Rasheed Butt, a world renowned calligrapher, started Calligraphy in 1961. He says about himself, “I am fascinated by the timeless and captivating message of the Holly Qur’an and Sunnah, It gives me much pride to know that my hand is an instrument in creating delightful expression of this Divine message. I feel honoured that the Almighty has bestowed upon me this opportunity to spread this Divine message to audiences worldwide. My work in Islamic Calligraphy is my fate and destiny to which I have dedicated my life.” He has exhibited his work all over the globe and many of his Calligraphy masterpieces feature in museums, private collections and many monuments including the Pakistani Senate, Al-Furqan Foundation (UK), Agha Khan medical college and hospital and Mecca Gate, Saudi Arabia. Butt has been commissioned by the Prime Minister of Pakistan to create inimitable works of Islamic Calligraphy which have been presented to more than twenty heads of state in an official capacity.

Butt’s achievements were recognised by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi of Sharjah who presented him lifetime achievement award in 2014 and by the President of Pakistan who presented him with the “Pride of Performance” award in 1989 which is considered the highest civil award in Pakistan. He was chosen as an International jury member for the International Calligraphy Competition organised by the IRCICA (Turkey) and also as a jury member for the International Calligraphy competition organised by the Algerian Government in 2009.

Another significant characteristic of Rasheed Butt’s works is the serenading illumination. He is the first person in Pakistan who used illuminations in his work. Illumination, again an art sadly lost in the sands of time, at the hands of chilling complacence and continuing disinterestedness gradually slipping into oblivion is redeemed by Butt’s own daughter Saira Butt.

Butt has worked to promote the art of Islamic Calligraphy and has many students from around the world. He first taught calligraphy on national television in 1991-1994 when he hosted his own weekly programme. He also has been the curator of national and international Calligraphy exhibitions. Butt continues to teach Islamic Calligraphy as a lecturer at the National College of Art, Fatima Jinnah Women’s University and International Islamic University, Islamabad.

Awards

 

Lifetime achievement award presented by His Highness Sheikh Dr. Sultan Bin Mohammed Al Qasimi of Sharjah, 2014, UAE

Pride of Performance Award from President of Pakistan, 1989, Islamabad, Pakistan

Notable Collections

 

  1. His Majesty Abdullah bin Abdul Aziz Al Saud, King of Saudi Arabia
  2. His Highness Sheikh Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al Sabah, Amir of the State of Kuwait.
  3. Sheikh Mohammad Bin Rashid Al-Maktoum, Prime Minister of United Arab Emirates.
  4. R.H. Crown Prince of Saudi Arabia.
  5. E. Sh. Ahmad Zaki Yamani
  6. E. Dr. Ekmeleddin Ihsanoglu (Secretary General O.I.C).
  7. E. Dr. Parviz Davoudi, First Vice President of the Islamic Republic of Iran.
  8. Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono, President of Indonesia.
  9. Prince Muhammad Bin Issa Al Khalifa, Commander National Guards, Bahrain.
  10. E. Mahathir Mohammed, former Prime Minister of Malaysia.
  11. E. Dr. Badawi, Prime Minister of Malaysia.
  12. R.H. Hassanal Bolkiah Mu’izzaddin Waddaulah, Sultan of Brunei.
  13. Mr Hamid Karzai President of the Islamic Republic of Afghanistan.
  14. Mr Shaukat Aziz, former Prime Minister of Pakistan.
  15. Mr Pervez Musharraf, President of Pakistan.
  16. Bait-ul-Quran, Bahrain
  17. Ackland Museum, North Carolina,USA

Notable Exhibitions

 

 

2018

Exhibition in Kazan Kremlin Museum-Reserve, Tataristan, Russia

2017

Travelling exhibition, “From Pakistan to China, ‘From a Scroll to the Book’, Shanghai University – Shanghai, Peace Museum – Beijing, China.

2014

International Islamic Calligraphy Exhibition, Sharjah

2010

International Calligraphy Exhibition organised by ECO, Baku, Tajikistan

2010

International Exhibition of Calligraphy, Tehran and Mashhad, Iran

2010

International Exhibition of Calligraphy, Abu Dhabi

2010

International Exhibition of Calligraphy Biennial, Sharjah

2010

International Exhibition of Calligraphy, Algeria

2010

Jury Member,  Kuwait National Competition of Calligraphy, Kuwait

2010

Exhibition in Shakespeare Museum, UK

2009

International Exhibition of Calligraphy, Algiers, Algeria

2009

Jury member for the International Calligraphy Competition, Algiers, Algeria

2008

IslamExpo, Great Olympia Hall, London

2008

National Library, Tunis Tunisia

2007

Curator of National Calligraphy Exhibition at National Art Gallery Inaugurated by President of Pakistan, Islamabad, Pakistan

2006

International Exhibition by Five leading Calligraphers of the World, Masjid Al-Kabeer, Kuwait

2005

IslamExpo, Alexandra Palace, London, UK

2005

Convention Centre, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

2005

Hilton Hotel, Houston, USA

2004

Pakistan Embassy, Washington D.C., USA

2003

Sharjah Art Museum, Sharjah, UAE

2002

Kufa Gallery, London, UK

2002

October Gallery, London, UK

2002

Errum Art Gallery, London, UK

2002

Ackland Museum, North Carolina, USA

2001

Sharjah Museum (International Exhibition), Sharjah, UAE

1997

1st International Calligraphy Festival, Tehran, Iran

1997

Art Connoisseur, London, UK

1996

Jamia, Singapore

1995

Waltham Forest College, London, UK

1995

Al Furqan Foundation, Wimbledon, London, UK

1994

Barber Institute of Fine Arts, Birmingham, UK

1994

Marriott Hotel, Islamabad, Pakistan

1990

Birmingham Central Cathedral, Birmingham, UK

1988

National Art Gallery, Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

1988

1st Intl. Calligraphy Festival, Saddam Art Centre, Baghdad, Iraq

1987

Oriental Museum, Durham, UK

1986

Urdu Markaz, London (UK)

1984

National Art Gallery, Islamabad, Pakistan

1983

Liaqat Memorial Hall, Rawalpindi, Pakistan

1978

Punjab Arts Council, Lahore, Pakistan

1977

Punjab Arts Council, Lahore, Pakistan