Reference: A guide to al-Aqsa mosque – PASSIA

• In 1538 AD (945 AH), Mohammad Bek, the governor of Gaza and Jerusalem during the Ottoman Sultan Sulayman the Magnificent’s reign had a prayer niche built in this location.
• ”The Ottoman Sultan Abdul Al-Majid later ordered the building of an octagonal dome that is based on eight marble columns over the niche.
• It should be noted that despite this structure, there are no authentic sources which point to the accurate location of where the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) led the salah of all the previous prophets. And Allah (ﷻ) knows best.

References: A guide to al-Aqsa mosque – PASSIA

• The structure is a small octagonal dome based on 30 marble columns. The open space between the columns was later sealed using marble slabs. The dome has a niche pointing towards the Qiblah, and its main entrance is located on its northern side. What makes the dome stand out is the smaller dome on top of it that looks like a crown.
• The dome’s accurate year of construction and its founder’s name remain unknown but it was renovated by Prince Ezz Ad-Din Ottoman bin Al Az-Zanjabily, the Governor of Jerusalem, during the Ayoubi King Al-Adel’s reign in 1200 AD (597 AH).

• It is often claimed that this structure represents the true place from where the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) ascended to the heavens. However, there is no authentic source to back this claim. And Allah (ﷻ) knows best.

References: A guide to al-Aqsa mosque – PASSIA

• This structure marks the spot where some Muslims believe a righteous man, Al-Khidr (عليه السلام),  used to pray to Allah. He is mentioned in verses 65-82 of chapter 18 (surah ‘Al-Kahf’) of the Qu’ran.
• However, it should be noted that there are no authentic sources to back the above claim. And Allah (ﷻ) knows best.
• The dome is based on six marble columns and includes a niche built with red stone inside.

References: A guide to al-Aqsa mosque – PASSIA

References: A guide to al-Aqsa mosque – PASSIA, HUMA’s travel guide to Palestine

• The  Supreme Judge Burhan ad-Din bin Jamaa’ ordered the building of a marble pulpit in 1309 CE (709 AH) to replace a small portable one made of wood. The pulpit has a small entrance and a number of steps leading to a stone seat reserved for the speaker. It is topped with an attractive dome called the “Dome of the Scale” because of its adjacent location to one of the arched gates that were known as scales in the past.
• The Eid sermon (khutba) was performed here and addresses were also made from here on other special occasions. This appears to have stopped sometime in the 17th century.

• There are two niches carved in the body of the pulpit, one can be seen under the speaker’s chair while the other on its eastern side next to the arched gate pillar. The pulpit is the only exterior pulpit within Masjid al-Aqsa which has been used in summer time as well as religious festivals.

References: A guide to al-Aqsa mosque – PASSIA, HUMA’s travel guide to Palestine

• The building consists of two rooms and a hallway in the middle that is topped with two domes: the big silver dome lies on top of the western room, the smaller dome sits on top of the eastern room, while the hallway’s roof is flat.
• The dome’s entrance is located on its northern side, and is decorated with two marble columns.
• The structure remained a school for Arabic language and grammar until the 17th Century CE (12th Century AH) and played a great role in Jerusalem’s cultural and intellectual scene.
• During the past century, the dome was used as a library for the Islamic Supreme Council, and as an architectural office for the restoration and reconstruction of the Dome of the Rock. Today, it is serving as an office for the acting Supreme Judge and as headquarters for the Shari’a Appeal Court in Jerusalem.

References: A guide to al-Aqsa mosque – PASSIA

• It was renovated in 1681 CE (1092 AH) during the reign of the Ottoman Sultan Mehmet IV. It’s name was attributed to it’s founder Yusuf bin Ayyub, and in a later stage was attributed to it’s renovator the Ottoman governor Ali bin Yusuf Agha.
• Another opinion is that it was built to commemorate the Prophet Yusuf (عليه السلام).
• The domes structure is open from all sides, except for the southern side which is sealed by a wall. It is built on two stone columns and contains two inscriptions.

References: A guide to al-Aqsa mosque – PASSIA, HUMA’s travel guide to Palestine

References: A guide to al-Aqsa mosque – PASSIA

• The museum has two halls that form a right angle. The western hall was formerly a mosque known as the Moroccan Mosque, while the southern hall is part of the Women’s Mosque.  The Moroccan Mosque was built during the 12th or 13th AD (6th or 7th Century AH) during the Ayyubi era, however the accurate year for its construction and the name of its founder remains unknown. In the past the mosque was dedicated to the followers of the Maliki school of jurisprudence. 

• The Islamic Museum includes rare archaeological and artistic collections which  pertain to the various Islamic historical eras. In addition, the museum has about 750  manuscripts of the Qur’an with the oldest copy dating back to the  8th Century CE (2nd Century AH). There is also a copy of the Qur’an from the Mamluk Sultan Barsbay which was written between the years 1422-1437 CE (825-840 AH). With its dimensions of 110 cm x  170 cm it is considered the largest copy of the Qur’an in Palestine.

References: A guide to al-Aqsa mosque – PASSIA