Islamic calligraphy

The first Ottoman tughra, Orhan (1326).|thumb|right A tughra (; ) is a calligraphic monogram, seal or signature of a sultan that was affixed to all official documents and correspondence. Inspired by the tamgha, it was also carved on his seal and stamped on the coins minted during his reign. Very elaborate decorated versions were created for important documents that were also works of art in the tradition of Ottoman illumination, such as the example of Suleiman the Magnificent in the gallery below.

thumb|right| Example reading ("Nastaliq script") in Nastaliq. The dotted form is used in place of .

artistic practice of calligraphy in the Islamic world

small, round script of Islamic calligraphy

thumb |A Fat'h Ali Shah Qajar firman in Shekaste Nastaliq script, January 1831

thumb|Quran Hud (surah)|11:88 in the Thuluth scripture, calligraphed and signed by [[Mahmud II|263x263px]]

thumbnail|center|alt=Diwani calligraphy by Kazasker Mustafa Izzet Efendi|Diwani calligraphy by [[Kazasker Mustafa Izzet Efendi]] Diwani is a calligraphic variety of Arabic script, a cursive style developed during the reign of the early Ottoman Turks (16th century - early 17th century). It reached its height of popularity under Süleyman I the Magnificent (1520–1566).

Calligraphic style used in China for the Arabic script

writing art of the Persian language

calligrapher and secretary of the last Abbasid caliph

thumb|A ḥilya by Hâfiz Osman (1642–1698), who established the standard layout used for this type of [[calligraphic panel]] The term ḥilya (, plural: ḥilān, or ḥulān; , plural: ) denotes both a visual form in Ottoman art and a religious genre of Ottoman-Arabic literature each dealing with the physical description of Muhammad. Hilya means "ornament". They originate with the discipline of ''shama'il'', the study of Muhammad's appearance and character, based on hadith accounts, most notably al-Tirmidhi's ''Shama'il al-Muhammadiyya'' "The Sublime Characteristics of Muhammad". In Ottoman-era folk Is

script style in Persian & Arabic calligraphy

200px|thumb|Different kinds of handmade wooden calligraphy pens (Qalam) made of different reeds and bamboos. thumb|339x339px|Qalams as used in calligraphy. A qalam () is a type of reed pen. It is made from a cut, dried reed, and used for Islamic calligraphy. The pen is seen as an important symbol of wisdom in Islam, and references the emphasis on knowledge and education within the Islamic tradition.

Urdu language newspaper in South India

one of the six canonical scripts of Perso-Arabic calligraphy

uzbek mulberry paper

thumb|right|Banna'i brickwork in the [[Mausoleum of Khoja Ahmed Yasavi. The blue brickwork spells out the names of Allah, Muhammad and Ali in square Kufic calligraphy.]] In Iranian architecture, '''banna'i''' (, "builder's technique" in Persian) is an architectural decorative art in which glazed tiles are alternated with plain bricks to create geometric patterns over the surface of a wall or to spell out sacred names or pious phrases. This technique originated in Syria and Iraq in the 8th century, and matured in the Seljuq and Timurid era, as it spread to Iran, Anatolia and Central Asia.

thumb|Youth kneeling and holding out a wine-cup. Safavid period, early 17th century. Isfahan School. Ink and color wash on paper. Freer Sackler Gallery F1928.10. thumb|Some verses in Persian nasta'liq script, probably always a single page meant for a muraqqa; 16–17th century.

thumb|Shamsa at the center of Ardabil Carpet. [[Iran, 1539-40. Victoria and Albert Museum]] upright=0.8|thumb|Shamsa in the Book frontispiece|frontispiece of the [[Ruzbihan Qur'an. Iran, . Chester Beatty Library]] upright=0.8|thumb|Shamsa bearing the names and titles of Shah Jahan. [[India, c. 1630-45. Metropolitan Museum of Art]] In Islamic art, a shamsa (Persian: شمسه shamseh, Arabic: شمسة shums, Ottoman Turkish: شمسه [Turkish: Şemse]) is an intricately decorated rosette or medallion which is used in many contexts, including manuscripts, carpets, ornamental metalwork and architectural decora

Islamic calligraphy script

thumb|A shiviti from Denmark, with Hebrew text in the shape of a menorah. Micrography (from Greek, literally small-writing – "Μικρογραφία"), also called microcalligraphy, is a Jewish form of calligrams developed in the 9th century, with parallels in Christianity and Islam, utilizing minute Hebrew letters to form representational, geometric and abstract designs. Colored micrography is especially distinctive because these rare artworks are customarily rendered in black and white.

Turkish calligrapher (1891–1982)