Calligraphy, the art of fine handwriting, is a highly decorative means of Islamic artistic expression. It has a tradition of specialist teaching which is said to back to the Caliph Ali ibn Abi- Talib, son-in-law of the Prophet Muhammad, who ruled from AD 656 to 661/AH 35-40. The apprentice calligrapher spends years of study under a Master in order to become proficient in the intricate styles of major scripts. The reward for a successful calligrapher is a diploma or ijaza, permission to add katabahu (meaning 'he wrote it') to his name in his works.

Modern students such as Nassar Mansour learnt calligraphy from the Turkish Master Hasan Celebi. In their training they produce practise sheets of short phrases in the scripts known as naskh and thuluth. It takes about three years to achieve a high standard of forming the individual or pairs of letters.

The equipment of a calligrapher remains traditional. The pens are made from reeds and dipped in inkwells in which are placed silk threads to protect the pen nibs. The ink is made from gum Arabic or honey mixed with lamp soot. According to convention, the profession of calligrapher is carried out only by a person of upright character and modest personality.