The Dome of the Rock /
Saïd Nuseibeh and Oleg Grabar.
- London : Thames and Hudson , 1996.
- 175 pages : Color illustration ; 32 cm
Includes bibliographical references (page 173) and index.
The Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem / Oleg Grabar -- Introduction -- Shape and appearance of the Dome -- Space occupied by the Dome -- Belief and practices associated with the Dome -- Formal and decorative features of the Dome and their sources -- The mosaics / Saïd Nuseibeh, text and epigraphy translations -- The outer octagonal arcade -- The inner octagonal arcade -- The circular arcade and drum mosaics -- Historical accounts. Memories of the Dome of the Rock / Ibn Batuta -- On building the Dome of the Rock and activities therein / Jamâl ad-Din Ahmad -- On the haram and Dome of the Rock / Muqadisi -- To photograph the farthest mosque / Saïd Nuseibeh -- Glossary of Arabic terms.
The Dome of the Rock was built in 692 C.E. under the patronage of the Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan. It enshrines the Sacred Rock, literally the irregular highest tip of Mount Moriah, one of the several ridges around which the city of Jerusalem began to develop as early as five thousand years ago. The structure commemorates the Prophet Muhammad's (ca. 570-632) celebrated Night Journey from Mecca to Jerusalem and his Ascension through the heavens to visit God, as told in the Koran and the Traditions. As such, the mosque has reflected and represented Islam during most of its history, but it is also associated with sacred events in the lives of Christ, the Virgin, and Christian saints as well as with a host of Jewish prophets, traditions, and memories. Today the Dome of the Rock is used primarily for women's congregational prayer, private prayer, and religious instruction, and as a place of pilgrimage for people of all faiths. This volume is the most detailed and complete visual documentation published to date of this profound monument. Stunning color photography explores the exterior and luxurious interior, illuminated by delicate light from stained glass windows and decorated with veined marble, mosaics, oriental carpets, and porphyry columns. The introduction, by one of today's most esteemed Islamic scholars, explores the history, art, architecture, and cultural and religious significance of the building. The book also includes transcriptions of the earliest-known Koranic script, inscribed on the building's octagonal arcades, historical travelers' accounts of the Dome, maps and drawings, a bibliography and glossary, and an index.