# Questions about Masjid al-Aqsa and the Dome of the Rock **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [May 18, 2005, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-masjid-al-aqsa-and-the-dome-of-the-rock/304413 "2005-05-18T14:45:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 5\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![WeRSauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f19dbf/32.png) [@WeRSauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WeRSauron)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 2:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-masjid-al-aqsa-and-the-dome-of-the-rock/304413/1 "2005-05-18T14:45:24Z")
If I remember correctly, Masjid al-Aqsa is separate from the Dome of the Rock (according to Wikipedia, called Qubbat as-Sakhrah). Because of this, I have some questions: 1. According to Muslim beliefs, when Muhammad ascended to heaven, did he ascend from Masjid al-Aqsa or from the Dome of the Rock? (I understand that some believe the journey was purely spiritual, but there are a good number of Muslims who insist it was physical, as in Muhammad physically ascended to Heaven from some point in Jerusalem, which point I would like to know.) 2. Which is more sacred/holy: Masjid al-Aqsa or the Dome of the Rock? In other words, which one of the two buildings is actually the Third Holiest Place of Islam (after al-Haraam ash-Sharif in Mekkah and Masid al-Nabi in Madinah). 3. Why do people speak of “al-Aqsa” when they mean “the Dome of the Rock”? The same extends to pictures: I have never seen a picture of Masjid al-Aqsa being displayed, it is always the Dome of the Rock, but the talk is always about al-Aqsa instead of specifically the Dome of the Rock. 4. Is the Dome of the Rock a mosque? If not, what is its purpose? 5. What building did Ariel Sharon enter: Masjid al-Aqsa or the Dome of the Rock? Thanks! WRS ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Amazing](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/6de8d8/32.png) [@Captain\_Amazing](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Amazing)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 4:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-masjid-al-aqsa-and-the-dome-of-the-rock/304413/2 "2005-05-18T16:03:10Z")
Muhammed supposedly ascended into heaven from the area that’s now the Dome of the Rock. As far as I know, it’s not used as a mosque or anything like that (even though it does get called “the Mosque of Umar”). It’s just a mashaad, a shrine protecting the rock that Muhammed ascended to heaven from. The Dome probably gets confused with the Al-Asqa Mosque a lot because they’re right next to each other. Ariel Sharon didn’t visit either, I don’t think. He visited an archeological site on the Mount. ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 4:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-masjid-al-aqsa-and-the-dome-of-the-rock/304413/3 "2005-05-18T16:15:43Z")
> [@WeRSauron](#): > > If I remember correctly, Masjid al-Aqsa is separate from the Dome of the Rock (according to Wikipedia, called Qubbat as-Sakhrah). Also Masjid al-Qubba or Masjid as-Sakhra. The Dome of the Rock was a mosque started by the Umayyad Caliph Marwan I in 685 and completed by his successor Abd al-Malik in 691. It was built supposedly to house the place ( stone ) from which Muhammad ascended ( physically ) to heaven. > [@](#): > > 1. According to Muslim beliefs, when Muhammad ascended to heaven, did he ascend from Masjid al-Aqsa or from the Dome of the Rock? (I understand that some believe the journey was purely spiritual, but there are a good number of Muslims who insist it was physical, as in Muhammad physically ascended to Heaven from some point in Jerusalem, which point I would like to know.) In essense, both. They are right next to each other and in the same compound, but the Dome of the Rock houses the actualy physical site. > [@](#): > > 1. Which is more sacred/holy: Masjid al-Aqsa or the Dome of the Rock? In other words, which one of the two buildings is actually the Third Holiest Place of Islam (after al-Haraam ash-Sharif in Mekkah and Masid al-Nabi in Madinah). Masjid al-Aqsa which supposedly represents a pre-Muslim Muslim site of worship ( if that makes sense ) that is mentioned in the Qur’an. It was the “farthest mosque.” However the term generally refers to the whole compound ( referred to as the Haram al-Sharif - identical to the Temple Mount ), including both mosques. _[17:1] .Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, Whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He Is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things)._ > [@](#): > > 1. Why do people speak of “al-Aqsa” when they mean “the Dome of the Rock”? The same extends to pictures: I have never seen a picture of Masjid al-Aqsa being displayed, it is always the Dome of the Rock, but the talk is always about al-Aqsa instead of specifically the Dome of the Rock. Dunno. Masjid al-Aqsa: [http://moonsighting.com/images/aqsa/aqsa0.jpg](http://moonsighting.com/images/aqsa/aqsa0.jpg) Masjid al-Qubba: [![](https://moonsighting.com/images/aqsa/dome_of_rock.jpg) ](https://moonsighting.com/images/aqsa/dome_of_rock.jpg) Picture showing the compound and their proximity: [http://www.noblesanctuary.com/](http://www.noblesanctuary.com/) > [@](#): > > 1. Is the Dome of the Rock a mosque? If not, what is its purpose? To my understanding the words mosque and masjid are essentially interchangeable ( though I welcome correction on that ), but in this case seems to mean shrine more than mosque, with the neighboring Masjid al-Aqsa filling the mosque role. > [@](#): > > 1. What building did Ariel Sharon enter: Masjid al-Aqsa or the Dome of the Rock? Apparently neither - he entered the compound, the Haram al-Sharif ( Temple Mount ). - Tamerlane ---
**Author:** ![WeRSauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f19dbf/32.png) [@WeRSauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WeRSauron)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 4:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-masjid-al-aqsa-and-the-dome-of-the-rock/304413/4 "2005-05-18T16:38:42Z")
So the al-Aqsa Brigade (or whatever they call themselves) is so named after Haram ash-Sharif and not specifically Masjid al-Aqsa, yes? (Thanks, by the way, **Tamerlane** , for your usually thorough and enlightening and captivating response. 🙂 ) WRS ---
**Author:** ![Tamerlane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tamerlane/32/7602_2.png) [@Tamerlane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tamerlane)\ **Post date:** [May 18, 2005, 4:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/questions-about-masjid-al-aqsa-and-the-dome-of-the-rock/304413/5 "2005-05-18T16:48:58Z")
> [@WeRSauron](#): > > So the al-Aqsa Brigade (or whatever they call themselves) is so named after Haram ash-Sharif and not specifically Masjid al-Aqsa, yes? Eh. The whole area seems to be frequently referred to generically as al-Aqsa, hence the al-Aqsa intifida and al-Aqsa Martyr’s Brigade. The Masjid al-Aqsa is the actual mosque on the site, but the whole compound is holy. Semi-speculatively I’d say Haram al-Sharif refers to the physical compound structure, the Masjid al-Aqsa to the actual physical mosque, the Dome of the Rock to the shrine of the physical point of ascension, and al-Aqsa in the Qur’anic sense as the “farthest point of prostration” to the whole site inclusively. - Tamerlane