وَ قَالَ عليه السلامة لِكَاتِبِهِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ أَبِى رَافِعٍ:
Amir al-mu'minin, peace be upon him, said to his secretary 'Ubaydullah ibn Abi Rafi':
أَلِقْ دَوَاتَكَ
Put cotton flake in the inkpot,
وَ أَطِلْ جِلْفَةَ قَلَمِكَ
keep the nib of your pen long,
وَ فَرِّجْ بَيْنَ السُّطُورِ
leave space between lines
وَ قَرْمِطْ بَيْنَ الْحُرُوفِ
and close up the letters
فَإِنَّ ذَلِكَ أَجْدَرُ بِصَبَاحَةِ الْخَطِّ .
because this is good for the beauty of the writing.
