Begin with meaning before appearance
Arabic calligraphy can give a memorial a deeply personal character. The starting point is the wording itself: the names, dates and message your family wants to preserve. Share the exact text where possible, along with any English wording or other language that should appear beside it.
Tell us which elements matter most to you. You may want a name to be prominent, a short passage to sit above the main inscription, or separate languages to have equal visual importance. A clear understanding of your wishes helps the composition feel intentional.
Make space for each language
Different scripts have different shapes and rhythms. Copying the same font size or line length across languages does not necessarily create a balanced result. We consider the overall stone shape, the available space and the relationship between the calligraphy and the surrounding inscription.
Decorative lettering still needs room to be read. A photograph you like can help us understand your preferred style, but the design will need to suit your own words. If a future inscription is being considered, we should plan that space at the same time.
Check the text with the right people
Ask a trusted fluent reader to check the exact text, including names, spellings and any marks you wish to retain. Where a religious passage is proposed, seek confirmation from an appropriate faith representative about the wording and its use. Families within a faith may have different preferences; we will listen to yours.
Keep one agreed version of each language. If a translation, transliteration or date format is involved, make clear which version should actually be engraved. This avoids a reference note being mistaken for part of the inscription.
Approve the complete composition
Al Nour offers bespoke English, Arabic and multilingual inscriptions and hand-designed calligraphy. You will be able to review your digital design visual before manufacture. Take time to check the words and their arrangement together, including the relationship between each language.
Share the cemetery details with your enquiry so its requirements can be considered alongside the design. We can begin with your questions or an early draft; you do not need to have all the answers ready.
