Folio from a Qur’an, Sura 1:5-7; Sura 2:1-4

Many distinctive forms of Arabic calligraphy were developed over time for the transcription of the Qur'an, the holy book of Islam. Some of these writing styles are associated with specific regions in the Islamic world. Calligraphers in the Maghrib (North Africa) and Spain favored thin, light letters with deep flourishes that curve below the line and create a rhythmic effect. In Iran, kufic script was transformed into a dynamic style, sometimes called eastern cubic, in which tall, upright letters contrast with short and sharply slanted ones, as seen in the gold headings of the double folio at the right. The text on these two leaves is written in naskh, a cursive script of balanced proportions frequently used to copy the Qur'an from the late ninth century until modern times.

The art of illumination also continued to evolve varied and original forms, as evidenced by the robust scrollwork in the lower panels of the Qur'an form Iran and the large medallion marking the tenth verse in the margin of the maghribi Qur'an.