Islamic Jerusalem

Last class, we talked about Jerusalem in the context of the Christian religion.  Today, we continued to talk about Jerusalem in the context of the Islamic religion.  Quite helpful, actually, considering this is precisely the topic that I am discussing in my research paper :). Well, anyways, Professor started class, discussing the end of the Byzantine Empire.  Byzantine rulers, were extremely mean to Jewish people in Jerusalem, forbidding them to live there.  Towards the end of Byzantine Jerusalem, when Caliph Umar takes control of the city, Jews were slowly allowed to move back, and the population slowly increased.  The next ruler, Abd al-Malik, built the Dome of the Rock in 691 CE, in attempt to divert the pilgrimage from Mecca to Jerusalem.  In 1099, the Crusaders conquered Jerusalem and converted the Dome of the Rock into a church.  in 1187, Salah ad-Din re-conquers Jerusalem and restores the Dome of the Rock.  The Dome of the Rock was built with Byzantine Martyria influence.  This is also seen in the Holy Sepulcher.  Abd al-Malik attemped to incorporated Christian architectural traditions in order to outshine Christian monuments, emphasizing the importance and prestige of Islam.  In addition, Abd al-Malik made mosaic inscriptions of Qur-anic verses around the interior of the shrine, repudiating Christianity's view of Jesus as the son of God.  The location of the Dome of the Rock is especially significant because it is the site of the Holy of Holies. In addition, it is traditionally believed to be the site of Muhummad's pilgrimage.  Under it is believed to be the underworld, and the place of Final Judgement of the Lord at death.  Overall, both shrines are equally important in sanctifying their individually specific Messiahs.  Both demonstrate Byzantine architecture, have related Biblical contexts, and are memorializing a specific Messiah.