1001 Facts Everyone Should Know about Israel by Mitchell G. Bard & Moshe Schwartz

Author:Mitchell G. Bard & Moshe Schwartz
Language: eng
Format: epub
ISBN: 9781461627159
Publisher: Jason Aronson, Inc.
Published: 2013-07-11T00:00:00+00:00

Islam

484. Dome of the Rock This shrine was built between 685 and 691 by Caliph Abd al Malik ibn Marwan as a shrine for Muslim pilgrims. It covers the rock where Muslims believe Mohammed ascended to heaven. Jews believe it is the place where Abraham prepared to sacrifice his son Isaac and where the

Holy of Holies of King Solomon’s temple was located. The shrine (it is not a mosque) is located on the Temple Mount and is still used today. The building’s magnificent gold dome overlooks the Western Wall and has become a symbolic image of Israel. In 1994, under the auspices of King Hussein of Jordan, the dome was completely reconstructed and regilded with 80 kilograms of 24-karat gold.

485. Well of Souls Under the rock in the Dome of the Rock is a chamber known as the Well of the Souls. This is where Muslim tradition believes the souls of the dead congregate.

486. Mohammad’s Hair Inside the Dome of the Rock is a box containing two hairs that Muslim tradition holds belonged to Mohammad.

487. Al-Aksa Mosque At the southern end of the Temple Mount is the gray-domed Al-Aksa mosque. The name means “the distant one” and refers to the fact that it was the most distant sanctuary visited by Mohammed. It is also the place where Mohammed experienced the “night journey” which is why it is considered the third holiest Islamic shrine after Mecca and Medina.

488. Al-Aksa Fire In August 1969, a mentally ill Australian tourist, Michael Rohan, set fire to the Al-Aksa mosque. Israel was blamed by the Muslim world for the incident.

489. Mufti of Jerusalem A Mufti is the person responsible for interpreting Muslim law and is held in high esteem by the population. The Mufti’s opinion is expressed in a document called a fatwa. The Mufti of Jerusalem is one of the leading religious authorities. During the Mandate period, the Mufti of Jerusalem, Hajj Amin Husseini, was the most influential cleric and politician in the Palestine Arab community and an instigator of much of the violence in the country. Today, the Mufti has far less influence in both the political and religious realms.

490. Waqf Under Ottoman rule, from 1517 to 1917, a religious foundation, or Waqf, administered the Islamic holy places in Jerusalem, including the Temple Mount. Under British Mandatory rule, a Supreme Muslim Council administered the Muslim holy places. Since 1948, the Waqf has administered Muslim sites in West Jerusalem, and its authority was extended in 1967 to East Jerusalem as well. The Waqf has authority over the Temple Mount.

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