The most famous Islamic site in Jerusalem is the Dome of the Rock (Qubbat
as-Sakhrah). An impressive and beautiful edifice, the Dome of the Rock can be
seen from all over Jerusalem. It is the crowning glory of the Haram es-Sharif
("Noble Sanctuary"), or Temple Mount.
The Dome of the Rock is not a mosque, but a Muslim shrine. Like the Ka'ba in
Mecca, it is built over a sacred stone. This stone is believed to be the place
from which the Prophet Muhammad ascended into heaven during his Night Journey to
heaven.
The Dome of the Rock is the oldest Islamic monument that stands today and
certainly one of the most beautiful. It also boasts the oldest surviving mihrab
(niche indicating the direction of Mecca) in the world.
History
The sacred rock over which the Dome of the Rock is built was considered holy
before the arrival of Islam. Jews believed, and still believe, the rock to be
the very place where Abraham prepared to sacrifice Isaac (an event which Muslims
place in Mecca). In addition, the Dome of the Rock (or the adjacent Dome of the
Chain) is believed by many to stand directly over the site of the Holy of Holies
of both Solomon's Temple and Herod's Temple.
The Dome of the Rock was built by the Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik from 688 to
691 AD. It was not intended to be a mosque, but a shrine for pilgrims. According
to tradition, the Dome of the Rock was built to commemorate Muhammad's ascension
into heaven after his night journey to Jerusalem (Qur'an 17). But there seems to
have been more to it than this, since the Dome of the Ascension was later built
nearby.
Actually, according to the Oxford Archaeological Guide to the Holy Land, "Abd
al-Malik's purpose was more complex and subtle." He wished to erect a beautiful
Muslim building that could compete with the majestic churches of Christendom and
would be a symbolic statement to both Jews and Christians of the superiority of
the new faith of Islam. "His building spoke to Jews by its location, to
Christians by its interior decoration." [1]
In the 10th century, the Jerusalem visitor Mukaddasi wrote of the magnificent
structure:
At dawn, when the light of the sun first strikes the dome and the drum catches
the rays, then is this edifice a marvellous sight to behold, and one such than
in all of Islam I have not seen the equal; neither have I heard tell of
anything built in pagan times that could rival in grace this Dome of the Rock.
[2]
By the 11th century, several legends had developed concerning the Dome of the
Rock and its sacred stone, including the following:
They say that on the night of his Ascension into Heaven the Prophet, peace and
blessing be upon him, prayed first at the Dome of the Rock, laying his hand
upon the Rock. As he went out, the Rock, to do him honor, rose up, but he laid
his hand on it to keep it in its place and firmly fixed it there. But by
reason of this rising up, it is even to this present day partly detached from
the ground beneath. [3]
In the Middle Ages, Christians and Muslims both believed the dome to be the
biblical Temple of Solomon. The Knights Templar made their headquarters there
during the Crusades and later patterned their churches after its design. [4]
The exterior mosaics that once adorned the Dome of the Rock suffered from
exposure to Jerusalem winters. They were repaired in the Mamluk period, and then
completely replaced with tiles by Sulieman the Magnificent in 1545. At the same
time, he created the parapet wall with its intricate inscription by filling up
the thirteen small arches that originally topped each facade. The windows of the
Dome of the Rock date from this period as well. The tiling was completely
replaced in the last major restoration in 1956-62.
What to See
The extraordinary visual impact of the Dome of the Rock is in part due to the
mathematical rhythm of its proportions. All the critical dimensions are related
to the center circle that surrounds the sacred stone. For example, each outer
wall is 67 feet long, which is exactly the dome's diameter and exactly its
height from the base of the drum.
The same principles were used in Byzantine churches of Italy, Syria, and
Palestine, but none compare to the integration of plan and elevation seen in the
Dome of the Rock.
The great golden dome that crowns the Dome of the Rock was originally made of
gold, but was replaced with copper and then aluminum. The aluminum is now
covered with gold leaf, a donation from the late King Hussein of Jordan. [6]
The dome is topped by a full moon decoration which evokes the familiar crescent
moon symbol of Islam. It is aligned so that if you could look through it, you
would be looking straight towards Mecca.
The beautiful multicolored Turkish tiles that adorn the shrine's exterior are
faithful copies of the Persian tiles that Suleiman the Magnificent added in 1545
to replace the damaged originals. The lower half of the exter

Just relax and let the light be your guide.