The most sacred one square kilometer area of ​​humanity

An area covering just one kilometer in Jerusalem is where humanity’s holiest sites are located and is held sacred and revered in one way or another by more than half of the world’s population.

On a hill of Bait-ul-Maqdis there is an enclosure called Haram al-Sharif. It is extremely sacred to both Muslims and Jews. The complex is maintained by a Jordanian waqf and Jews are not allowed inside.

A building with a golden dome in the Haram al-Sharif is often seen on posters, the building is the most famous symbol of Bait al-Maqdis. Many people think of it as Masjid-e-Aqsa, but it is actually the Dome of the Rock. It was built in 691 AD during the reign of the Umayyad Caliph Abdul Malik bin Marwan and is one of the oldest Islamic buildings in the world.

Just a few steps away from Qubat al-Sakhra is the gray-domed Al-Aqsa Mosque, which, being the first Qibla, has the status of the third holiest place for Muslims. It was from here that Hazrat Muhammad ﷺ went to Ascension.

A small mosque was built at this place by the eminent Sahabi and the second Caliph Hazrat Umar bin Khattab, which was expanded during the Umayyad period. However, later it was destroyed in earthquakes and new buildings were built in its place.

There is a wall on the outer side of the same compound which is called in Arabic ‘Hayat al-Baraq’ or Dewar-e-Baraq. In English it is called ‘Western Wall’. This is where Hazrat Muhammad ﷺ tied his horse to Baraq while going to the Ascension. On the other hand, according to the Jews, the second temple was established here, so it is also a holy place for the Jews.

Just half a kilometer away from Haram al-Sharif is the most blessed place of Christianity, which is called the Church of the Holy Sepulcher. According to Christian belief, Jesus was crucified here and his empty tomb is located here.

This small area has also become a major flash point due to the confluence of the three most important places of worship of the three major religions.