The Dome of the Prophet Musa is the first house for teaching the Qur’an in Palestine. It is located in Al-Aqsa Mosque between Bab al-Silsilah and the Grammar Dome. It was established by King Al-Salih Ayyub in 1249 AD. It was the last building of the Ayyubids in the mosque, and the dome was used to hold judicial sessions in the Mamluk era.
the site
The Dome of the Prophet Musa is located inside the Blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque in the city of Jerusalem, above the Mastaba of Musa between Bab al-Silsilah to the west and the Dome of the Grammar to the east, near the southwestern courtyard.
It was established by King Al-Salih Ayyub in the year 647 AH/1249 AD, as appears in the inscription above its door.
Al-Salih Ayyub is the last of the Ayyubid kings and is called “the second liberator of Jerusalem” by the Crusaders. Ironically, his father, King Al-Kamil, was the one who handed over Jerusalem to the Crusaders, in what was known as the “Jaffa Agreement,” so the dome is the last thing the Ayyubids built in the mosque.
Label
Narrations differed regarding the reason for naming the dome. It was said that it was named after one of the sheikhs who used to lead the prayers in it. It was also said that its name was named after Prince Musa bin Hassan Al-Hadbani, who used it when he supervised the construction of the western portico extending from Bab al-Silsilah to Bab al-Mughariba in the year 737 AH/1337 AD. There is an inscription bearing his name on it.
Other accounts say that Najm al-Din Ayyub – the last Ayyubid king – was the one who named it the Dome of the Prophet Moses, peace be upon him.
Description of the dome
The Dome of the Prophet Musa is a square room (7 m * 7 m) surmounted by a circular dome with an octagonal neck, which is a link between the square shape of the building and the circular dome.
There are 6 windows in the dome, and it has a mihrab protruding outward on its southern side, and a northern entrance. The mastaba, which is surrounded by another mihrab, is made of a high wall.
There are two windows on each side except the northern side, where the entrance to the dome is.
Uses of the dome
Judge Mujir al-Din al-Hanbali used the Dome of Musa to hold judicial sessions in the late Mamluk era, and in the Ottoman era hearing sessions were held there and several manuscripts were copied there.
In 2024, the dome was used again as a house for teaching the Holy Qur’an, and lessons for reciting it were held there.