The first development of Arabic calligraphy began with Zaid Ibn Thabit’s first written version of the Qura’an during the caliphate of Utham Ibn Affan (644-656). This version was written in the Jazm script, an early forerunner of the Kufi script, which we will discuss later when we look at different calligraphy styles. According to M.J. Alhabeeb, a professor at the University of Massachusetts, the development of the Arabic script continued during the Umayyad dynasty in Damascus, with one of its historic achievements in architecture and calligraphy, the Dome of the Rock mosque (Qubatu-l-Sakhra) in Jerusalem. The script on this monument was written by Khalid ibn Al-Hayyaj. Moving forward, the Arabic calligraphy evolved through the various ruling dynasties in Kufa, Iraq, Baghdad, and Cairo. During this time period, various Arabic scripts emerged, including the Kufi, Thuluth, Naskh, Muhaqqaq, Riqa’a, and Tawql.   In the early ninth century, Persia developed another script called the Ta’aleeq, which was later combined with the Nask script to form the Nesta’sleeq. The evolution of Arabic calligraphy continued until the Ottoman reign in Istanbul, Turkey, which was the last dynasty of the Islamic empire. During this time, more complex scripts such as the Diwani, Jeli Diwani, Tughra’a, and Siyaqat appeared.