Al-Aqsa Mosque is located in the Old City of Jerusalem and it is the third holiest site in Islam. The covered mosque building was originally a small prayer house erected by Umar, the second caliph of the Rashidun Caliphate after the Muslim conquest of the Levant in the early 7th century. It was rebuilt and expanded by the Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik and finished by his son al-Walid in 705.
There is actually a lot of interesting history for the most significant and highly contested holy site in the Palestinian city of Jerusalem. These are actually 5 amazing facts that many people should know about it Al-Aqsa Mosque.
1) It Was The First Qibla For Muslims
Al-Aqsa is one of the holiest sites in Islam. While Muslims now pray in the direction of the Kaaba in Saudi Arabia, this has not always been the custom. Before resorting to the Kaaba as a Qibla, the direction that should be faced during Islamic prayer, Muslims used to pray in the direction of the Noble Sanctuary in Jerusalem, where Al-Aqsa now stands. Prophet Muhammad was later instructed to take the Kaaba as a Qiblah through Surat Al-Baqara.
2) Dome Of The Rock Is Said To Be One Of The First Islamic Domes In History
The legendary golden dome is probably the first thing that comes to mind when one thinks of Al-Aqsa. The mosque’s Dome of the Rock is said to be the first dome to ever be used in Islamic architecture, before becoming a staple of Islamic mosques. Initially made of wood, the dome was later decorated with marble pieces and a distinctive gold layer by Ottoman Caliph Suleiman the Magnificent.
3) It Is Not Just One Mosque
While Al-Aqsa is often thought of as a single building, the site actually consists of several mosques, such as the Buraq Mosque and the Marwani Mosque. To avoid confusion, the wider compound in which Al-Aqsa is located is usually referred to as Al-Haram Ash-Sharif.
4) Has Its Very Own Library
The Al-Aqsa Library was established in the year of 1923 by the Supreme Muslim Legislative Council. It includes a collection of valuable manuscripts and published works in Islamic and Arabic studies.
5) Muslims Believe The Site Has Witnessed Miracle
Muslims believe that Prophet Muhammad was transported from the Sacred Mosque in Mecca to Al-Aqsa during the ‘Night Journey,’ known as Al-Israa Wal- Mi’raj, one of the most significant events in the Islamic calendar. It is said that during ‘The Night Journey’, Prophet Muhammad traveled from Mecca to Jerusalem, and then up to Paradise, on a heavenly creature.
Sources: YouTube FreeQuranEducation, Lonely Planet, Madain Project, Twitter The British Library, Twitter AhmedBukhatir.