A truly beautiful mosque breathtaking. Always worth a visit. Lovely local people, very friendly. Jerusalem is the place to be.
Al-Aqsa Mosque
A common misconception regarding the Dome of the Rock, which is perhaps the image most associated with the Temple Mount, is that it is a mosque.
In fact, it is a shrine whose significance is derived from the Foundation Stone, which lies at its heart. Indeed, the Al-Aqsa Mosque (Al Masjid Al-Aqsa in Arabic), often confused with the Dome of the Rock, is where Muslims worship when they come to the Mount, which is considered the third holiest site to Islam after Mecca and Medina.
The mosque is the second oldest in the world, after the Kaaba in Mecca. Although Muslim tradition dates Al-Aqsa back to Isaac’s son, Jacob, the mosque was first built at its present location by the Ummayad Caliph Abd al-Malik and his son al-Walid, and completed in 705 CE. In the ensuing centuries, the structure was destroyed by earthquakes several times, always to be restored by the ruling caliph.
The mosque’s name, Al-Aqsa, literally means “the farthest,” and is a reference to Muhammad’s “Night Journey” from Mecca. In this context, “farthest” means “farthest from Mecca” and is widely believed to connote Jerusalem, although the Koran does not mention the city by name.
Besides the different usages, another thing that distinguishes the Al-Aqsa Mosque from the Dome of the Rock is its design. As opposed to the Dome of Rock’s Byzantine style, Al-Aqsa Mosque is characteristic of early Islamic architecture. It is 35,000 square meters in size and its larger precincts can contain up to 400,000 worshipers. It has four minarets and a beautiful, tile-covered facade with 14 Romanesque arches. The Al-Aqsa Mosque’s main ablution fountain, known as al-Kas (“the cup”), which is used by worshipers to wash their arms and legs, is located between Al-Aqsa and the Dome of the Rock. It dates back to 709 CE.
The mosque is on the southern end of the Temple Mount, which visitors can access from the Western Wall plaza. Tourists must dress modestly, and women should cover their hair. Shoes are not allowed inside the mosque, but instead are left outside on shelves or carpeting.
More Muslim holy places in Jerusalem >>
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TripAdvisor Reviews
Based on 284 traveler reviews“Al Aqsa by Ibada Tours”
One of the best experiences of my life and I have throughout enjoyed every bit of the tour . Can’t recommend this tour highly enough. Travel instruction : We were held up in immigration on landing in Tel Aviv for 3 hrs but it was expected and well briefed by Ibada Tours. Thanks to their...
MoreOne of the best experiences of my life and I have throughout enjoyed every bit of the tour . Can’t recommend this tour highly enough. Travel instruction : We were held up in immigration on landing in Tel Aviv for 3 hrs but it was expected and well briefed by Ibada Tours. Thanks to their instruction, we were prepared and not nervous at all. Hashmi Hotel Stay and Location : The hotel is centrally located and it ticked all the boxes. Close to old city, al aqsa, good breakfast and dinner, very clean and courteous staff. Guide - Shaikh Saleh : Right from Airport pickup by Sheikh Saleh. he made us feel like family. This man puts in lot of effort in his work, he follow his work like religion and an extremely patient throughout gentleman. Thanks to Saleh for his passion, enthusiasm and extensive knowledge about historical and cultural aspects of the old city. His knowledge is just not limited to his personal experience and stay in the city . He has immense academic and Islamic knowledge apart from history and archeology of the old city. We covered a lot of places and Shaikh Saleh never rushed. He bought history to live and made it very interesting. He offered great recommendations on what to do on free day. His respect in the city is immense, clearly evident through the refreshments some homes provided us. It was great cos I thought we got special treatment and behind the scenes knowledge too. Amazing guide, full of knowledge, extremely patient and understanding. Great sense of humour at times. Overall Experience: 5 Star I wish you all the best in all the future endeavours in future , Ibada Tour has managed this well but Shaikh Saleh is star on the trip. I have made friends for life!
Less“A dream come true! Must on the bucket list.”
I don't think words can fully express the experience of seeing Masjid al aqua and dome of the rocks. In islam Al Aqsa mosque was the direction we used to pray towards. It is one of the holiest places to visit and pray in, I can tell you this beautiful place, with beautiful people with big,...
MoreI don't think words can fully express the experience of seeing Masjid al aqua and dome of the rocks. In islam Al Aqsa mosque was the direction we used to pray towards. It is one of the holiest places to visit and pray in, I can tell you this beautiful place, with beautiful people with big, kind hearts is a must to visit. Love Palestine, so much history from all Abrahamic religions. AL- AQSA IS THE WHOLE COMPOUND WITH MOSQUE, CHURCH AND WAILING WALL. This was a special experience, this is a beautiful mosque inside. Peaceful and incredible energy inside, super friendly and helpful Palestinians. The outside getting into e- Khalil (Hebron) is a bit difficult with barriers to get through. Definitely worth a visit to pray. Don't worry about the Israeli security, you slowly become custom to it unfortunately. Just be happy that you are in one of the holiest countries for all abrahamic religions. Full of history where we all can learn from each other. Palestine is a great place to learn about ISLAM, CHRISTIANITY AND JUDAISM. God willing there will be peace once everyone learns love. Great shopping and food places. Make sure you wear appropriate clothing.
Less“Masjid Al Aqsa”