Arabic writing has a spiritual meaning for Muslims because it is closely connected to the Qur'an and sayings of the Prophet Mohammad.

Using words to create decorations avoided the problem of using pictorial images, which was not encouraged by Islam.

Islamic objects such as lamps, candlesticks, plates, and gravestones had writing that was used for decoration or as a memorial.

The writing is in harmony with the function of the object. A large number of Islamic objects that date back to different Islamic ages have prayer phrases written on them for their owners, along with titles, a salutation, and praise.

Another type of writing is the historical that refers to the titles and blazons of the sultans and kings. It was written on glass lamps, stones, marble, and metal antiques.

The writing found on buildings can be used to date the buildings, such as the fundamental text of Ahmed Ibn Tulun Mosque, which is said to be the oldest fundamental text for a religious monument in Islamic Egypt, and also the wonderful Fatimid niches found inside this Mosque.

Sometimes these writings give us the names of the engineers for some buildings, such as Mohamed Ibn Baelek, the designer of the Al Sultan Hassan school.