah Art studio a few days ago in Pondok Aren, South Tangerang, Isep was ready to start writing. He was well dressed, wearing a white shirt, a black peci and trousers. He sat on a chair facing a glass table that was lit from beneath.

It was quiet. Slowly, he placed the pen into black ink and wrote letter by letter on a white sheet of paper. His left hand was used as a ruler to keep the letters aligned, and he created an Al Quran script in the beautiful Naskh style. The letters were slender, curvy and continuous. Each page was photographed and sent to the LPMQ for assessment and correction. If there was a mistake, Isep would rewrite the entire page. He has finished 22 chapters and will complete the remaining eight chapters in 2019. “This mushaf [script] will be a reference for Indonesia,” he said.

How could Isep achieve all this? Born in Sukabumi, West Java, on March 7, 1974, Isep was introduced to calligraphy when he saw the “Basmallah” written on the wall of his school in Bojongkembar village, Cikembar district, Sukabumi. Back home, he tried to replicate the Arabic calligraphy on his door using charcoal.

Studying at the modern Assalam Isamic boarding school in Sukabumi, his talent was honed because the school taught calligraphy. The young man continued his study at the Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University in Jakarta, majoring in Arabic studies. At university, he joined the Al Quran Calligraphy Institute led by master Arabic calligraphist Sirojuddin AR. Isep’s talents improved.

Isep often took part in calligraphy competitions. From there, he self-funded his education. After graduating from university, he lived for calligraphy. He supports his family with calligraphy.

Collaboration

Isep does not develop calligraphy only for himself, but as a collaboration. Along with several calligraphers, he initiated a calligraphy business, offering decoration for mosques. In the beginning, it was not easy. They were cheated several times. “We finished our work but we were not paid. In other cases, the mosque paid us in installments,” he said.

Not giving up, they continued to promote their business. When the number of projects increased, Isep and his colleagues set up Noqtah Art in 2000. In meeting their customers’ orders, they expanded their calligraphic media beyond ink, to paint, canvas, plywood, stainless steel, brass, copper and even concrete.

The calligraphy is written on paper, wall paintings, partitions, carvings, minarets, windows, doors and domes.

“We also worked to learn to mix the materials, management, project proposals, accounting and promotion,” said Isep.

Today, Noqtah has around 40 workers in several workshops in Pondok Aren (South Tangerang), Sawangan (Depok, West Java) and Lampung. The orders come not only from the provinces, but also from Malaysia and Brunei Darussalam.

Calligraphy provides spiritual joy and prosperity for Isep Misbah. As a calligrapher, he does not only produce beautiful Quranic writing, but also pursues a life’s path as beautiful as his writing.

“Preaching is not only through speech. Through calligraphy, I share knowledge and spread the beauty of Islam,” he said.

KOMPAS/ILHAM KHOIRI

Isep Misbah

Born: Sukabumi, March 7, 1974

Wife: Lina Saparlina, 42

Children: M Fajri Alfany, 16; Aufa Ramadhany, 14; Aisha Noor Aqeela, 8

Education: SDN Bojong I Cikembar, Sukabumi (1986); MTs, MA at Modern Assalam Islamic boarding school, Sukabumi (1990, 1993); Syarif Hidayatullah State Islamic University, Jakarta (2000)

Occupation:

Calligrapher, Al Quran manuscript writer, trainer and calligraphy contest juror; Teacher, Al Quran Calligraphy Institute (Lemka), Ciputat; Lemka Calligraphy Islamic boarding school, Sukabumi; Founder and head of Noqtah Art

Awards: First place winner, Calligraphy Contest, MTQ National (2000); First place winner, Calligraphic Decoration, MTQ National (2003)

; First place winner, Calligraphy Contest, Naskh Category, ASEAN, Brunei Darussalam (2000); First place winner, Calligraphy Contest, Riq’ah Category, ASEAN, Brunei Darussalam (2002); Appreciation Award, International Al-Burda Calligraphy Award, United Arab Emirates (2010); Second place winner, Mustaqbal Asaatidzah, Zeytinburnu, Turkey (2017); Second place winner, Mahrajan Assafeer VI, Iraq (2016)