Abstract Since the ninth/fifteenth century, images of lions in the form of calligrams—texts shaped into images—have been found throughout the Islamicate world. They are usually associated with the prophet Muḥammad’s cousin and son-in-law ʿAlī and thus commonly referred to as the “Lion of ʿAlī.” In Southeast Asia in particular, such calligrams seem to have functioned as talismanic objects in various media such as manuscripts, woodwork, and textiles. As the lion is not a species native to the region, this calligram is often referred to as the “Tiger of ʿAlī,” after the dominant predator of the region. So far, two Southeast Asian types of this calligram have been identified. One is composed of the shahāda and is associated with the sultanate of Cirebon in Java; the other, more widespread, is composed of a verse from the Qurʾan (61:13). This article investigates and compares these two traditions and discusses the significance of this calligram in the larger Southeast Asian context.