The Transformation of Calligraphy from Spirituality to Materialism in Contemporary Saudi Arabian Mosques

Contemporary discourses by both Western and Muslim scholars on the subject of Islamic philosophy and art, especially the influence of globalisation on Islamic Art in general and the art of calligraphy in particular, have drawn attention to the new architectural styles of mosques in Saudi Arabia and the representation of calligraphy in them. The present study aims to analyse the impact of globalisation on the transformation of calligraphy in Saudi Arabian mosques, and investigate the paradoxical nature of authenticity in relation to the art of calligraphy. In this study, the historical, theoretical and qualitative data were amassed as part of the methodology. A qualitative descriptive method to a case study approach was the primary approach for data collection. The main aim was to understand the historical mapping of the origin and development of calligraphy, analysing its outcomes in the context of the contemporary mosques in Saudi Arabia. The results section focuses on the answers obtained from a questionnaire directed at artists and calligraphers, and in the interviews conducted with experts in calligraphy. The discussion section focuses on the detailed analyses of the answers. The study demonstrates the process of change and the misrepresentation of calligraphy and its applications inside the mosques selected for study, including forces that have been influencing such change. Consequently, the results show that there is a remarkable transformation of calligraphy in its form and function in contemporary mosques in Saudi Arabia. This transformation has been caused by due to several dominant factors including the way of representing calligraphic patterns, the impact of the local culture, and spread of the culture of materialism and globalisation