Tree of calligraphers and licensees
In calligraphy, the sanad is an unbroken chain of masters and students: each receives from the one before through word, practice and correction, until granted the ijaza. These trees document the chain running from Belaid Hamidi to Mohammed Amine Bouhid and on to his students at the Thanoon Centre.
The sanad and the traditional ijaza
The ijaza is a text the master writes and signs by hand, attesting that the student has mastered the rules of the script and may practise and teach it. It is not a certificate of attendance but the fruit of years of observing, imitating, practising and being corrected.
Through the ijaza the student joins the chain of the craft: knowing whom they learned from, and whom their master learned from — so the trust passes from generation to generation.
- ijazas in Arabic calligraphy
- 29
- licensed calligraphers
- 19
as given in “From the Master’s Hand to the Student’s Hand” (2026)
Chain of transmission in Maghrebi Thuluth
Belaid Hamidi → Mohammed Amine Bouhid → his students licensed in Maghrebi Thuluth.
Click a tree to view it in full, then click again to zoom in and read the names.
Chain of transmission in Ruq‘a and Diwani
Ruq‘a: Yousif Thanoon → Belaid Hamidi → Mohammed Amine Bouhid. Diwani: Mustafa Halim Özyazıcı → Ali Alparslan → Belaid Hamidi → Mohammed Amine Bouhid.
Click a tree to view it in full, then click again to zoom in and read the names.
The complete tree: chain of transmission (sanad) in Arabic calligraphy
It brings together the ijaza holders in Ruq‘a, Mabsout, Mujawhar, Maghrebi Thuluth and Diwani, through the line of calligrapher Belaid Hamidi (the Hamidi method).
Trees held pending publication consent
The complete tree and the Mabsout and Mujawhar trees include photos and names of licensees who are minors. To respect their privacy they are kept off the public pages until their guardians’ consent is confirmed.
Chain of transmission in Maghrebi Mabsout
Belaid Hamidi → Mohammed Amine Bouhid → his students licensed in Mabsout.
Trees held pending publication consent
The complete tree and the Mabsout and Mujawhar trees include photos and names of licensees who are minors. To respect their privacy they are kept off the public pages until their guardians’ consent is confirmed.
Chain of transmission in Maghrebi Mujawhar
Belaid Hamidi → Mohammed Amine Bouhid → his students licensed in Mujawhar.
Trees held pending publication consent
The complete tree and the Mabsout and Mujawhar trees include photos and names of licensees who are minors. To respect their privacy they are kept off the public pages until their guardians’ consent is confirmed.
Source: licensees’ trees, Thanoon Centre — 2026