text: He was attracted to calligraphy from an early age, drawing his inspiration from reading scripture and observing the calligraphy that decorated local mosques As a youth, he studied briefly with Mullah Aref al-Shaikhli in BaghdadAl Jazeera Encyclopedia, (translated from Arabic)</ref> From the outset, he showed an early talent for the art of calligraphy, and exhibited a real dedication to learning the technique, a strict adherence to its extensive rules and a willing to explore the secrets of Islamic lettering.