Publication Date
15- 493/ 637 - 1099، 583 – 1336 / 1187 – 1917
Type
Other
Language
Undetermined
Digital
Yes
Manuscript
No
Library
Museum With No Frontiers
Record ID
monument;ISL;pa;Mon01;1;ar
Library Location
It is located in the southeastern section of the walled Old City, Jerusalem
Date
15- 493/ 637 - 1099، 583 – 1336 / 1187 – 1917
Notes
The Noble Sanctuary has great importance in the Islamic faith, as it is where the Prophet Muhammad (may God bless him and grant him peace) was taken captive and from which the Prophet ascended to heaven on the night of the Night Journey and Mi’raj. God Almighty blessed it in the Holy Qur’an, and it was the first qibla for Muslims, and the Prophet Muhammad linked it to the Mosque of Mecca and the Prophet’s Mosque with a bond of holiness, blessings, and visitation. The Mosque is located on a high plateau among the plateaus of the City of Jerusalem, and consists of a roughly rectangular surface with an area of about 145,000 square meters, and thus it constitutes one-sixth of the area of the Old City of Jerusalem. The Mosque is bordered on the eastern side by a 462-metre-long wall that forms a wall for the Old City of Jerusalem. It is bordered to the south by a wall about 281 meters long, which also forms a city wall. As for the northern wall of the Holy Mosque, which is 310 meters long, and the western wall, which is 491 meters long, they form the facades of a group of buildings, especially schools, that were built on the outskirts of the Holy Mosque in the Ayyubid and Mamluk eras. Researchers agree that the area of the Holy Mosque as we see it today does not contain any clear-cut or valuable remains of buildings that preceded the arrival of Muslims to Jerusalem in the year 15/638, as the buildings that were standing were demolished by Titus in 70 AD. The city was destroyed several times throughout history, and when the Muslims entered Jerusalem, the Haram area was just rubble. Everything published about the existence of previous antiquities within the Holy Mosque is nothing more than theories that lack clear evidence. When the Muslim Arabs came to Jerusalem, they received it peacefully in accordance with the Omar Covenant Agreement concluded by Caliph Omar ibn al-Khattab (reigned in the period 13-23 / 634-644) with Patriarch Sophronius, and they did not demolish any building that existed in the area of the Sanctuary. Also, the covenant guaranteed the Christian people of the city the protection of their homes and property, so most of the city’s areas were inhabited, with the exception of the Haram area, which was neglected. Thus, it was important for the Haram to be the center of attention and development throughout the Islamic era, especially since it is a sacred site for Muslims. The site on which the Haram is based slopes from north to south, and its highest point is located in the center where the Dome of the Rock stands. This decline was dealt with by building a settlement to bridge it, and part of the settlement was known as the Old Al-Aqsa and another section was known as the Marwani Chapel. The development of the Holy Mosque was focused on its northern and western borders, after its center was occupied by some important buildings such as the Dome of the Rock and the Dome of the Chain, and its southern part was occupied by the Al-Aqsa Mosque. As for the eastern border of the Sanctuary, it tends to slope down to reach the Valley of Hell (Kedron). This border has been used as an Islamic cemetery since the early Islamic conquest. The southern side of the Haram is steeper and construction is more expensive. Therefore, after the Umayyad development, which was represented by the Emirate House in the south of the Holy Mosque, we find that the exploitation of the southern border of the Holy Mosque was limited throughout historical times. The Holy Mosque area consists of three levels. The ground level includes the Babs of Mercy and Repentance (the Golden Gate), the Marwani Chapel, the old Al-Aqsa, and Al-Buraq Mosque. The middle level includes the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the Islamic Museum, and the side corridors in the western and northern walls, with a group of doors and various buildings such as fountains, schools, terraces, minarets, and domes. The upper level is the level of the Dome of the Rock, and is reached via a set of stairs and gates. On this level there is a beautiful group of domes and Sufi retreats, in addition to the pulpit of Burhan al-Din, the Karak mastaba, and a group of wells.
Sample Text
Yusuf al-Natsheh “The Holy Mosque” in Discover Islamic Art. Museum Without Borders, 2026. 2026. https://islamicart.museumwnf.org/database_item.php?id=monument;ISL;pa;Mon01;1;ar
