Islamic Wall Art: Placement Conventions, Sizing by Wall and Choosing a Finish

Islamic wall art carries Quranic verses and the names of Allah, so where it hangs matters as much as how it looks. This guide covers the placement conventions most widely observed in Muslim homes, then the practical points: which size to order for which wall, and how the finishes differ. The DecoraHub Islamic wall art collection has 56 designs in metal, acrylic and wood.

Placement conventions

• Not in bathrooms, toilets or directly facing them. This is the most consistently observed point.
• Not on the floor and not below waist level. Calligraphy is hung high on the wall, never leaned against a skirting or stacked with other objects.
• Not where feet point towards it. Many families avoid hanging calligraphy on the wall a bed's foot faces, or low on a wall opposite a sofa where people stretch out.
• Kept clean. Dust the piece regularly. Neglected calligraphy is widely considered disrespectful.
• Disposal. A damaged piece bearing Quranic text is not put in household waste. Ask a local imam about the accepted practice in your community.

Practice varies between families and schools of thought. Some households hang Ayatul Kursi in the living room, others keep all calligraphy to a prayer space. If your family follows a specific view, that comes first.

Which size for which wall

Most designs come in four sizes. Use the same two-thirds rule that applies to any wall art: the arrangement should span about two thirds of the furniture below it. The full method is in metal wall art sizing.

Metal, acrylic or wood

• Metal. Cut from sheet metal in Black, Gold, Silver or Copper. Crisp edges, and the best choice for large pieces. See Fabi Ayyi Alai Rabbikuma Tukaziban at ₹2,499 to ₹3,499.
• Acrylic. Layered two-tone finishes such as gold on silver. Lighter than metal, so easier to fix on a partition wall.
• Wood with acrylic. A warmer look that suits teak furniture. See the teak sofa range.

Matching the rest of the room

Keep one metal tone across the room. Gold calligraphy suits a gold PVD centre table base or a console table in the same finish. Black calligraphy suits black bases and grey floors. Hang calligraphy on a plain wall. Against a patterned wallpaper, the letterforms are hard to read. A plain texture such as Beige Linen works behind it.

Fixing it safely

• Drill and plug rather than using adhesive hooks. A calligraphy piece falling is distressing as well as damaging.
• Fix large pieces at two points so they stay level.
• Tape a paper template to the wall first and view it from the doorway before drilling.
• Dust metal and acrylic with a dry microfibre cloth. Avoid solvent cleaners on printed or coated finishes.

Ramadan and Eid

Demand rises before Ramadan and Eid, and delivery times lengthen. Order two to three weeks ahead if a piece is meant to be up before the month begins. Delivery terms are in the shipping policy. Mosque, madrasa and community-hall orders go through the B2B enquiry form.

Common questions

Where should Ayatul Kursi be placed in the home?
Practice varies. It is commonly hung in the living room or the prayer area, high on the wall and away from bathrooms. Ask your local imam if your family follows a specific view.

Can Islamic calligraphy hang in a bedroom?
Many families do, on a side wall rather than the wall the foot of the bed faces. Others keep it out of bedrooms entirely.

What size should I order?
Two thirds of the width of the furniture below. For a bare wall, measure the wall and keep the piece to about half its width.

Which colours are available?
Black, Gold, Silver and Copper on metal designs, and two-tone combinations on acrylic.

See all 56 designs in the Islamic wall art collection, or browse metal wall art. Questions go to the contact page.