FaizNastaliq.com

The Urdu publishing and computing world has long been looking for a new font. A font that is not only aesthetically fine but technically supportive. By developing Faiz Nastaliq, the latest of the three generations of Nastaliq script, we, at Axis SoftMedia Pvt. Ltd., has given the Urdu world a REAL Asian Nastaliq, which is astonishingly close to Persian Nastaliq, unlike the previous Dehalvi and Noori Nastaliq. It is especially designed for quality publishing. Some of the early published samples show its impact and clarity on paper. Wall posters and designs look majestic and extremely presentable in Faiz Nastaliq.

Developing Urdu fonts and software with all the technical nuances has always been very tough and challenging. When Axis decided to develop a unique ligature based Urdu font, it faced with many hurdles. After we managed to zero in on Nastaliq, we decided to create a new Nastaliq font. Because there were many Dehalvi-type Nastaliq not only available in the market but it was ruling the publishing industry to a major extent. But… it has its shortcomings. It never looked as impressive as it was expected. So, we decided to create Lahori Nastaliq. It is an attractive new addition to the already existing fonts which promises to be, arguably, the best of them all.

Because we had decided that this new font would be ligature based, the first task was to find unique ligatures in Urdu language; as well as in Persian and Arabic. In the first phase of rigorous search, 12,000 unique ligatures were found which finally increased to approximately 30,000, with repetitions. 3500 unique Quranic ligatures were found to be included in it, which was never been done while creating earlier fonts. Typing these unique ligatures was equally tough. Many books, old and new dictionaries, Holy Quran, were typed. Though the number of unique ligatures looks amazingly huge, it was not easy, first to find it and then to sort out the unique ones. The whole process took almost half a year, 180 days of sheer hard work, day and most of the nights.

Syed Manzar Hasan Zaidi, Founder and Managing Director, Axis SoftMedia Pvt. Ltd., had finished the task single handedly, but burnt more than six months to sort out unique ligatures. Many months have gone without a glimpse of the destination. Keeping the faith of the team members was also challenging. Microsoft Excel has really been very helpful in sorting out unique ligatures.

After collecting unique ligatures, the task was to get the basic structure of the ligatures written.

Because there were not many calligraphers left in Urdu language, we were hit with another task to find a calligrapher who can copy Faiz Nastaliq with the very same curves and falls and re-create his magic. Many calligraphers were called for the task but none could match the requirement for this ambitious project. Three months passed by then.

While efforts to create a new Lahori Nastaliq through calligraphy reached to an insignificant naught, we decided to take existing calligraphic pieces of Lahori Nastaliq in old books and scripts. After a long discussion, the team liked Lahori Nastaliq created by Late Faiz Mujaddid, arguably one of the finest calligraphers of the century.

The task, in Faiz Saheb's absence, looked unachievable. Then we heard of one his pupil, Aslam Kiratpuri, only disciple of Faiz Saheb in the city and a fine calligrapher in his own right. He agreed to re-create the calligraphic pieces but showed his inefficiency in handling it on computer. Although, he introduced Dr. Rehan Ansari, Aslam Saheb's disciple, who learnt calligraphic nuances of calligraphy by Faiz Saheb in his last days, to the team. The best thing about Dr. Rehan was his efficiency in computer; his dedication was an added advantage to the team which boosted the moral to a new high. The task looked achievable once again; we started working, day and night, in all seasons for almost many months.

The ligatures, which were sorted out for final output, were given to Dr. Rehan for designing. He traced those structures by “Muraqqa-e-Faiz”, the only book, and thus the only authentic source, of the Takhtis describing the laws of Lahori Calligrahy. In the meantime, Aslam Kiratpuri was supervising the structures carefully. No need to mention, Syed Manzar was omnipresent all this while. Then it passed on to the font developing team, headed by Syed Manzar and Ahmed Abbas who from there took it to its final conclusion.