Jerusalem or Al-Quds al-Sharif, as it is called by the Arabs, is regarded as one of the most sacred places since antiquity. Christians, Jews, as well as Muslims revere the city equally. One of the most important edifices of Islam is erected on the top here, is the Rock (al-Sakhra) the summit of Mt. Moriah. It is believed that it was here on the top of this rock that the Ark of Noah rested. It was also from this Rock that Prophet Muhammad (peace of Allah be upon him) commenced his journey to heaven.
After conquering Jerusalem in AD635, Caliph Hazrat Omar himself supervised the subjugation of the city. It was then that he ordered the construction of a mosque there. Ultimately a simple mosque, with a capacity of 3000 people was built.
Fifty years later, in AD691, the mosque was the center of Muslim power struggle. Umayyid caliph, Abdul Malik bin Marwan erected an imposing building near the mosque which many still believe was a challenge to Abdullah bin Zubair who established his government in Mecca. It is argued that Abdul Malik wished to change the venue of the Hajj to his seat of rule.
However Muqaddasi, wrote in AD985 Abdul Malik wanted to construct a splendid religious building which could vie with the numerous churches spread all over the Holy City of Jerusalem.
Dome of the Rock is one of those few buildings whose details are still available. Ibn al-Faqih, Ibn Hauqal, Istakhri, Muqaddasi Nasir Khusrau, Idrisi, Ibn Battuta, Suynti and many others have written about it.
The earliest known description of the Dome was recorded by Arab writer, Ibn al-Faqih in AD903. According to him, “the edifice had four entrances, each with a marble porch. There were 56 windows, 12 piers and 30 columns. The Dome had one outer and one inner copula. The aisles were covered with lead sheets. Muqaddasi who belonged to Jerusalem gives a graphic picture: “In the centre of the platform is the Dome of the Rock, which rises above an octagonal building with four gates, Qiblah Gate, the Israfil Gate, the Sur Gate, and the Women Gate. All these gates are decorated with gold. Over each of the gates is a porch of marble, wrought with cedar wood, with brass work. Within the building are three concentric colonnades. With columns of the most beautiful marble, polished, that can be seen and above is a low vaulting. Inside these (colonnades) is the central hall over the Rock; it is circular, not octagonal, and is surrounded by columns of polished marble supporting circular arches. Built above these, and rising high into the air, is the drum, in which are large windows; and over the drum is the Dome.”
In AD1355, Ibn-e-Battuta visited Jerusalem, but his account of the Dome offers few new details. Prof. Van Bercham, another authority on Islamic architecture, speaks highly of the character of the Dome and its grandeur and majesty.
A more detailed description of the Dome is as follows:
THE WOODEN DOME: The double Dome constructed on the edifice consists of two shells made of wood. Each dome is constructed in three sections placed one upon the other. The internal dome is divided into ornamental compartments, while the outer is covered with gilt sheets. The domes are constructed with converging ribs — 32 ribs in each dome. In the outer dome, every eighth rib has been made double by placing a second one under it, to make the structure more strong and durable. The interior of the dome is decorated with arabesques, executed in painted and gilded plaster. Round the base runs a band of inscriptions between the two parallel bands of ornaments.
The dome, originally built by the Caliph Abdul Malik been reconstructed and repaired several times. On one of the ribs of the outer dome is carved a Kufic inscription which records later construction and repair carried out in 1019. A severe earthquake shook Jerusalem in AD846. Some two hundred years later, in 1011, another earthquake shook the monument and it collapsed while the outer walls on south east were damaged. The restoration was carried out under the order of the Egyptian Caliph Zahir (1020-33). The interior of the dome was also decorated at this time.
During the nineteenth century again the dome underwent some extensive repairs. They were carried out by an Armenian architect. He strengthened the dome and also repaired the interior decoration.
THE DRUM AND THE WINDOWS: The drum on which the Dome rests is about 67 feet in diameter. It has been built of ashlar-laid courses strengthened with four butte recess raised from the four piers and twelve columns. Like the Dome, the interior of the drum is also decorated with beautiful glazed tiles of floral patterns. The drum is pierced just above the roof level with sixteen windows filled with panels of plaster and coloured glass. The decorative designs on these windows are either of geometrical patterns or interlacing floral scrolls in various hues.
The monument has been provided with four-entrance gates in Syrian shape. Each of these gateways has a lintel with a stilted semi-circular arch on the top. The lintel is covered with copper or bronze sheets, which possess beautiful decorative floral designs in relief. The chief motifs of the decoration are vine-scrolls, vine-leaves, bunches of grapes, etc. The present door were fixed by the orders of Sultan Sulaiman. According to Muqqaddasi, the earlier doors were made of wood and were presented by the mother of the Caliph al-Muqtadir (908-32). We do not, however, know about the original doors of Abdul Malik’s time. Between the octagon and inner circle is an intermediate octagonal arcade, consisting of arches resting on eight piers and sixteen columns. The function of this arcade is to provide support to the roof. The columns of the arcade possess capitals of different designs and types, all of pleasing and harmonizing effect. The whole surface is profusely decorated with mosaics; the vine-scrolls runs through the width, while other floral patterns fill the spaces in between the piers and arches and give a commutative effect of balance and harmony.
THE TILE DECORATION: The tile decoration, applied to the most part of the surface of the edifice, displays the finest workmanship ever applied to any monument. Indeed, it provides an example of one of the greatest tile decoration ever undertaken. The drum, the octagon, the arcades, and the upper half of the outer walls are all covered with coloured tiles. It has been estimated that there are as many as 45,000 tiles fixed on the monument. Of these, 32,000 are on the octagon and about 13,000 on the drum. Some of these tiles bear dates of their manufacture and the names of the artist. The glazed tile covering is the work of Sultan Sulaiman who carried out extensive repair in AD1552. Since then, modifications and alterations have been carried out so extensively that few original tiles of the sixteenth century now exist in situ.
THE INSCRIPTIONS: The Dome of the Rock possesses beautiful inscriptions. Some of these contain Quranic verses, while others give useful information about the construction and later restoration of the monument. The earliest of these is the famous inscription made in yellow and blue tiles and fixed above the cornice of the octagonal colonnade. The inscription in Kufic script records the date of the completion of the monument by the Caliph Abd al-Malik in AD691. The inscription was altered by replacing a few tiles at the time. Thorough repairs were carried out under the orders of the Abbasid Caliph al-Mamun. But surprisingly, the forgers forgot to alter the date of Abd ul-Malik which was recorded in the inscription as 72 Hijra. Al-Mamun whose name they have substituted just before this date reigned from 198 Hijra to 218 Hijra. Besides, there is a marked difference of colour and texture between the original and replaced tiles.
In AD1099 the holy city of Jerusalem passed on to the Crusaders after more than 450 years of Muslim rule. The Dome of the Rock was converted into the Templum Domini, the Church of the Knights Templers. It was re-decorated inside and outside with Christian paintings and images of the saints. A marble altar was set up and a large golden cross was put on the summit of the Dome.
The cave beneath the Rock was turned into a chapel. It was in 1187 Salahud-Din captured and occupied the city. To quote European scholars, Salahud-Din’s attitude was ‘very lenient’ in dealing with the local population. After taking over the city, he restored the Dome to its original character. The golden cross was replaced with a crescent and the altar removed. On this occasion, a number of Christians left the city. During the reign of the Ottoman Sultan, Sulaiman the Magnificent (1520-1566) who had inherited Syria and Jerusalem as parts of the Ottoman Empire, extensive restoration to the Dome was carried out.
The magnificent, but unfortunate monument, is again in the possession of the Jewish Israeli Government and is a bone of contention during the last few decades. No rightful and amicable solution is in sight.
