Dome of the Rock is a shrine in Jerusalem that ranks among the holiest sites in the religion of Islam. The Dome of the Rock—like the Ka`ba in Mecca, Saudi Arabia—is a shrine built over a sacred stone. The stone is believed to be the site of the Prophet Muhammad’s journey to heaven, as described in the Qur’ān. Muhammad’s life and teachings form the basis of Islam. The Dome of the Rock—Qubbat al-Sakhrah in Arabic—is one of the oldest surviving Islamic monuments. It also has the oldest mihrab, a prayer niche indicating the direction of Mecca. Mecca is the holiest city of Islam.
The Dome of the Rock was built between A.D. 688 and 691 under the direction of Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan. Al-Malik was a caliph, or leader, of the Umayyad caliphate, an Islamic empire. The Dome of the Rock is part of an area that Muslims call al-Haram al-Sharif (the Noble Sanctuary). Jews call the area the Temple Mount. The area is sacred to Muslims, Jews, and Christians. The site also includes the Al Aqsa Mosque. Only Muslims may enter the Dome of the Rock.
The Dome of the Rock resembles much Byzantine Christian architecture, noted for its domed churches. The dome atop the shrine was originally covered with gold. The gold was later replaced with lead and then with aluminum. Now, it is covered with brass plates and gold leaf. The dome is about 65 feet (20 meters) in diameter and rises about 115 feet (35 meters) above the ground. The octagonal lower structure is faced with marble panels and glazed tiles. Inscriptions from the Qur’ān cover the lower structure.
Jews believe the sacred rock of the shrine was once at the center of Solomon’s Temple—the site where Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac. Beneath the rock is a cavity known as Bir el-Arwah, or the Well of Souls. There, according to legend, listeners may hear the voices of the dead and the rivers of paradise.
See also Al Aqsa Mosque; Jerusalem.
