Egyptian calligrapher finds joy in making others happy
A Coptic Christian calligrapher in Upper Egypt is putting his artistic talent to use for all faiths.
Fayez Youssef believes that one’s own happiness emanates from the happiness of others.
Youssef is a Coptic Christian calligrapher well-known in Minya’s Bassam neighborhood for adorning mosques with the 99 names of Allah and Quranic verses. He developed his talent to strengthen his relationship with his Muslim neighbors and has worked hard to put smiles on their faces in this city 150 miles (245 kilometers) south of Cairo.
He could not care less about the opinion of radical Copts who oppose his work, or those embracing a different ideology. He recounted one of the difficult situations he has faced, when a woman objected to his inscribing verses on mosques, or even holding a copy of the Quran in his hand.
She screamed in his face, “This is the book of Allah. It should only be held by a pure person.” Fayez said he was shocked. For a moment, he thought that it would be the last Quranic verse he would ever inscribe in his life.
