“Islamic calligraphy depicts holy verses, but its intentions are worldly.
Beautiful on the wall, but empty in the heart.”
Have you ever entered a shop and found a big, beautiful sign above the door, “Bismillāhirrahmānirrahīm”?
The Islamic calligraphy shines, is neatly framed, and perhaps even illuminated to enhance its prestige. But if you ask the owner, they often give a frank but stinging answer:
“So my shop sells well. So my fortune will flow.”
Yet, such a small intention can change its meaning. A phrase that is supposed to be a dhikr (remembrance of God) becomes a kind of “Islamic talisman.” Beautiful to the eye, but lacking the soul of the heart.
Good deeds that are left as a shell
We all know that intention is a small thing that has a big value. Rasulullah ﷺ said:
إِنَّمَا الْأَعْمَالُ بِالنِّيَّاتِ، وَإِنَّمَا لِكُلِّ امْرِئٍ مَا نَوَى
“Indeed, every deed depends on the intention, and everyone will get according to what he intended. ( Hadith narrated by Bukhari no. 1, Muslim no. 1907)
Islamic calligraphy is beautiful. Writing holy verses is rewarding. But if the intention shifts from worship to “sell-out sales,” that’s where the problem lies. Good deeds become like a body without a soul, appearing alive but actually empty.
People sometimes think, “The important thing is that the intention is good.” But according to whom, is that good? If the intention isn’t for Allah ﷻ , but rather for fear of a lack of customers, isn’t that a misguided form of trust?
We place our hopes not on God, but on things that have no power.
In his commentary, Al-Qurtubi explains that intention is the measure of good deeds. A deed as heavy as a mountain can seem light if the intention is wrong. Conversely, a small deed can seem heavy if the intention is right.
So, it’s not how big the Islamic calligraphy we display, but how deep the meaning we instill in it.
Also read: How to Earn Halal Income in Tough Times
When Symbols Replace Faith
This phenomenon is nothing new. In the days of ignorance, people hung amulets made of bones, cloth, or letters they considered sacred. Today, the form has changed, from amulets to “Islamic decorations.” But the root of the problem lies in misplaced faith.
Allah ﷻ reminds in the Qur’an:
وَمَا يُؤْمِنُ أَكْثَرُهُم بِاللَّهِ إِلَّا وَهُم مُّشْرِكُونَ
“And most of them do not believe in Allah, but are in a state of associating partners with Him.” ( Qur’an Surah Yusuf [12]: 106)
This verse not only talks about idol worship, but also about a heart that depends on other than Allah ﷻ .
Even though we are taught, La haula wa la quwwata illa billāh there is no power and strength except from Allah.
So, if the intention is to make the shop busy because of Islamic calligraphy, that means we are transferring hope from Allah to objects. Even though objects are only creations, not sources of blessings.
Imagine if those verses could speak. Perhaps they would say,
“I was sent down to be read, internalized, and practiced, not simply displayed for sales.”
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Returning the Spirit to Good Deeds
This doesn’t mean we shouldn’t display Islamic calligraphy. In fact, if the intention is right, Islamic calligraphy can be a gentle reminder. Seeing it can soothe the heart, reminding us of Allah ﷻ every time we look at it.
There is only one key: intention.
Imam Ibnul Qayyim Rahimullah once wrote:
“Intention is like the soul of deeds. If the intention is right, the deeds are alive. But if the intention is corrupt, the deeds are dead.” (Zādu al-Ma’ād, 2/441)
So, what we need to care for is not just the calligraphy frame, but the meaning behind it. If you truly want your business to be blessed, replace “sales booster” with interpreting every activity with piety to Allah ﷻ . Because blessings don’t come from writing on the wall, but from a heart that believes in the All-Giving Lord.
Allah ﷻ says:
وَمَن يَتَّقِ ٱللَّهَ يَجْعَل لَّهُۥ مَخْرَجًۭا، وَيَرْزُقْهُ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَا يَحْتَسِبُ
“Whoever fears Allah ﷻ, He will make a way out for them and provide for them from sources they could never imagine.” (Quran Surah At-Talaq [65]: 2–3)
Piety is much stronger than any talisman. Because the promise of Allah ﷻ is not a decoration, it is a certainty.
Also read: How to Build Tawakkal in Allah ﷻ While Doing Business
Conclusion: From Display to Appreciation
We live in an age of symbols, where everything is often used as decoration. But a believing heart is not satisfied with symbols; it seeks meaning.
So, if we display Islamic calligraphy in our shops or homes, hopefully it’s not for “good luck,” but because we want to be constantly reminded to remember God. If we write Bismillah (the blessings of Allah) on our business banners, hopefully it’s not just a formality, but an expression of gratitude and prayer before a struggle.
Because intention is a trivial matter that determines everything. If the intention is for Allah ﷻ , even a small act can be considered an act of worship. But if the intention is for worldly things, even holy verses can lose their meaning.
“A clean heart doesn’t need a talisman to attract sustenance, just believe in Allah ﷻ who is the Most Guaranteed.”
Also read: The Concept of Sustenance and How It Is Perceived in Islam
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Reference:
Al-Qur’an. Al-Karim
Al-Bukhari. Sahih al-Bukhari , Hadith no. 1. Accessed from: https://sunnah.com/bukhari:1
Muslim. Sahih Muslim , Hadith no. 1907. Accessed from: https://sunnah.com/muslim:1907
Ibnul Qayyim al-Jawziyyah. Zādu al-Ma’ād fī Hadyi Khayr al-‘Ibād , Juz 2, p. 441. Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 1421 AH / 2000 AD.
Al-Qurthubi, Abu Abdullah Muhammad ibn Ahmad. Tafsir al-Qurthubi (Al-Jami’ li Ahkam al-Qur’an) , Juz 1. Beirut: Dar al-Kutub al-‘Ilmiyyah, 1422 AH / 2001 AD.