Islamic cultures write in calligraphy. Calligraphy is basically the art of handwriting. In Islamic cultures, it is forbidden to draw God or represent God with images, so they make the words describing Him as pretty as possible. They also intertwine the letters and symbols to make it look more like a picture, It was the main way Islamic cultures physically preserved the Qur'an, so the art of calligraphy is highly respected and appreciated.
There are a few different forms of Arabic/Islamic calligraphy. There is the geometric style, which is clear-cut. The consonants and vowels are sometimes distinguished with dashes and dots to make reading easier. The cursive style is more decorative and still easily read.
Calligraphy is traditionally written using a dried reed or bamboo pen, called a qalam. Before paper, papyrus and parchment were used for the calligraphy, but after paper, calligraphy-making exploded so that the Muslim world had thousands of books while Europe still only had a few dozen. The ink used for calligraphy was often colored to make it more impressive. Calligraphy was also inscribed on coins and woven into silks.
In addition, mosques are decorated with calligraphy, both inside and out. Typically, it is combined with Arabesque, the geometric and beautiful art of Islam. The words and patterns are written on the walls of the mosque, in accordance with the functions of different parts of the mosque.
