General Muslim Interpretation Of The Dome's Image example essay topic

Essentially unchanged for more than thirteen centuries, the Dome of the Rock remains one of the world's most beautiful and enduring architectural treasures. Adorned with its magnificent gold dome and elaborate quranic inscriptions, the structure intimately represents the world's second largest religion in a city historically associated with the three Semitic faiths. Representation, however, is not the only effect of this site. Despite its intended purpose, the Dome of the Rock inherently stands as the focal center of a millennium-old religious controversy. Located on what is essentially the world's holiest site (obviously a speculative assertion) and inscribed with proclamations of Islamic religious superiority, the Dome symbolizes far more than Muhammad's ascension to heaven. Since the Dome's completion in 691 C.E., the building's image has consistently inspired passionate debate, mass rioting, and even armed conflict among both practicing religious groups and politically charged individuals.

Perched atop Jerusalem's Temple Mount, the image of the Dome has been interpreted in a variety of ways by a powerful assortment of groups. Specifically, we find that the historic structure acquires most of its significance in the eyes of practicing Jews and Muslims - as well as some Christian fundamentalists. Muslims and Jews, however, are not the only groups who have also asserted themselves in this historic arena of conflict. Over the centuries, political bodies have also attempted to exert influence - both interpreting and manipulating its image in an attempt to serve their own agenda. In the following text, I will analyze the ways in which different religious groups (primarily Muslims and Jews) and political entities interpret the image of the Dome.

In doing so, I hope to uncover the significant factors of the image that have historically maintained controversy and conflict within Jerusalem, as well as abroad. Before we begin to analyze the traditional and contemporary ways in which different religious sects and political entities interpret the image of the Dome, we must first objectively and systematically deconstruct its image. While the structure takes on different meaning depending on one's personal religious or political slant, the Dome does present a clear, objective message that was certainly intended by its creators. Built by the 9th Caliph, Abd al-Malik, and set on a traditional holy site, the Dome of the Rock physically dominates the urban landscape of Jerusalem. Although an Islamic site, Greek architects were employed to erect the eight-story octagonal structure - its arches on piers and columns, grilled windows, and intricate system of proportions, therefore, seem to derive directly from Byzantine church architecture. The Dome's rotunda serves as "a grandiose imitation of the one found on the Church of the Holy Sepulchre - deliberately of the same style, but far more extravagant".

Similarly, we find that the muddled floor-plan of the Church is also outdone by the scrupulously ordered design of the Dome's base. Later Christian architects and artists would adopt the Dome's design and attempt to imitate the aesthetically pleasing structure. Upon its completion, Christian and Jews entered the holy city and witnessed this impressive Islamic structure before anything else became visible in the city's landscape. Protruding from its octagonal base, the great dome, originally embossed in brass gilt, marked the city from a distance as a site now dominated by those dedicated to the "One True Faith". Although sharing and incorporating preexisting Christian (and to some extent, Jewish) architecture, the Dome of the Rock improved upon previous structures. The result, it would seem, was that the Dome resembled many of the Christian buildings already built within the city.

Yet, because of its Temple Mount location and Islamic structural improvements, the Dome dominated its rival neighbors. The symbolism of such progress and architectural superiority inherently hints at the Muslim interpretation of both Judaism and Christianity in relation to Islam. Cyril Glass discusses such in her work: "In the case of the Dome of the Rock, the symbolism of its Quranic forms echoes the significance of the Temple Mount as the site of the Temple of Solomon. It is the culmination of the revelations of Moses and Jesus in the restoration of the primordial Abrahamic unity which is Islam... the calligraphic inscriptions recall the relationship between Jerusalem and Jesus, and the apocalypse to come". In addition to the structure's architectural composition, elaborate Quranic inscriptions further elaborate this message of religious superiority. Carole Hillenbrand alludes to such: "The Dome of the Rock, which had been built in 72/691 as a triumphant statement of the superiority of Islam over other faiths, especially Christianity, displays a careful selection of Quranic inscriptions which tilt at the Trinity and the Incarnation.

Islam's uncompromising monotheism is emphasized in a long band of inscriptions measuring around 240 metres in length: the message is unambiguous: 'There is no god but the One God and He has no partner. ' " Artfully constructed and etched in Quranic verse, the Dome sits upon its ominous perch and serves as the center of Jerusalem. Regardless of one's religious or political slant, the sheer magnificence of the building cannot be ignored - nor can its intrinsic message. From an uninfluenced perspective, one cannot help but observe the Dome as an attempt to establish a new faith above the history of older traditions within the city. As Jacob Massive poignantly concludes, "The Dome of the Rock tangibly asserts Islam's completion or finalization of the earlier religions of Judaism and Christianity".

Although the Dome inherently depicts an image of religious superiority, the structure's presence is not always interpreted as such. As we turn to the general Jewish community (including its several fundamentalist sects, international Jewish presence, and primary Israeli base) and their perceptions of the Islamic edifice, we tend to find a much different meaning within the image. Considering its fixed location atop the most holy Jewish site, conventional wisdom may lead one to believe that the Jewish community observes the Dome as the most egregious spiritual travesty. As Hillenbrand describes, the loss of a sacred site can serve to severely demoralize a people: "Building new monuments in the name of one's own religion... was always an exceedingly humiliating and painful experience for the conquered. The appropriation of the sacred monuments of another faith which are still in daily use, and their transformation, with the visible signs of one's own religion, is an even greater humiliation.

It is more than military occupation - it is an invasion and desecration of religious sanctity, trespassing on sacred monumental symbols of a faith". To some extent, there is still a degree of humiliation and pain in contemporary Jewish attitude. Many Israelis oppose the continued Arab presence on the Temple Mount. When we look at certain fundamentalist groups (most notably, The Temple Mount and Land of Israel Faithful Movement), the image of the Dome evokes significant pain and frustration. The Temple Mount Movement, arguably one of Israel's most extreme militant wing, announced its primary long-term objective as the following: "Liberating the Temple Mount from Arab (Islamic) occupation. The Dome of the Rock and the Al-Aqsa mosque were placed on the Jewish or Biblical holy site as a specific sign of Islamic conquest and domination.

The Temple Mount can never be consecrated to the name of G-D without removing these pagan shrines. It has been suggested that they be removed, transferred to and rebuilt at Mecca". This militant view, however, remains a minority within the general Jewish community and receives very little support within Israel. Despite the historic level of tension between Jews and their surrounding Arab neighbors, the majority of the Jewish community no longer observes the Dome as an image of domination or religious strife. To put it simply, a level of realism has begun to thrive in a city consistently agitated by religious conflict. While Jews do not believe in the Quran (and, as a result, do not accept the claim that Muhammad is a prophet nor give merit to his night trip involving the Temple Mount), the Government of Israel and the majority of the Jewish community recognize the significant Muslim regard for the Dome of the Rock.

Out of respect for Muslim belief (in addition to the agreement that Israeli safety heavily depends on such respect), the State of Israel has guaranteed Muslim access to the site. As would be expected, the general Muslim interpretation of the Dome's image differs drastically from that of the Jewish community. Its position in Jerusalem marks not the humiliating effects of religious loss, but rather an eternal sign of religious success. Aside from its basic religious relevance (Muhammad's ascension to heaven), the image of the Dome "symbolizes the Muslim's inheritance of the perfect and complete Truth that was only partially revealed to the Jews and Christians". Perched above a city that has traditionally changed hands among the three Semitic faiths, the shrine continues to represent Islam's place over its "misguided" counterparts.

Similar to general Jewish sentiment, Muslims enjoy their own claims of exclusivity. In "Shrine Under Siege", the Palestinian Higher Council Commission, along with the Grand Mufti of Jerusalem, make a specific claim that the Temple Mount, all of its structures and wall, including the Western Wall, are a sacred place only for Muslims. While they agree that the site was generally sacred before the Dome was erected and state that non-Muslims are allowed to visit the site, the only religious practice rightfully allowed upon the Temple Mount is that of Islam. Such exclusivity certainly alludes to the importance that Muslims place upon the Dome's image.

In Living Together Separately, Romann and Weingrod depict the Arab reaction to the temporary loss of their shrine: "The Arab population was, in turn, shocked. The sight of the Israeli flag hoisted on top of the Dome of the Rock symbolized the trauma of defeat, and worse still, the Arabs found themselves living under Israeli occupation". We can conclude that Muslims not only value the image of the Dome because of its primary religious relevance, but also its position as a "potent symbol of the Islamic faith". Before we move to address the perspectives of certain political bodies who have become significant actors within the controversy surrounding the Dome, we must first address the small, yet very influential, following of contemporary Christian evangelicals who hold the image of the Dome under significant scrutiny. Otherwise considered Christian Zionists, these individuals witnessed the founding of the State of Israeli and the capture of Jerusalem as prophetic historical moments signifying the end of the 2000 years of Jewish exile. These groups, scattered across the globe (but primarily located within the United States), have become potent allies to militant Jewish groups - both observing the Dome of the Rock as the final barrier to prophetic completion.

In "Shrine Under Siege", well-organized American-based Zionist groups (like Jews for Jesus and the Christian Temple Restoration Society) advocate the rebuilding of the Jewish temple on top of the Dome. Although they have not been directly linked to terrorist activity, these groups have routinely been accused of financing mercenaries and Jewish fanatics in an attempt to damage or destroy the Islamic structure. It can be concluded that these groups view the Dome in much the same way as Jewish fundamentalists - that is, a barrier to the fulfillment of biblical prophecy. Since the formation of the Israeli state, the image of the Dome has consistently served as a dangerous political entity. Placed upon a site historically tied to billions of religious faithful (many of which are extremists), any significant event involving the structure has the potential to ignite mass reaction. The Government of Israel, as well as other governmental bodies exerting influence in the area (including previous occupying colonial powers, the United Nations, and the United States in coordination of the Israeli-Palestinian negotiations), has been forced to carefully maneuver itself in an attempt to maintain the holy site for all faiths, while, at the same time, avoiding mass conflict.

Generally, from the perspective of governmental bodies involved in the area surrounding the Dome of the Rock, the structure represents an entity that could potentially throw the entire Middle-East into conflict. We can, therefore, assume that the Dome's image possesses significant political influence within some of the most powerful government bodies in the world. Considering the basic implications of the Dome's structural integrity and influential location, it is not surprising that the building's image serves as one of the world's most potent religious symbols. Whether one observes this image from an objective standpoint or with a religious inclination, the Dome clearly possesses the potential to both unify and divide people of all faiths. While some observe the Dome as an exclusive right, signifying one's religious superiority over others, others simply perceive it as a product of time, politics, and military conquest. Regardless of its perceived meaning, the Dome's potent image must be respected and understood.

In Living Together Separately, Romann and Weingrod describe the current atmosphere surrounding the Dome each day: "The sights and sounds testify to a kind of ongoing competition. Pressed tightly within the same small space, Muslim minarets rise above Christian bell towers, Israeli flags and rebuilt synagogues announce the renewed Jewish presence in their own historic quarter, while the peal of church bells clashes with the muezzin's call to prayer. But there is more than the mere cacophony of sounds or blending of colors. Zealots, true believers, fanatics of all kinds thrive in this holy atmosphere. Religious extremism flourishes in Jerusalem's clear air, and the merging of the 'heavenly' with the 'earthly' city continues to nourish conflicting sentiments and periodic outbursts of open conflict". In a city with the potential to explode at any point, the image of the Dome stands at the center.

In light of its multiple interpretations, this potent icon of faith stands upon fragile ground - its existence dependant on all those who observe its image.