Essay On Dome Of The Rock

The Dome of the Rock known as Qubbat As-Sakhrah, found in Jerusalem, was built by the order of Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Malik between AD 687 and 691. Engineers, Raja ibn Haywah, a muslim theologian from Beit She’an, and Yazid Ibn Salam, a non-Arab and a Jerusalem native, were tasked to build the Dome of the Rock. Historically, it is one of the most iconic monumental buildings in the early Islamic history and is an excellent artistic creation of mankind. It became the symbol of unity of the three monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity and Islam.
The Dome of the Rock is the first real representation of the Islamic world-view. “The very site where it was established, the structure of the building, its dimensions and proportions, the forms to be found within it, the colors
It is believed that it was where Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven during his ‘Night Journey’. According to the Jews account, it was the place where Abraham prepared to offer his son Isaac. And as for Christians, Temple Mount was highly regarded because of its importance in the life and ministries of Jesus Christ. “The inscriptions inside the building glorify Islam as the final true revelation and culmination of the faiths of Judaism and Christianity”(witcombe.sbc.edu). The Dome of the Rock is actually a Muslim shrine for pilgrims, not a mosque. Thousands of pilgrims, Muslims and non-Muslims, visit the place every year.
There are 4 reasons why the Dome of the Rock was built. Firstly, because of religious reason. “The caliph intended to project himself as a humble servant of the holy Mosque built sequentially second to the Ka’bah, and which is third in importance and sacredness on earth. He thus intended to promote, encourage and facilitate pilgrimage to it.”(Islamicity.org) His actions were in accordance with the Prophet’s tradition as well as the companions of the Prophet who engaged in journeys to