Singnificance of done of rock.

Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh. (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

 

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

assalam-o-alikum
how r u...i just want to know about historical significance of Dome of Rock (or the site where it is built site) and from where our Holy Prophet (S.A.W) went to Mirage (heavens), was it Masjid-al-aqsa or Dome of rock. 

 

(There may be some grammatical and spelling errors in the above statement. The forum does not change anything from questions, comments and statements received from our readers for circulation in confidentiality.)

 

Answer:

 

Singnificance of done of rock

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 17 Surah Israa verse 1:

1        Glory to (Allah) Who did take His slave-servant (Prophet Mohamed (saws)) for Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque (in Makkah) to the Farthest Mosque (in Jerusalem) whose precincts We did Bless in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the one Who Hears and Sees (all things).

 

Although the Glorious Quran only mentions the Night Journey of the Prophet Mohamed (saws) from the Sacred Sanctuary in Makkah to the Masjid-al-Aqsa in Jerusalem, the details of the ascension of the Prophet (saws) or ‘Mairaaj’ from Jerusalem to the heavens is appropriately documented in the authentic and established Sunnah of the Messenger of Allah (saws).

 

The ‘rock’ over which the ‘Dome of the Rock’ is built was considered ‘holy’ by the People of the Book before the Revelation of the Glorious Quran and the advent of the Prophet Mohamed (saws). Jews erroneously believed, and still believe, the ‘rock’ to be the place where Prophet Ibraheem (a.s.) prepared to sacrifice his second-born son Ishaaq (a.s.), whereas the Truth is confirmed by Allah Subhanah in His Glorious Quran that Prophet Ibraheem (a.s.) did not prepare to sacrifice his second-born son and Prophet Ishaaq (a.s.) in Jerusalem, but rather it was his first-born son and the Prophet Ismail (a.s.) who was prepared for sacrifice under the Command and guidance of the Lord Most High in Makkah.

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chatper 37 Surah Saafaat verses 100-112:

100    …(And Ibraheem (a.s.) prayed;;) "O my Lord! grant me a righteous (son)!"

101    So We gave him the good news of a boy (Ismail (a.s.), ready to suffer and forbear.

102    Then when (Ismail (a.s.)) reached (the age of serious) work with him he (Ibraheem (a.s.)) said: "O my son! I see in vision that I offer thee in sacrifice: now see what is thy view!" (Ismail (a.s.)) said: "O my father! Do as thou art commanded: thou will find me if Allah so wills one practicing patience and constancy!"

103    So when they had both (Ibraheem (a.s.) and Ismail (a.s.)) submitted their wills (to Allah), and he (Ibraheem (a.s.)) had laid him (Ismail (a.s.)) prostrate on his forehead (for sacrifice),

104    We called out to him "O Ibraheem!

105    Thou hast already fulfilled the vision!"; thus indeed do We reward those who do right.

106    For this was obviously a trial

107    And We ransomed him (Ismail (a.s.)) with a momentous sacrifice:

108    And We left (this blessing) for him among generations (to come) in later times:

109    "Peace and salutation to Ibraheem!"

110    Thus indeed do We reward those who do right.

111    For he was one of Our believing servants.

112    And We gave him the good news of Ishaaq, a Prophet, one of the Righteous.

 

In light of the above absolutely clear guidance of the Holy Quran, without an iota of a doubt, the incident regarding the ransoming of the sacrifice was between Prophet Ibraheem (a.s.) and his first-born and eldest son born of Hadrat Hajrah, Prophet Ismail (a.s.). 

 

When this incident between Prophet Ibraheem (a.s.) and his first-born Prophet Ismail (a.s.) took place in Makkah, Prophet Ishaaq (a.s.) the second son of Prophet Ibraheem was not even born!  It was only after this incident of ransoming the sacrifice of Prophet Ismail (a.s.) with a ram, that the Lord Most High Declares in His Glorious Quran (in verse 112 quoted above) that Allah gave the good news of the birth of Prophet Ishaaq (a.s.) to Prophet Ibraheem (a.s.)! 

 

The ‘rock’ over which the ‘Dome of the Rock’ is built is still believed by the Jews to stand directly over the site which they term the ‘Holy of the Holies’, the place upon which once stood the ‘Temple of Solomon’ and ‘Herod’s Temple’.  The Jews believe that this was the ‘rock’ upon which the ‘Ark of the Covenant’ was placed in the first Temple of Solomon; and it was on this very ‘rock’ during the second Temple upon which their High Priest offered the incense and sprinkled the blood of the sacrifices during the ‘Yom Kippur’ services.  Jewish Rabbinic legend also alleges that the entire world was created from this very ‘rock’, hence they also call it the ‘Foundation Stone’!

 

In Christianity, in addition to the several incidents of Prophet Jesus (a.s.) in the ‘Temple of Solomon’ which are recorded in the present day Bible, it is believed that during the time of the Byzantine Empire, the spot where the ‘Dome’ was later constructed was where Constantine's mother built a small church, calling it the ‘Church of St. Cyrus and St. John’, later on enlarged and called the ‘Church of the Holy Wisdom.’

 

Thus it would be safe to assume that the ‘Dome of the Rock’ holds a religious significance in the Jewish and Chrisitan faith rather than in Islam.

 

Although it cannot be authenticated, some muslims believe that the ‘rock’ over which the ‘Dome of the Rock’ was later built was the very site from where the Prophet Mohamed (saws) ascended to the heavens with Arch-Angel Jibrael (a.s.)….And Allah Alone Knows Best. 

 

The Dome of the Rock was built by the Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Malik from 688 to 691 AD. It was not intended to be a mosque, but rather only a monument to the site from which Prophet Mohamed (saws) ascended to the heavens.  

 

Beloved Sister, even if the claim of some muslims that the ‘rock’ over which the ‘Dome of the Rock’ was later built is the very site from which Prophet Mohamed (saws) ascended towards the heavens is to be believed, then this site of the ‘Dome of the Rock’ would hold only a historical significance in Islam; for without an iota of a doubt, the ‘rock’ or the ‘Dome of the Rock’ holds absolutely no religious significance in the deen of Islam.

 

What is of enormous religious significance to the believers and in Islam is the actual site of the ‘Masjid-al-Aqsa’ which is found adjacent and to the South of the place where the ‘Dome of the Rock’ is built, and it is this ‘Masjid al-Aqsa’ which is considered the third most holiest Masjid in Islam after the Holy Sanctuary in Makkah and the Prophet’s Masjid in Madinah.

 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

 

 

Burhan

 

 
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