Dr. Qudsiyyah Bhayat | The Blessed Guide

Dr Qudsiyyah Bhayat is a South African born and trained practicing physician who moved to Canada in 2002. She officially began her journey in 2018 ago as a traditional calligrapher in the art of Islamic calligraphy. She spent her first two years learning the art remotely from Paris - based master calligrapher Nuria Garcia Masip, a student of the renowned Turkish master Davud Bektash’ following which Qudsiyyah moved her studies remotely to Istanbul where she was accepted as a student at IRCICA, (Research Center for Islamic Art, History and Culture) and completed her lessons with Master Ferhat Kurlu, and Master Mumtaz Seckin Durdu in 2023, while also pursuing studying the Turkish Language. She was granted the coveted Ijazet /Traditional licence in Thuluth and Nesih scripts signed by both her teachers as well as the now late Grandmaster Hasan Celebi, being the first Canadian to be granted such an honor.

Arabic Calligraphy is the pinnacle of Islamic visual art, it’s origin linked intimately with the Holy Quran. I am honored to carry this tradition forward in Canada, on land shared with Indigenous Peoples and newcomers alike. With the blessing and trust of my teachers, I strive to preserve the integrity of this classical art while presenting it in ways
that resonate with the modern world. My work goes beyond gallery pieces, extending into architectural elements, celebrating the script’s rich cultural legacy spanning over a thousand years. As a physician with years in primary care, I bring a deep awareness of the human condition into my art, aiming to uplift and inspire. Rooted in tradition yet reaching toward timeless relevance, my goal is to create pieces that connect hearts, foster healing, and reflect our shared human experience. I seek to honor the past while contributing meaningfully to our present cultural narrative through beauty and authenticity.

This piece is a verse from the Holy Quran Chapter 6 vs 155 the translation of which reads:
“This is a blessed Book We have revealed. So follow it and be mindful ˹of Allah˺,
so you may be shown mercy.”
Quran 6:155