--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: I had this desire to understand Islam…" description: "\"I had this desire to understand Islam better and then focus on the beauty of Arabic and Islamic cultures. And one of the first things to emerge was Ara..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb9/craig-thompson-13868_arabic_i-had-this-desire-to-understand-islam-be_2579011.jpg" --- # I had this desire to understand Islam better and then… ![“I had this desire to understand Islam better and then focus on the beauty of Arabic and Islamic cultures. And one of the first things to emerge was Arabic calligraphy, which was instantly inspiring.” quote by Craig Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb9/craig-thompson-13868_arabic_i-had-this-desire-to-understand-islam-be_2579011.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb9/craig-thompson-13868_arabic_i-had-this-desire-to-understand-islam-be_2579011.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/bb9/craig-thompson-13868_arabic_i-had-this-desire-to-understand-islam-be_2579011.jpg) > “I had this desire to understand Islam better and then focus on the beauty of Arabic and Islamic cultures. And one of the first things to emerge was Arabic calligraphy, which was instantly inspiring.” [Craig Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-thompson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. He sought deeper understanding of Islam, discovering Arabic calligraphy as a source of inspiration. **In simple terms:** Exploring culture revealed artistic inspiration. Key Takeaway Study diverse cultures for creative ideas. Themes culture art inspiration Mood curious respectful Type educational creative When to use this quote - graphic novels - design projects - educational workshops Key Concepts calligraphy Islamic art cross‑cultural learning Questions to Reflect On - How will you respect the traditions you draw from? - What ethical guidelines will you follow? A Different Perspective Cultural appropriation concerns may arise. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Beauty](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/beauty/) [Cultures](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/cultures/) [Desire](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/desire/) [First things](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/first-things/) [Focus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/focus/) [Inspiring](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/inspiring/) [Islam](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/islam/) [Islamic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/islamic/) [Islamic culture](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/islamic-culture/) ## Related quotes > [Ever since the Crusades, when Christians from western Europe were fighting holy wars against Muslims in the near east, western people have often perceived…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/karen-armstrong/ever-since-the-crusades-when-christians-from-western-europe-were/) [Karen Armstrong](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/karen-armstrong/) > [The more we can do to support and promulgate the intellectual traditions of the Abrahamic faiths - of Judaism, Christianity, and Islam - the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jon-meacham/the-more-we-can-do-to-support-and-promulgate-the-intellectual/) [Jon Meacham](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jon-meacham/) > [Islam is not about We are better than you Islam is about Let me show you something that is better for you](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/babloo/islam-is-not-about-we-are-better-than-you-islam-is-about-let-me-show/) [Babloo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/babloo/) > [Islam is not about “we’re better than you”. 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While Sufi brotherhoods are generally known…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/graham-fuller/one-of-the-outstanding-sources-of-resistance-to-imperial-power-in-the/) Graham Fuller > [“Many well-meaning Dutch people have told me in all earnestness that nothing in Islamic culture incites abuse of women, that this is just a…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ayaan-hirsi-ali/many-well-meaning-dutch-people-have-told-me-in-all-earnestness-that/) [Ayaan Hirsi Ali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ayaan-hirsi-ali/) > [“This difference between Eastern and Western education can be traced to the disparity that divides Muslim immigrants from their children. 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My art, without…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shirin-neshat/part-of-me-has-always-resisted-the-western-clich-d-image-of-muslim/) [Shirin Neshat](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shirin-neshat/) > [There are millions and millions of Sufis who have existed in Islamic history and have the deepest impact on every aspect of Islamic culture…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/seyyed-hossein-nasr/there-are-millions-and-millions-of-sufis-who-have-existed-in-islamic/) [Seyyed Hossein Nasr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/seyyed-hossein-nasr/) > [Well, if I use Hispanic culture I get corruption and really good salsa music. If I use Chinese culture I get rigid thinking and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-ringo/well-if-i-use-hispanic-culture-i-get-corruption-and-really-good-salsa/) [John Ringo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-ringo/) > [There is no equality between our culture and the retarded Islamic culture. Look at their views on homosexuality or women.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/geert-wilders/there-is-no-equality-between-our-culture-and-the-retarded-islamic/) [Geert Wilders](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/geert-wilders/) > [The Islamic culture is a question mark for many people across the world, but Qatar opens its doors to supporters all over the world…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gabriel-batistuta/the-islamic-culture-is-a-question-mark-for-many-people-across-the/) [Gabriel Batistuta](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gabriel-batistuta/) ## More by Craig Thompson > [At night, lying on your back and staring at the falling snow, it's easy to imagine oneself soaring through the stars.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-thompson/at-night-lying-on-your-back-and-staring-at-the-falling-snow-it-s-easy/) [Craig Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-thompson/) > [How satisfying it is to leave a mark on a blank surface. To make a map of my movement - no matter how temporary.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-thompson/how-satisfying-it-is-to-leave-a-mark-on-a-blank-surface-to-make-a-map/) [Craig Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-thompson/) > [The state of your psyche is reflected in your body.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-thompson/the-state-of-your-psyche-is-reflected-in-your-body/) [Craig Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-thompson/) > [“I promise-ted I'd care up for him downwise 'til the tailend of time.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-thompson/i-promise-ted-i-d-care-up-for-him-downwise-til-the-tailend-of-time/) [Craig Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-thompson/) > [It's actually easier to do autobiographical stories. The story is already there. 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First, doing a number on children's constructions; Then retreating to the foundations of barns and other buildings.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-thompson/and-slowly-the-snow-began-to-melt-first-doing-a-number-on-children-s/) [Craig Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-thompson/) > [“And there you have it, Your Highness. Turning a jug of water into gold.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-thompson/and-there-you-have-it-your-highness-turning-a-jug-of-water-into-gold/) [Craig Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-thompson/) > [I think there is some overlap in terms of artistic desires and Christian desires.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-thompson/i-think-there-is-some-overlap-in-terms-of-artistic-desires-and/) [Craig Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-thompson/) > [“They say a man's inspiration is visual, but for a woman, it's the narrative. Abandon both the narrative and the visual. Close your eyes,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-thompson/they-say-a-man-s-inspiration-is-visual-but-for-a-woman-it-s-the/) [Craig Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-thompson/) > [I was grateful for cereal --- the only food that my tummy, riddled by pangs of infatuation, could handle.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-thompson/i-was-grateful-for-cereal-the-only-food-that-my-tummy-riddled-by/) [Craig Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-thompson/) > [I grew up in a very fundamentalist, evangelical Christian household. Both my parents were born-again - their faith infused every aspect of my childhood.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-thompson/i-grew-up-in-a-very-fundamentalist-evangelical-christian-household/) [Craig Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-thompson/) > [After 'Blankets,' I was sick of drawing myself and doing this autobiographical, mundane, Midwestern sort of comics. I wanted to create something bigger than…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-thompson/after-blankets-i-was-sick-of-drawing-myself-and-doing-this/) [Craig Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-thompson/) > [Pressed against her I can hear eternity -- hollow, lonely spaces and currents that churn ceaselessly, and the fallen snow welcomes the falling snow…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/craig-thompson/pressed-against-her-i-can-hear-eternity-hollow-lonely-spaces-and/) [Craig Thompson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-thompson/) [Explore all 48 Craig Thompson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/craig-thompson/) ## More Arabic quotes > [“Yet even when such languages did not face direct official sanction, speakers of older tongues knew that they had little chance of getting on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/philip-jenkins/yet-even-when-such-languages-did-not-face-direct-official-sanction/) [Philip Jenkins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/philip-jenkins/) > [We were the outliers: my mother was the only Western woman (khawagayya, in Egyptian Arabic) to have married into the family, and during my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shereen-el-feki/we-were-the-outliers-my-mother-was-the-only-western-woman-khawagayya/) [Shereen El Feki](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/shereen-el-feki/) > [“The Arabic language has had a great history, and in many respects is more remarkable than any other Semitic speech.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/james-john-courtenay/the-arabic-language-has-had-a-great-history-and-in-many-respects-is/) [James John Courtenay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/james-john-courtenay/) > [World music can be sometimes like the lumber room in which all the non-English singers are dumped. 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The systematic works on them were written in Arabic writing.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ibn-khaldun/all-the-sciences-came-to-exist-in-arabic-the-systematic-works-on-them/) [Ibn Khaldun](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ibn-khaldun/) > [“Assad whistled a few notes of one of his native country's melancholic songs. It sounded as though he was whistling backwards”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jussi-adler-olsen/assad-whistled-a-few-notes-of-one-of-his-native-country-s-melancholic/) [Jussi Adler-Olsen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jussi-adler-olsen/) > [I have never known what is Arabic or English, or which one was really mine beyond any doubt. What I do know, however, is…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-said/i-have-never-known-what-is-arabic-or-english-or-which-one-was-really/) [Edward Said](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-said/) > [“Fuck the Bureau! Their entire outfit is half the size of the NYPD. 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