Islamic Jerusalem

The end of Byzantine Jerusalem came about when the Sasanians, which was the last pre-Islamic empire, took and reigned Palestine and Jerusalem during 614 to 628 BC. In 614, Jews were allowed to resettle in Jerusalem for the first time since end of Bar-Kokhba Revolt. However, in 628, the Byzantine Emperor Heraclius retook Jerusalem and allowed massacres of Jews in Jerusalem. In 638, Caliph Umar conquered Jerusalem and claimed Temple Mount for Islam. In written agreement with the Christian community he did not allow Jewish settlement. He later allowed Jews to move back into the city, and the Jewish population steadily grew.

The basic Islamic hierarchy started with Muhammad as the founder of the religion and the messenger of the Islamic god. Below were the caliphs, which were established to lead the Islamic community. The first three caliphs were Abu Bakr, Umar, and Uthman. After Uthman, the Islamic community was split into two divisions, the Mu’awiya and Ali. Supporters of Mu’awiya came to be known as “The People of Tradition (Sunna) and the Community” and very tradition-based. Supporters of Ali formed the “Shi’atu Ali” and very kinship based.  

The five “pillars” of Islam: 1)Shahada: “Testimony” or “witness” in which one recites the Muslim profession of faith. 2)Salat: Prayer five times a day (at the appointed times) towards Mecca. 3)Zakat: Almsgiving to the needy. 4)Sawm: Fasting in the month of Ramadan, in which the Qu’ran was first revealed. 5)Hajj: Making pilgrimage to Mecca once in one’s lifetime.

The Umayyad Dynasty ruled from Damascus during 638 to 750 BC. Caliph Umar built a wooden Mosque. Abd al-Malik built the Dome of the Rock in 691 BC to divert pilgrimage from Mecca to Jerusalem. He also improved road network that linked Jerusalem with other parts of the country.