Bingöl University, Faculty of Theology, Assistant Professor of Islamic History and Arts, Asst. Assoc. Dr. Nebi Butasım pointed out that calligraphers were forced to make their living in bazaars by falling into an ignorant condition with the Letter Revolution known as the transition to Latin alphabet. Assoc. Dr. Nebi Butasım, “The establishment of the Republic of Turkiye and the transition to the Latin alphabet has both destroyed our cultural codes and took away our art codes.”

Speaking to ILKHA about the calligraphy and ornamentation tables display at Bingöl University, Asst. Assoc. Dr. Nabi Butasım, drew attention to the negativity of the transition to the Latin alphabet on society.

Asst. Assoc. Dr. Butasım stated that calligraphy is considered to be one of the most prominent arts of Islam. Butasım pointed out that the Qur'an was written in Arabic letters and that this art had a history of 1400 years.

“With the declaration of the republic and the revolution of the alphabet, people suddenly fell to the ignorant status”

Reminding that the alphabet used in calligraphy is the alphabet used before the Republican period, Butasım said, “Everybody knew the alphabet used in the geographical region we call Anatolia and Ottoman. With the declaration of the republic and the letter revolution, this alphabet was taken away and the public suddenly fell to the ignorant status. Our students now cannot even write an ‘alif’, they are struggling because they grow up with the Latin alphabet and we know it. The art of calligraphy was very popular in the Ottoman period. The calligraphers had written their works with gold gilding at that time and they had the opportunity. This art started to not make any money in Republic period. Unfortunately, it has begun to revive in the last 10-15 years, which is good work for us, but it is not enough.”

“The transition to the Latin alphabet took our artistic codes as well as destroying our cultural codes”

Butasım stated that calligraphers who were dealing with calligraphy art fall into a totally ignorant situation and ended up selling their cheeses in bazaars with the declaration of the letter revolution, “But calligraphers have such a characteristic that there is no point of gaze of complain because they come from a mystical tradition and they are patient. The establishment of the Turkish Republic and the transition to the Latin alphabet both destroyed our cultural codes and took away our artistic codes. Now we are in the process of rebuilding. The state giving support to the institutions with beautiful works. I think that this art will come to better places with interest.” (ILKHA)