Pandikkad: A Class 7 student has created a replica of the Kiswa, the sacred black brocade cloth that covers the Kaaba in Makkah, using intricate calligraphy.

The artist behind this work is R P Sayyid Abdul Naheel, a student of Guidance Public School, Kodassery. Naheel’s Kiswa design is rendered on a 72-inch-long and 55-inch-wide cotton cloth, adorned with Quranic verses in calligraphic style.

Despite having no formal training in art, Naheel began drawing with encouragement from his mother. Over time, this interest blossomed into a passion for calligraphy and painting, placing him in the limelight at a young age.

Naheel’s talents have already brought him notable opportunities. He once got the opportunity to create a painting for the Sultan of Dubai. His impressive collection includes a portrait of little Krishna (which is slated to be donated to the Guruvayur temple), a meditative Lord Buddha, Leonardo da Vinci’s Mona Lisa and portraits of Malayalam actors Mamukkoya and Siddique, among others.

In addition to painting, Naheel has also mastered the art of copying verses from the Quran and sayings of the Prophet using calligraphic techniques. At his home in Chembrassery, the walls are lined with his vibrant artwork and calligraphy pieces. Naheel is the son of Sadikh Suhail of Puhenpurayil Veil and S Sajitha. Sayyid Abdul Naheel with the Kiswa replica he created using calligraphy.