This teacher’s side hustle? Making khat cool again, one banner at a time
Every banner she produces is entirely handwritten, making each piece uniquely artistic and rich in aesthetic value.
KUALA LUMPUR - A request from a friend to create a wedding banner using traditional calligraphic or khat lettering became the starting point for Yusairah Hazrami to expand a business she has been building since 2018.
What makes this mother of three’s work especially captivating is that every banner she produces is entirely handwritten, making each piece uniquely artistic and rich in aesthetic value.
"I first learned khat while studying at a religious school in Shah Alam (in Selangor), where I had the chance to attend special calligraphy classes taught by an ustaz (religious teacher) from Yayasan Restu (in Shah Alam), a well-known institution in the field of calligraphy,” she told Bernama recently.
When she first took up calligraphy, Yusairah, 29, who also works as a part-time teacher at a private religious school, used to write short phrases like "Assalamualaikum” or the names of her customers on items such as canvas bags, bookmarks and pencil cases, which she sold online.
Her talent began to gain wider attention when videos of her work went viral on her TikTok account, @yusbuatkhat, with the hashtag #bannerjawi - leading to a surge in demand for her handwritten banners.
Yusairah uses calico fabric as the base for her banners, with all writing done freehand using black acrylic paint and three brushes of different sizes. She does not rely on any digital sketch or template.
"When I first started (doing calligraphy), I would do pencil outlines but over time my hand became so familiar with the flow of the script that I straight away do it with the brush, letting my creativity guide me.
"Should I make a mistake, I will patch it up with a piece of fabric if it’s a small error. In the case of a major error, I will replace the entire banner,” said Yusairah, adding she can complete eight to 10 banners a day, depending on the length of the text and the complexity of the calligraphy requested by the client.
To meet the growing demand for her banners, Yusairah has enlisted the help of two homemakers to assist with adding patterns and decorations, ensuring the overall layout and design are balanced.
Despite having to juggle her banner business with her teaching responsibilities, Yusairah remains committed to delivering every order on schedule.
"I hope more people, especially the younger generation, will learn to appreciate the art of khat writing as it represents our cultural identity and heritage. I want to make this art feel contemporary and relevant to society,” she said. - BERNAMA
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