Dome of the Rock

🕌✨ 1. Is the Dome of the Rock a Mosque?

The Dome of the Rock (Qubbat al-Ṣakhrah) is technically not a mosque, but rather a shrine built over the Sacred Rock (al-Ṣakhrah) in the late 7th century (completed 691 CE under Caliph ʿAbd al-Malik).

• It is part of the Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Ḥaram al-Sharīf compound, which includes multiple structures.

• The actual congregational mosque is the Qibli Mosque (at the southern end with the grey dome), where Friday and daily prayers are held.

• The Dome of the Rock is more of a commemorative and symbolic building, marking the spot associated with:

• The Prophet Muhammad’s ﷺ ascension during the Miʿrāj (Night Journey) in Islamic tradition.

• The Foundation Stone in Jewish tradition, connected to the Temple of Solomon and the Holy of Holies.

So, while many people casually call it a “mosque,” strictly speaking it is a shrine within the Al-Aqsa sanctuary.

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🙏 2. Do People Pray Inside the Dome of the Rock?

Yes — prayer does take place inside the Dome of the Rock.

• It has a prayer area, and Muslims sometimes perform nafl (voluntary prayers) or even daily prayers inside.

• However, it is not the main site for Friday (Jumuʿah) congregational prayer — that role belongs to the Masjid al-Qibli.

• The Dome also functions as a space of spiritual reflection, and worshippers frequently recite Qur’an and supplicate inside.

Thus, while its primary role is as a shrine, it also serves as a functioning prayer space.

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✅ In summary:

• The Dome of the Rock is a shrine, not the main mosque.

• But yes, Muslims do pray inside it, though the primary congregational prayers are held at the Qibli Mosque.

— Azahari Hassim

Founder, The World of Abrahamic Theology