Eid Mubarak is the first stamp issue from NZ Post to recognise New Zealand’s Muslim communities and the fasting month of Ramadan.
Eid Mubarak
NZ Post’s latest Islamic stamp release marks the celebration of Eid. We feel very blessed, proud and honoured to be part of the design team and this historic project by NZ Post. This not only celebrates Eid al-Fitr, the world’s most popular Muslim festival, but acknowledges Aotearoa New Zealand’s diverse communities. Such initiatives are great examples of inclusivity and recognition of the minorities among us.
Concept:
Islamic art is sacred, distinctive, and has a beautiful message behind. We’ve used fresh and vibrant colors in these stamps like Gold, Green, Blue, Purple and Turquoise, considering the nature of Eid event, which is all about happiness, caring, and sharing love. These colors coordinated with each other, creating the visual harmony which is the inherent feature of Islamic art.
In Islamic Art, different colors have different meanings. For example, Golden is the color of the sky, and we’ve done Arabic calligraphy in Gold to show its elegance and class. Gold is also a symbol of prosperity and success, which are stepping stones toward happiness.
Green is a symbol of nature and life and it also represents Love, Hope, Peace, Harmony, Respect, and a sense of self-confidence. According to some scholars, Green is the symbol of Islam. Many Islamic Artists use the Green color in respect of the Green Dome of the Holy Mosque of Muhammad PBUH in Madinah.
In Islamic tradition, blue often signifies skylight and the impenetrable depths of the universe. Turquoise blue is thought to have mystical qualities. Turquoise color also represents nature and water. Purple represents spirituality and Ramadan is a time of year associated with spirituality.
The other elements used in these stamps are the dome shape and Geometric pattern. The Dome shape used in the stamps is an illustration of the Al-Nur mosque’s dome. Dome is a very significant element in Islamic Architecture. We custom-designed the geometric pattern in the background of these stamps, which is one of the elements of Islamic Art. Geometric patterns are arabesque in nature that represent the transcendent, invisible and infinite nature of Allah SWT (God). We also used Kowhai flower patterns to localise the stamps.
Arabic text on each stamp is the same words; Eid Mubarak, which means Happy Eid or Eid Greetings. However, the writing style on each stamp along with composition of the words varies.
There are two main calligraphy styles, traditional and modern Arabic Calligraphy. We have used a combination of both modern and traditional calligraphy styles for these stamps. These scripts include Thuluth, Dewani, Al-Wissam and Freestyle. Thuluth script is the master of all scripts and the most beautiful due to its charm and elegance. Dewani is a cursive style of Arabic calligraphy that is difficult to read and write due to its heavy stylization, whereas, Al-Wissam and Freestyle calligraphy is modern and beautiful due to its curves, flows and elegance.
The inclusion of Islamic art in New Zealand stamps is a milestone achievement for the Muslim community in New Zealand. Muslims in Aotearoa will be overjoyed by this beautiful gesture of cultural inclusivity and solidarity from NZ Post. It will give a feeling of belonging. It will also create awareness of this unique and beautiful Islamic art.
“Eid Mubarak Stamps” in Media
Testimonials
Masha Allah these are tiny beautiful artworks and also a record in the history of the respect and acknowledgement Muslims receive in NZ
“You made us proud”
Congratulations to the NZ Post for designing stamps to mark the occasion of Eid. Such initiatives are great examples of inclusivity and recognition of the minorities amongst us.
Jazaka Allah Khair brother, fantastic job, may Allah bless you and your wonderful family with the best of this life and the next.
We feel great with the release of these stamps