AboutEventsInitiatives     Articles   Collection       Contact



An Artistic and Spiritual Retreat





Music for the Eyes

Arabic calligraphy as practiced around the world transcends the simple act of writing. As one early writer said of calligraphy, “If it was a flower, it would be a rose, if a metal, gold.” Another said, “The pen is the ambassador of intelligence, the messenger of thought, and interpreter for the mind.” This spiritual and artistic practice imbues the written word with life and beauty, so both the calligrapher and viewer alike may begin to embody the words and letters, their expression, and ultimately their meanings. 

What earlier appreciation for this practice has failed to fully embrace is that all throughout the world the richness of Islamic calligraphy has flourished, in different regions that are both at the center and the periphery of Islam, with different schools finding their roots in the spirituality and the unique practice of Islam in each region. Today the Reed Society for the Sacred Arts and the West African Calligraphy Institute invite you to discover the diversity of the calligraphic form, to learn from practitioners, both of traditional schools and those at the frontiers of Islam, and to join a growing community of people who seek to increase human understanding and compassion through artistic expression. If, in the words of the American calligrapher, Mohamed Zakariya,“calligraphy is music for the eyes,” then we invite you to join us this October in Abiquiu, New Mexico for a beautiful symphony.








An artistic and spiritual retreat 
anchored in three traditions of Arabic calligraphy: 

West African, Ottoman and Persian





Bahman Panahi
Nuria Garcia Masip
Fallou Fall





Annual Retreat in
Abiquiu, New Mexico

Returning
October 2025







We invite you to…



Spend time with award winning artists and scholars who will be your instructor and share their unique perspectives on art and spirituality and guide you with hands on experience in exploring different calligraphy styles and scripts…





Step into the sacred space of Dar al Islam, an American Islamic sacred space dreamed and designed by the internationally renowned architect, Hassan Al Fathy. Al Fathy wrote the book Architecture for the Poor and was consciously trying to create structures that seamlessly melded with the nature and environment of the each place...





Explore the landscape that drew Georgia Okeefe to this very area, leaving behind the bustle of city life to settle into a reverential rapport with the mountains, the rocks, the moon and the sky of Abiquiu and create paintings that are part of the American canon




Enjoy the company of seekers who understand the intersectionality of spirituality and art and have an unforgettable weekend, one that you will carry with you forever









The Retreat Center




A Sacred Landscape

Dar Al Islam is a retreat center situated on 1,600 acres in Abiquiu, New Mexico. The landscape is dramatic and awe inspiring and utterly different than the rest of the United States. 

Designed by Egyptian architect Hasan Fathy and completed in 1981, the campus is anchored by its Nubian inspired mosque and includes a library, lecture hall, dorm spaces, and multiple courtyards. Dar Al Islam is a nonprofit organization dedicated to cultivating a harmonious, integrated society through their mission and vision. 

Another gem of the property is the geological landscape of the Plaza Blanca (White Place). The Plaza Blanca is a beautiful slot canyon, unlike any other in the Southwest, well know for its mystical desert beauty where our participants will hike in the mornings. 




Subscribe to Our Newsletter



© 2024 Reed Society for the Sacred Arts