Ready to discover the story of the Hamza Mosque? The Al-Aqsa Mosque is a large complex. It holds deep meaning for Muslims. It is also known as the Qibli Mosque. Al-Aqsa translates to “the Farthest Mosque”.
The Al-Aqsa Mosque compound is also known as al-Haram al-Sharif. This means “The Noble Sanctuary”. It is a significant place in Jerusalem’s Old City.
Let’s step back in time. During the Rashidun Caliph Umar’s rule a small prayer house was built. This was near where the Al-Aqsa Mosque stands today. The Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Malik then built the present-day mosque. Or maybe his successor al-Walid I did. History is not completely clear. It was designed as a congregational mosque. It aligned with the Dome of the Rock.
Disaster struck in 746. An earthquake destroyed the Al-Aqsa Mosque. But it rose again in 758. The Abbasid Caliph al-Mansur rebuilt it. Al-Mahdi expanded it further in 780. It then had fifteen aisles and a central dome.
Earthquakes continued to plague the mosque. Another one in 1033 caused major damage. The Fatimid Caliph al-Zahir rebuilt it again. He reduced it to seven aisles. He decorated the interior with vegetal mosaics. The current structure still has the 11th-century design.
Islamic dynasties added to the Al-Aqsa Mosque over time. They constructed its dome and facade. They added minarets and a minbar. Even the interior was changed.
Crusaders captured the mosque in 1099. They used it as a palace. It became the headquarters of the Knights Templar. Saladin reconquered the area in 1187. The Al-Aqsa Mosque returned to its original purpose.
The Ayyubids then renovated the mosque. The Mamluks and Ottomans also made repairs. The Supreme Muslim Council of British Palestine helped too. Even during the Jordanian occupation of the West Bank it was renovated. The Jerusalem Islamic Waqf now independently runs it. This has been the case even during the Israeli occupation.
The Arabic term “Al-Aqsa Mosque” refers to both al-Masjid al-Aqsa and Jami al-Aqsa. Al-Masjid al-Aqsa refers to the Quran’s Surah 17. This means the entire Temple Mount compound. Jami al-Aqsa refers to the mosque building itself.
The Al-Aqsa Mosque stands on the Temple Mount’s southern part. King Herod the Great expanded this enclosure. This was during his reconstruction of the Second Jewish Temple. The mosque sits on an artificial platform. Arches support it. These arches overcame topographic challenges.
Before the mosque was built, the Royal Stoa stood here. It was a basilica along the enclosure’s southern wall. The Romans destroyed it during the siege of Jerusalem in 70 CE.
The Umayyad-built mosque was large. Historians estimate it was about 112 by 39 meters. The layout was like a hypostyle mosque. But its aisles ran perpendicular to the qibla wall.
In 746, an earthquake ruined the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Four years later, the Abbasids replaced the Umayyads. The Abbasids did not focus much on Jerusalem. However they tried to sponsor the holy places.
Al-Mansur visited Jerusalem in 758. He restored the ruined structures. Al-Mahdi ordered another reconstruction in 780. He asked his governors to contribute.
The Fatimids conquered Palestine in 970. In 1033, another earthquake hit. Caliph al-Zahir had the Al-Aqsa Mosque rebuilt between 1034 and 1036. Work finished in 1065.
The new mosque had only seven aisles. Mosaics were added. They depicted a luxurious garden. The mosaics marked the Night Journey of Muhammad.
Today, the Al-Aqsa Mosque remains a vital place. The Jerusalem Waqf administers the compound. It addresses administrative matters. The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem holds religious authority.
The Al-Aqsa Mosque continues to be a symbol. It reflects Palestinian identity. It remains a place of worship.