What was dome of the rock

The Dome of the Rock Qubbat al-Sakhra , Umayyad, stone masonry, wooden roof, decorated with glazed ceramic tile, mosaics, and gilt aluminum and bronze dome, —2, with multiple renovations, patron the Caliph Abd al-Malik, Jerusalem.

The Dome of the Rock is a building of extraordinary beauty, solidity, elegance, and singularity of shape. Both outside and inside, the decoration is so magnificent and the workmanship so surpassing as to defy description. The greater part is covered with gold so that the eyes of one who gazes on its beauties are dazzled by its brilliance, now glowing like a mass of light, now flashing like lightning.

One of the most iconic images of the Middle East is undoubtedly the Dome of the Rock shimmering in the setting sun of Jerusalem. The Dome of the Rock is one of the earliest surviving buildings from the Islamic world. This remarkable building is not a mosque, as is commonly assumed and scholars still debate its original function and meaning.

The first Arab armies who emerged from the Arabian peninsula were focused on conquering and establishing an empire—not building. Thus, the Dome of the Rock was one of the first Islamic buildings ever constructed. When Abd al-Malik began construction on the Dome of the Rock, he did not have control of the Kaaba, the holiest shrine in Islam, which is located in Mecca. The Dome is located on the Haram al-Sharif, an enormous open-air platform that now houses Al-Aqsa mosque, madrasas and several other religious buildings.

It is the Temple Mount, the site of the Jewish second temple, which the Roman Emperor Titus destroyed in 70 CE while subduing the Jewish revolt; a Roman temple was later built on the site. The Temple Mount was abandoned in Late Antiquity. At the center of the Dome of the Rock sits a large rock, which is believed to be the location where Abraham was prepared to sacrifice his beloved son Isaac. Today, Muslims believe that the Rock commemorates the night journey of Muhammad.

One night the Angel Gabriel came to Muhammad while he slept near the Kaaba in Mecca and took him to al-Masjid al-Aqsa the farthest mosque in Jerusalem. Here you will find everything you need to know before visiting this holy Muslim site! It is so dominant in the skyline of the city that it actually became one of the symbols of the city of Jerusalem.

The Dome of the Rock is built around a rock called the Foundation Stone. According to belief in Islam, Christianity and Judaism, the Foundation Stone is considered to be the place from which the creation of the world began and the place where God created the first human — Adam.

According to some Islamic scholars, this rock is also the spot from which the Islamic prophet Muhammad ascended to the Heavens accompanied by the angel Gabriel, so he would pray with Abraham, Moses, and Jesus, as well as receive instructions from Allah the name of God in Islam.

It is important to note that there are other Islamic scholars who believe that the prophet Muhammad ascended to Heaven from the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and not from this shrine. After the dome collapsed in an earthquake in , it was rebuilt in CE. The architecture and mosaics of the shrine were patterned after nearby Byzantine churches and palaces.

References: A history of Jerusalem — Karen Armstrong. Please note that some of the places featured on this site cannot be verified for certain. The knowledge of these places has been passed down through the ages and in some cases more than one location make claim to hosting the same historical place.

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Palestine: Masjid al-Aqsa. Abu Huzaifa. Overhead view of the rock the building is built over - Photo: beautyOfislam Instagram. It measures approximately 18 meters in length by 8 meters width. When the Crusaders took over the site they covered the Rock with a marble facing to make an alter and choir, and the interior Quranic inscriptions were covered with Latin texts, all aimed to blot out Muslim presence.