The Arabic Islamic Inscriptions On The Dome Of The Rock In Jerusalem, 72 AH / 692 CE

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INSCRIPTIONS ON THE INNER OCTAGONAL ARCADE







S - In the name of Allah, the Merciful the Compassionate. There is no god but God. He is One. He has no associate. Unto Him belongeth sovereignity and unto Him belongeth praise. He quickeneth and He giveth death; and He has Power over all things. Muḥammad is the servant of God and His Messenger. SE - Lo! Allah and His angels shower blessings on the Prophet Muhammad. O ye who believe! Ask blessings on him and salute him with a worthy salutation. The blessing of God be on him and peace be on him, and may Allah have mercy. O People of the Book! Do not exaggerate in your religion E - nor utter aught concerning Allah save the truth. The Messiah, Jesus son of Mary, was only a Messenger of Allah, and His Word which He conveyed unto Mary, and a spirit from Him. So believe in Allah and His messengers, and say not 'Three' - Cease! (it is) NE - better for you! - Allah is only One God. Far be it removed from His transcendent majesty that He should have a son. His is all that is in the heavens and all that is in the earth. And Allah is sufficient as Defender. The Messiah will never scorn to be a N - servant unto Allah, nor will the favoured angels. Whoso scorneth His service and is proud, all such will He assemble unto Him. Oh Allah, bless Your Messenger and Your servant Jesus NW - son of Mary. Peace be on him the day he was born, and the day he dies, and the day he shall be raised alive! Such was Jesus, son of Mary, (this is) a statement of the truth concerning which they doubt. It befitteth not (the Majesty of) Allah that He should take unto Himself a son. Glory be to Him! W - When He decreeth a thing, He saith unto it only: Be! and it is. Lo! Allah is my Lord and your Lord. So serve Him. That is the right path. Allah (Himself) is witness that there is no God save Him. And the angels and the men of learning (too are witness). Maintaining His creation in justice, there is no God save Him, SW - the Almighty, the Wise. Lo! religion with Allah (is) Islam. Those who (formerly) received the Book differed only after knowledge came unto them, through transgression among themselves. Whoso disbelieveth the revelations of Allah (will find that) Lo! Allah is swift at reckoning!

S In the name of Allah, the Merciful the Compassionate. There is no god but Allah. He is One. He has no associate. Say: He is Allah, the One! Allah, the eternally Besought of all! He begetteth not nor was begotten. And there is none comparable unto Him. Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allah, the blessing of Allah be on him. SW In the name of Allah, the Merciful the Compassionate. There is no god but Allah. He is One. He has no associate. Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allah. Lo! God and His angels shower blessings on the Prophet. W O ye who believe! Ask blessings on him and salute him with a worthy salutation. In the name of Allah, the Merciful the Compassionate. There is no god but Allah. He is One. Praise be to NW Allah, Who hath not taken unto Himself a son, and Who hath no partner in the Sovereignty, nor hath He any protecting friend through dependence. And magnify Him with all magnificence. Muḥammad is the Messenger of N Allah, the blessing of Allah be on him and the angels and His prophets, and peace be on him, and may Allah have mercy. In the name of Allah, the Merciful the Compassionate. There is no god but Allah. He is One. He has no associate. NE Unto Him belongeth sovereignty and unto Him belongeth praise. He quickeneth. And He giveth death; and He has Power over all things. Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allah, the blessing of Allah be on him. May He accept his intercession on the Day of Judgment on behalf of his people. E In the name of Allah, the Merciful the Compassionate. There is no god but Allah. He is One. He has no associate. Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allah, the blessing of Allah be on him. The dome was built by servant of Allah ʿAbd SE [Allah the Imam al-Ma'mun, Commander] of the Faithful, in the year two and seventy. May Allah accept from him and be content with him. Amen, Lord of the worlds, praise be to Allah.





Date

72 AH / 692 CE.

Script

Monumental kufic.

Jerusalem, Palestine.

Further Study

The Copper Plaque Inscriptions At The Dome Of The Rock In Jerusalem, 72 AH / 692 CE. Forgotten Witness: Evidence For The Early Codification Of The Qur'an, Estelle Whelan, Journal Of The American Oriental Society, 1998, Volume 118, No. 1, pp. 1-14.

References

[1] C. Kessler, "ʿAbd al-Malik's Inscription In The Dome Of The Rock: A Reconsideration", 1970, Journal Of The Royal Asiatic Society, pp. 2-14.

[2] M. van Berchem, Matériaux Pour Un Corpus Inscriptionum Arabicarum, 1927, Tome 2 / 2, Mémoires publiés par les membres de l'Institut Français d'archéologie orientale du Caire, Imprimerie de l'Institut français d'archéologie orientale: Le Caire, No. 215, pp. 228-246.

[3] K. A. C. Creswell, Early Muslim Architecture: Part 1 Umayyads, A.D. 622-750 With A Contribution On The Mosaics Of The Dome Of The Rock In Jerusalem And Of The Great Mosque In Damascus By Marguerite van Berchem, 1932, Oxford at the Clarendon Press, Plates 6-9, 13-22.

[4] S. Nuseibah & O. Grabar, The Dome Of The Rock, 1996, Thames and Hudson: London (UK).

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