HS Hiba
HS Hiba – The Spirit of Fatimid Kufi with a Contemporary Touch
HS Hiba is a variable Arabic typeface that blends traditional aesthetics with geometric precision. Inspired by the principles of Fatimid Kufi, it incorporates modern design elements that balance heritage with contemporary expression.
The typeface was designed by Hasan Abu Afash as a complete redesign of the original Hasan Hiba, first released in 2005. It won 5th place in the Display Category of a global competition organized by Linotype.
In its new version, HS Hiba comes in three distinct stylistic variations of the Regular weight only (HS Hiba Regular). The two additional styles (HS Hiba Regular A and HS Hiba Regular B) differ in their terminal forms (Zulfah or Tarweesah), with various letterform refinements that give each variation a unique visual personality.
The main style of the typeface includes five static weights:
Light – Regular – Medium – SemiBold – Bold, along with a Variable Font version that unifies them under a single weight axis.
It supports both Arabic and English scripts, and includes multiple stylistic sets (ss01–ss05), giving designers advanced control over character appearance to suit different project needs.
Design Philosophy
HS Hiba emerges from a vision to merge the visual legacy of Fatimid Kufic with the ambitions of contemporary type design.
While preserving the strict, linear structure of the Kufic script, it introduces soft geometric harmonies to add a more human, fluid character to the letters.
The design philosophy is embodied in the availability of three stylistic options for the Regular weight, with terminals that range from sharp to ornate to minimal, providing typographers a variety of expressive choices. The five additional weights expand the font’s functionality and adaptability.
Technical Features
•Variable Font with a Weight Axis
•Five static weights for the main style: Light, Regular, Medium, SemiBold, Bold
•Three stylistic variations of the Regular weight with letterform variations across the three styles
•Support for Arabic and English
•Complete support for Arabic diacritics
•Extensive OpenType features:
◦ Stylistic Sets (ss01–ss05)
◦ Ligatures
◦ Contextual Alternates
◦ Positional Forms
◦ Kerning
•Full compatibility with professional design software: Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, CorelDRAW, Affinity Designer, and more
Use Cases
HS Hiba’s visual flexibility makes it ideal for a wide range of typographic applications, including:
• Logos and branding projects
• Display headlines and signage
• Book and magazine covers
• Cultural and heritage-themed designs
• Posters and exhibition graphics
• Editorial layouts and digital publishing
• UI design and mobile apps
With its three stylistic variations and ornamental options, the typeface offers designers a high degree of customization while maintaining a modern spirit rooted in tradition.