Syed says the training was daunting at first: "We started off drawing a single line of a prayer. That lesson could go on for weeks, even for months. But it was not just about accuracy, initially – they were also looking for full dedication, patience and a passion for the art, which is perhaps more important than the skill itself."

She also found it took time to get used to the way her tutors would feed back. She says: "You would bring your work to class and everyone would see it being corrected.

"I often liken the experience to bringing the whole doctor's waiting room with you inside an appointment and your doctor saying, 'Here is everything that's wrong with you' and telling you how to remedy it. But it's quite humbling and you get used to it because there are other students going through the same process."

Ultimately Syed's dedication to her craft – the training took a total of seven years – paid off when she was awarded the icazetname. This document is the authoritative Islamic calligraphy licence, which places the users in a lineage of calligraphers that goes back as far as the birth of Islam.