A Mini-Guide to Jerusalem For The Abrahamic Religions’ Followers By:- Arwa Aburawa

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) is reported to have said that Muslims are not to undertake journeys except to three mosques: Masjid al-Haram in Mecca, the Prophet's mosque in Medina and Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem.

This hadith amongst others illustrates the importance of visiting Jerusalem and its holy precincts and so the question remains: why are so few Muslims visiting the holy city of Jerusalem?

While some Muslims fear Israeli security and conflict, others seem to think that visiting Jerusalem can only ever be a distant dream- a fantasy that will never be realized in their lifetime.

But Jerusalem is not Atlantis; it is a real place that you get to by plane! In fact, I have put together a mini-guide to Jerusalem to make the journey go a little smoother.

Staying in Jerusalem

To get to Jerusalem you will need to catch a flight to Jordan and then arrange a taxi/bus to take you to the King Hussein Bridge crossing (also known as the Allenby Bridge).

Although this land border crosses directly into the West Bank, Israeli personnel will search your luggage and ask questions about your visit so be prepared to answer them calmly and politely.

Once this procedure is over, a 45-taxi ride will bring you to the very heart of Jerusalem. Whilst there is usually no need to book ahead when visiting Jerusalem, securing accommodation is a good idea if you are planning to travel during the summer months or a religious holiday such as Easter.

Within the city walls of Jerusalem, there are two Muslim-friendly hotels which are entirely alcohol-free named the 'Hashimi Hotel' and the 'Golden Gate Inn.'

You can buy cheap food from numerous falafel and shawrima stalls scattered across the entire city and there are good Muslim restaurants on Souq Khan ez-Zeit and Salah ed-Deen Street. In terms of costs, Jerusalem can be a relatively cheap city.

The Old City and its Quarters

Modern day Jerusalem has been divided into East and West Jerusalem by the Israeli occupation forces, with the bulk of Palestinians living in East Jerusalem. The old walled city of Jerusalem which encloses the majority of important religious sites is called the 'Old City' and is nestled in East Jerusalem.

As the Old City is completely pedestrianized, (apart from the dangerous trucks which roll down the narrow alleys to collect the rubbish) it has to be explored on foot. The main entry and exit is through the Damascus Gate or 'Bab al-Amud' which faces the main transport links into the rest of the West Bank.

The Old City is traditionally divided into four quarters: the Muslim Quarter, the Christian Quarter, the Armenian Quarter as well as the Maghribi Quarter (Moroccan Quarter) which was replaced with the Jewish Quarter in 1948. A great way to get an overview of the Old City is to take part in the 'Rampart Tour' where you actually walk on the city's walls, built by the Ottoman Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent in 1537-40 AD.

You can either take the path from the Jaffa Gate north to St. Stephen's Gate or south to the Dung Gate. One of the things you will notice after the Ramparts walks is that many of the important sites for Muslims, Christians and Jews are all very close to each other. In fact, the Church of the Holy Sepulchre is just a stones throw away from Masjid al-Aqsa, which shares its walls with the Wailing Wall.

The main sites within the Muslim Quarter are enclosed in the Haram al-Sharif (Holy Sanctuary), which includes the Dome of the Rock and Masjid Al-Aqsa. This vast promenade is about one-sixth of the total area of the walled Old City and the site of Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him) ascension to heaven.

The entire site is referred to in the Qur'an as 'Masjid al-Aqsa' and as such visitors in the past were required to remove their shoes at the entrance of the Haram and not outside the individual mosques as they do now.

The dazzling golden dome of the Dome of the Rock is the first thing you will see once you have climbed the steps up the promenade. This mosque was built in 690 AD by Caliph Walid bin Abdul Malik around the sacred rock from which Prophet Muhammad ascended into heaven. Its magnificent proportions, octagonal walls and striking blue mosaics have been the source of admiration for many centuries.

To the east of the Dome of the Rock, is Masjid al-Aqsa which was built by Caliph Abdul Walid in 709-715 AD. This silver-domed elegant mosque accommodates around 5,000 prayers and has undergone substantial reconstruction after several earthquakes and religious conflicts. The current structure is essentially the same as it was in 1033 AD.

Masjid Al-Aqsa is a centre of calm and tranquility with 121 stained glass windows illuminating the large pale columns inside as well as the subtle mosaics and geometric patterns.

To get to the Haram, walk through the Damascus Gate and follow al-Wad Street to the Souq al-Qattanin Gate. Please note that non-Muslims are only allowed entry through Bab al-Maghariba in the Jewish Quarter and are not permitted to enter the mosques themselves.

Whilst in the Muslim Quarter, do not forget to wonder around Souk Khan ez-Zeit which sells every fresh produce, spice or sticky pastry you can think of as well as traditional pottery, brass wares and trinkets.

Other interesting sites for Muslims outside the Muslim Quarter include the Mosque of Omar, which was built by Salah ed-Deen's son to commemorate the Caliph Omar Ibn al-Khattab and the Mosque of Ascension, traditionally a church which was transformed into a mosque by Salah ed-Deen in 1187.

Christians believe that a footprint inside is the last mark Jesus left on earth and so Franciscan priests celebrate Mass in the mosque three days every year.

Christian Pilgrims' Path

The main highlights of the Christian and Armenian Quarter are the Via Dolorosa which, according to Christians' belief, follows the footsteps of Christ's Crucifixion and the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

While unmistakably Middle Eastern in style, the Christian Quarter has distinctive elements which differentiate it from the Muslim Quarter such as the Greek Orthodox influence on architecture and the alcohol sold alongside plastic crown of thorns and glow in the dark baby Jesus'.

The Via Dolorosa (or the 'Way of  Sorrow/Mourning') marks the path that Christ took to his crucifixion along 14 'stations' which mark specific events such as his fall under the weight of the cross and where he consoled the weeping women of Jerusalem.

The first station is located in the Madrasa al-Omariya in the Muslim Quarter and from here the Via Dolorosa weaves a path along another 9 stations until it reaches the Church of the Holy Sepulcher.

Today, Christian pilgrims trace this route chanting prayers in a wide variety of languages to mark the individual stations. For Christians, you can also join the Franciscan monks' procession along the Via Dolorosa every Friday at 15:00-16:00.

The Church of the Holy Sepulcher, which Christians believe it marks the actual site of Christ's Crucifixion, is somewhat crowded out by surrounding buildings which obstruct its glistening sky-blue dome.

Built in 348 AD under the instruction of Emperor Constantine and his mother St Helena, it current appearance actually owes more to its reconstruction under Emperor Monomac and the Crusaders. Inside is the 'Stone of Anointing', that Christians deem it was where Jesus was anointed or blessed by oil and the site of the crucifixion which is marked by the twelfth station.

Below the dome of the Church stands the burial chamber of Christ known as the Holy Sepulcher- entrance to the church is through its courtyard which is accessed on Christian Quarter Road. 

Jewish Temples

The Jewish Quarter is centered around the Wailing Wall and the Hurva Synagogue. The Wailing Wall is Judaism’s holiest site and its large Herodian stones are believed to have formed part of the following successive temples: Solomons Temple, the Second Temple and also Herod's Temple.

Jews come to mourn the destruction of the temples at the wall and also insert written prayers between the large stones for consideration. The prayers are left in for a suitable amount of time and then removed and buried in the cemetery to allow space for new prayers. The importance of the Wailing Wall flourished during the Ottoman period and the plaza facing the wall was cleared in 1967.

Islamic tradition also links the wall to the night journey where the Prophet Muhammad tied the buraq, or the winged celestial creature, to the wall.

The Hurva Synagogue is the actually an iconic arch rebuilt from of a synagogue built in the eighteenth century, as a reminder of the destruction it faced.

Source : http://www.onislam.net