Aqsa Mosque

Aqsa Mosque
Name	Al-Aqsa
Native name	المسجد الأقصى
Location	Jerusalem
Religious affiliation	Islam
Established	8th century
Architecture type	mosque complex
Architecture style	Umayyad, Abbasid, Fatimid, Mamluk, Ottoman, British Mandate, Modern

Aqsa Mosque The Aqsa Mosque is a historic Islamic sanctuary located within the Old City of Jerusalem on the Haram al-Sharif/Temple Mount plateau, adjacent to the Dome of the Rock and near the Western Wall. It has been central to religious life and political contests involving Jerusalem, Islamic history, Byzantine Empire, Umayyad Caliphate, Crusaders, Ottoman Empire, and modern Israel–Palestine conflict stakeholders.

History

The site’s antiquity is linked to narratives found in Quran, Hebrew Bible, Second Temple period, and accounts by early Muslim chroniclers like Al-Waqidi and Ibn al-Athir. Construction phases began under the Umayyad Caliphate during the reign of Al-Walid I with later renovations by the Abbasid Caliphate, Fatimid Caliphate, Ayyubid dynasty under Saladin, the Mamluk Sultanate, and the Ottoman Empire under Suleiman the Magnificent. The complex experienced destruction and rebuilding after events including the Great Seljuk Revolt, the 1099 Siege of Jerusalem during the First Crusade, the 1187 Siege of Jerusalem, the 1927 earthquake in Palestine, and the 1967 Six-Day War. British Mandate-era surveys by Charles Warren and archaeological work by figures associated with Palestine Exploration Fund influenced modern scholarship and administrative arrangements.

Architecture and compound layout

The compound contains a layered assemblage of Umayyad-era foundations, Abbasid-era restorations, Fatimid ornamental work, Mamluk madrasas, and Ottoman-era inscriptions. Key elements near the mosque include the Dome of the Rock designed in Umayyad patronage, the Al-Buraq Wall area adjacent to the Western Wall of the Second Temple, the al-Aqsa Library holdings, and numerous columns, arches, minarets such as the Al-Ghawanima Minaret, Bab al-Asbat, and the Al-Qibli Mosque orientation toward Mecca. Architectural features reflect influences from Byzantine architecture, Persian, and Levantine craftsmanship, with mosaics, marble pavements, hypostyle halls, and mihrab spaces documented in travelers’ accounts by Ibn Jubayr and Ibn Battuta.

Religious significance and practices

The site figures prominently in Islamic eschatology, Isra and Mi'raj traditions, and devotional literature tied to figures like Prophet Muhammad. It is a focal point for ritual prayer practices, Friday khutbah gatherings, and Ramadan observances, attracting worshippers from Jordan, Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the wider Muslim world. Religious jurisprudence from schools such as Hanafi, Shafi'i, Maliki, and Hanbali inform internal practices and access rules, while clerical authorities like scholars connected to the Al-Azhar University and local wakf administrators influence ritual interpretations.

Administration and ownership disputes

Administration has been contested among Ottoman waqf arrangements, British Mandate legal frameworks, Jordanian custodianship affirmed after the 1948 Arab–Israeli War, and post-1967 arrangements following the Six-Day War. The Jordanian Hashemite custodianship and the Waqf authority manage religious services, while Israeli civil and security agencies exercise control over access and policing. Legal disputes have involved international actors such as United Nations Security Council, UNESCO, and bilateral agreements between Israel and Jordan including the 1994 Israel–Jordan peace treaty provisions. Controversies have centered on archaeological permits, renovation projects, and competing claims by groups linked to Religious Zionism and Palestinian civic bodies.

Archaeology and conservation

Excavations and conservation efforts have been undertaken by archaeologists affiliated with institutions like the British School of Archaeology in Jerusalem, scholars such as Mary Beard-style commentators, and teams from regional universities. Heritage debates involve the preservation of Umayyad mosaics, Mamluk-era inscriptions, and subterranean remains associated with the Second Temple Mount platform. International conservation frameworks represented by ICOMOS and UNESCO have issued assessments and resolutions, while emergency stabilization followed earthquakes and wartime damage. Scientific analyses include stratigraphic surveys, radiocarbon dating, and architectural forensics used by specialists in Levantine archaeology.

Cultural and political impact

The site’s symbolism resonates across cultural media including Palestinian literature, Israeli historiography, Arab nationalism, and international diplomacy. Artists, poets, and filmmakers have invoked the site in works shown at festivals connected to Cairo International Film Festival, Venice Biennale, and regional galleries. Political movements from Pan-Arabism to contemporary Palestinian factions cite the location in mobilization and discourse, while global protests and diplomatic demarches at United Nations General Assembly sessions reference incidents at the precinct. The site figures in legal cases before international tribunals and in policy debates in capitals like Washington, D.C., London, and Amman.

Access, worship, and tourism regulations

Visitation policies are governed by a matrix of religious authorities and state entities; entry rules for worshippers, tourists, and researchers have varied with security conditions, diplomatic understandings, and court rulings from institutions similar to municipal and national courts. Tour operation firms, pilgrimage organizers from Turkey, Malaysia, and Indonesia, and academic delegations coordinate with waqf administrators for guided access. Restrictions during holy days and political crises have been issued by security agencies, with periodic international diplomatic responses mediated through bodies such as European Union delegations and UN envoys.

Category:Historic mosques Category:Religious sites in Jerusalem