JERUSALEM CONTINUED—MOSQUE OF OMAR.
Haram Area—Its Past and Present—Wall—Gates—Stopped at the Point of
Daggers—Legal Papers and Special Escort—Mosque of Omar—Its Exterior
and Interior—A Great Rock Within—History and Legends Connected
with the Rock—Mohammed’s Ascent to Heaven—Place of Departed
Spirits—Their Rescue—Ark of the Covenant—Golden Key.
AS previously stated, an area of thirty-five acres in the southeastern
corner of Jerusalem is surrounded by an extra wall. The plot of
ground thus cut off from the rest of the city is, approximately, a
parallelogram, and is known as the Haram, or Sacred Inclosure. The
surface of the area is not exactly level, and was formerly less so than
at present. It was originally highest at the northern end; thence it
sloped southward. From a longitudinal line running through the centre
of the inclosure, the surface sloped also eastward and westward. This
northern elevation, which was of solid rock, has been cut down twenty
feet or more. The southern end, and also the east and west sides, of
the inclosure have been considerably filled up. So, evidently, the
appearance of the Haram is materially changed from what it once was.
The massive wall surrounding the Haram serves as the rear wall of many
of the dwelling-houses of the city. These houses join each other, and
are all built close back against the Haram wall, the top of the wall
forming part of the floor of the second story of the buildings. When
the houses are only one story high, the top of the Haram wall is on a
level with their flat roofs.
There are eight gateways leading into the Haram, five through the
western, and three through the northern, wall. The numerous entrances,
however, by no means argue that the Haram is easy of access. To enter
this sacred inclosure, a Christian must secure permission from the
Turkish authorities. Not knowing this, I, all alone, start to the Haram
through one of the gates in the north wall. Just as I am about to step
in upon the sacred area, up spring three Arabs with javelins in their
hands, and daggers in their eyes. As the Arabs draw their javelins, I
_with_draw my head.
Before making another attempt to enter, I obtain, through the American
Consul, the necessary permission. The Consul also kindly sends his
Cavass, that is, his official body-guard, with me. Going down David
Street, we enter the Haram through a gate about midway of the west
wall. Standing at this gate and looking directly eastward, we see,
about a hundred yards in front of us, a broad, level platform paved
with smooth, white, marble-like lime-stone. The platform is higher than
we are, and must be reached by ascending two long flights of marble
steps. The first flight brings us up on a broad, level terrace which,
to our right, supports several old olive and cypress trees. Ascending
the second stairway, we find ourselves standing on the edge of the
paved platform already mentioned. We are now face to face with the
famous Mosque of Omar, or, to speak more correctly, the Dome of the
Rock. Next to Mecca, this is the most sacred shrine in the Mohammedan
world. And, before leaving, we shall find that it is not without
interest to the Jew, and also to the Christian.
The building is octagonal, each of its eight sides being sixty-six
feet long, and forty-six feet high. Hence it is five hundred and
twenty-eight feet in circumference, and one hundred and seventy-six in
diameter. The walls, for the first sixteen feet above the foundation,
are made of, or incased in, different-colored marble, the colors so
blending as to form beautifully designed panels. The walls above the
marble casing are built of enamelled, or porcelain, tiles of various
colors. The blue, black, yellow, white, and green tiles are interwoven
with great artistic taste and skill. Above the marble casing, each of
the eight walls has five tall, arched windows of richly-stained glass.
The walls are adorned here and there with numerous quotations from the
Koran, beautifully inwrought in the tiles.
[Illustration: MOSQUE OF OMAR.]
The most striking feature of the external appearance of this Mosque is
the splendid dome that gracefully rises from the centre of its flat
roof. The base, or drum, of the dome is twenty-seven feet high, and
is pierced by sixteen mosaic windows. For oddity of design, delicacy
of workmanship, and beauty of effect, I have seldom seen anything to
equal these windows. McGarvey, with his usual grace and eloquence,
says: “This dome is 65 feet in diameter at its base, and 97 feet high
from the base to apex. The apex is 170 feet high from the ground. It
is covered with lead, almost black from exposure, and is surmounted
with a large gilt crescent. The peculiar grace of the curve with which
it springs from the drum on which it rests, and that with which it
reaches its crescent-crowned apex, distinguish it for beauty of outline
from all other domes, perhaps, in the world. From whatever point it
is viewed, whether from the Haram area, the city wall, the Mount of
Olives, or any other height about the city, it is the most prominent
and pleasing object in Jerusalem.”
The Mosque has four doors, before reaching any one of which, we must
pass through a vestibule. We enter from the east side. On reaching
the door, a tall Arab, patriarchal and reverential in appearance,
approaches and informs us that no Mohammedan, much less a Frank, is
allowed to enter this _Haram es Sheriff_, this “Noble Sanctuary,” with
his shoes on. The patriarchal Arab has a supply of slippers on hand
which can be had for a few piasters. Taking off our boots, we put on
the rented slippers, and continue to examine and admire the mighty
structure.
The building, being eight-sided, is practically round. Since coming on
the inside, this is even more noticeable than when we were without.
Within the building, and thirteen feet from the wall, there is a
large circle composed of eight huge square piers and sixteen round
columns—there being two columns between each two piers. The piers,
or pillars, are built of different-colored marble arranged in showy
panels. The columns are of the finest marble, and are so highly
polished that they reflect like mirrors. Each is crowned with a
Corinthian capital overlaid with gold. From column to column, and also
from column to pier, there springs a beautifully rounded arch built
of marble blocks, alternately black and white. These several arches
furnish a strong support to the roof above.
Nearer the centre of the building, and thirty feet from the pillars
just mentioned, there is an inner and smaller circle, formed by four
piers and twelve columns, there being three columns between each two
of the pillars. The centre of each column and pier in the outer circle
is thirteen feet from the wall. The columns of the inner circle are
likewise thirty feet from those in the outer one. As from the columns
and piers of the outer circle, so also from those of the smaller one,
marble arches spring. These latter arches support the mighty dome, the
exterior of which has already been described.
Look now at the vast structure around you, at the sunny dome above
you! Look at the paneled piers, at the mirror-like columns, at the
gilded capitals, at the marble arches adorned with rich mosaics and
bordered above with inscriptions from the Koran beautifully wrought
in interlaced letters of burnished gold. It is evening. The sun is
sinking. Banks of golden clouds are floating over the city. The airy
dome above us seems suspended in the air and belted with fire. The
stained windows in the dome receive, transmit, and reflect the glowing
light, until every part of the “Noble Sanctuary” is flooded with golden
fire. In the language of Dr. Geikie, “There could, I suppose, be no
building more perfectly lovely than the Mosque of Omar, more correctly
known as the Dome of the Rock.”
“Why is it called the Dome of the Rock?” the reader asks. I am now
ready to answer this question. Within the inner circle of columns,
and directly underneath the dome, a huge rock rises up through the
floor. It is seven feet high, and is fifty-three feet across! The whole
edifice about us was built in honor of this stone, and hence the name
of the structure—“The Dome of the Rock.”
[Illustration: SOLOMON’S TEMPLE AS IT WAS.]
“Why should this rock be so highly honored?” For many reasons. It
is honored alike by Jew, Christian, and Mohammedan. According to
tradition, this rock was the summit of Mt. Moriah, and on it Abraham
offered up Isaac. It was on this rock that Jacob saw the ladder
extending from earth to heaven on which angels were ascending and
descending. This rock was David’s threshing-floor that he bought from
the Jebusite. On it David built an altar and offered the sacrifice
that stayed the wrath of the angel, and thus saved the city. Over
this rock Solomon built his Temple. On this rock Christ stood, when
twelve years of age, and confounded the doctors with His questions and
answers. On this same rock He stood, in later life, and preached the
riches of His own everlasting gospel.
Since these traditions are wide-spread, and currently believed, it is
not at all strange that this rock has imbedded itself in all Jewish and
Christian hearts. “But” says the reader, “there is nothing in these
stories, be they mythical or historical, to enkindle in the Mohammedan
heart a reverence for this rock.” I admit your argument. “Why then,”
you ask, “did the Mohammedans build the ‘Dome,’ and why does the Koran
teach that one prayer offered here is worth a _thousand_ offered
elsewhere?”
Your questions are reasonable, and I will solve the mystery for you.
According to Moslem belief, Mohammed was an incarnation of deity. From
this rock he ascended to heaven. He being a divine personage, the rock
did not want to leave him. So, when Mohammed began the ascent, the rock
started up also. It would have gone on to heaven with him, but Gabriel
happened to be present, and when the rock was only seven feet high,
he laid his hand upon it and stopped its upward flight. Since that
time the rock has remained just where Gabriel left it. God performs a
perpetual miracle by keeping the sacred rock suspended in the air.
The superstitious followers of the false prophet really believe these
marvelous stories. They show us the imprint that Gabriel’s fingers
made on the rock when, with a touch of his hand, he stayed its upward
flight. They show us also deep impressions in the rock which, they
affirm, were made by Mohammed’s feet as he leaped from the rock into
the air! The fact that each impress is as large as a peck measure
causes Johnson to remark Mohammed must have had at least a half bushel
of feet.
The Moslems believe, as before stated, that this rock is suspended
in the air, and we shall see how the credulous creatures are taught
to believe such absurdities. Underneath the uplifted stone there is
an artificial chamber, twenty-four feet square, and eight feet from
floor to ceiling. The stone walls are whitewashed, but the floor and
ceiling are left bare. This cavern is reached by a flight of stairs
which leads down from the edge of the rock above. When devotees of the
Arab prophet come into the building, they are shown the famous rock and
told that it is suspended in the air. To convince them of the truth of
this statement, they are brought down into this underground cavern.
Now, waving the burning candle above his head, the attending dignitary
says to the stranger: “Behold! See for yourself! The rock above you
has no support. It rests on nothing. It is perpetually kept up by the
Almighty God in honor of Mohammed, His prophet.”
Stamping my foot upon the stone floor of this rock-hewn chamber, and
noticing the strange echo, I say to the Mohammedan guard: “What means
this hollow sound? There is evidently another cavern still below us.
For what is it used?” The astonished guide replies: “What is it used
for? Why, sir, the opening beneath us is the pit of departed spirits.
When a true believer dies, his soul goes into this pit, and there he
stays until Mohammed reaches down and draws him out by the hair of the
head.”
Let the author remark, in this connection, that an Arab regards it
as the worst calamity that could possibly befall him to marry some
Delilah, and have her clip his hair, or _pull it out_, and for him to
die before it grows out again. Should this happen, Mohammed could get
no hold upon his slick head, and he would be lost forever. Mark Twain
comments on this, and closes by saying: “The wicked scoundrels need not
be so particular, from the fact most of them are going to be damned,
matters not how they are barbered.”
It is not at all improbable that this secret chamber contains objects
of great interest to the Christian world. When Herod’s temple was
destroyed, Titus, we are told, carried the golden candle-stick to
Rome. But the Ark of the Covenant was not mentioned. The Ark was the
most highly prized thing on earth to the Hebrews. It is natural,
therefore, that they should have done everything possible to keep it
out of the hands of the Romans. To do this, it is supposed that the
pious Hebrews hid the Ark in some niche, or corner, of the honey-combed
rock underneath the Temple. The Christian world would be glad to
explore the secret caverns under the Mosque of Omar. But the Turkish
government stands here, like a fiery fiend waving a sword of vengeance,
saying: “Hands off. Stand back, or I will let this sword fall upon your
unprotected head.” And we do stand back. But I believe the day will
come when the golden key of science will unlock all of these closed
doors, and when the electric light of civilization will be turned on.
Then will these dark passages yield up their hoarded treasures to the
Christian Church, to the lovers of history, of truth, and of God.