The “Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik ibn Marwun” constructed the “Dome of the Rock” in Jerusalem in the seventh century. The mosque is the oldest continuously used place of worship for Muslims anywhere in the globe. The sacred rock atop the monument is revered by both Muslims and Jews (Lucas, 2017). The Dome, which measures 65 feet in diameter, is supported by a circle of 16 piers and pillars. A railing protects some rare granite under the Dome, and a 24-pier and octagonal pillar hallway rings the circular room. There is a stairway leading down to the geological cavern under the surface. Each of the octagon’s eight sides is around 60 feet in width and 36 feet in height (Renard, 2013). Many windows makeup both the Dome and the outside walls. This artwork analysis aims to show how the Dome’s particular Arabic and Islamic architectural features set it apart as a religious landmark.
Research indicates that the Dome of the Rock has magnificent mosaic, marble, and faience motifs with octagonal outside columns (Cytryn-Silverman, 2020). Contrary to popular belief, research shows that the Dome of the Rock was built over an existing structure that was originally octagonal. Caliph al-Malik and his sons were widely thought to have been personally involved in the planning and construction of the Dome (Pasquini, 2005). In contrast, the cupola’s natural light is let in through 16 hand-crafted glass windows. Its relief and shadow are cast via the columns’ arches and the spaces between them. The inscriptions may be seen wherever one looks, including the rim of the cupola (Renard, 2013), the Mihrab niche, the doorway’s frame, and the frieze along the exterior and interior walls, which depicts a singular figure in the column’s capital.
Critics agree that the cupola’s arc originally had a “horseshoe-like” form, which should have been accentuated because it seems to rise and is reminiscent of a nighttime glimpse into the specially crafted celestial spheres (Lucas, 2017). The octagonal shape of the earth necessitates a drum base, which supports the Dome. According to critics, the original mosaic is more like glass than porcelain. Like the four cardinal portals, the Dome represents the geographic center of the earth. Above the arches surrounding the tomb, Nakshi calligraphy’s subtle effects may be seen as they sing God’s praises.
Even though it is not a mosque, it is the first public Islamic place of worship. According to popular legend, the Islamic prophet Muhammad rose to heaven from this location. The Jewish faith attaches great significance to the site since it is there that Abraham, the progenitor and pioneer of the Hebrews, is claimed to have sacrificed his son Isaac (Cytryn-Silverman, 2020). Although its roots in “Byzantine architectural history,” the Dome’s construction in the seventh century demonstrates an early milestone in developing a distinct Islamic aesthetic style. Christians and Jews equally believed the “Dome of the Rock” to be Solomon’s temple until the Muslim troops retook possession of Jerusalem in 1187 (Cytryn-Silverman, 2020). The “Dome of the Rock” was constructed between 685 and 691 AD by the caliph, who did not intend for it to be a place of worship for the general population but rather a place of pilgrimage (Lucas, 2017).
Researchers have concluded that the Dome of the Rock represents one Islamic worldview viewpoint. On the other hand, the places where it was established, the design, the size, the form, and the color of buildings in Islam all reflect the personal beliefs of the architects who built them. Research indicates that churches modelled the distinctive patterns shown by the Dome of the Rock in Byzantium.
References
Cytryn-Silverman, K. (2020). The Dome and the Rock Where Adam, Moses, and Jesus Meet. In Jerusalem and Other Holy Places as Foci of Multireligious and Ideological Confrontation (pp. 71-96). Brill.
Lucas, S. (2017). An efficacious Invocation inscribed on the Dome of the Rock: Literary and epigraphic Evidence for a first-Century Ḥadīth. Journal of Near Eastern Studies, 76(2), 215-230.
Pasquini, E. (2005). Old City of Jerusalem Revitalization Program Honored With Architectural Award. WASHINGTON REPORT ON MIDDLE EAST AFFAIRS, 24(7), 24.
Renard, J. (2013). Berger, Pamela. The Crescent on the Temple: The Dome of the Rock as Image of the Ancient Jewish Sanctuary. Studies in Religion and the Arts Series. Leiden and Boston: EJ Brill, 2012. Pp. xxvi+ 367+ 132 illustrations. $171.00 cloth. Religion and the Arts, 17(5), 607-609.
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