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The Antiquity of the Dome of the Rock
(Nasir-i-Khusrau)
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This stone, of the Sakhrah, is that which God–be He exalted and glorified!–commanded Moses to institute as the Kiblah (or direction to be faced at prayer). After this command had come down, and Moses had instituted the Sakhrah as the Kiblah; he himself lived but a brief time, for of a sudden was his life cut short. Then came the days of Solomon–upon him be peace!–who, seeing that the Rock of the Sakhrah was the Kiblah-point, built a Mosque round about the Rock, whereby the Rock stood in the midst of the Mosque, which became the oratory of the people. So it remained down to the days of our Prophet Muhammad, the Chosen one–upon him be blessings and peace!–who likewise at first recognised this Rock to be Kiblah, turning towards it at his prayers; but God–be He exalted and glorified!–afterwards (in the month Rajab of the second year of the Hijrah) commanded him to institute as the Kiblah the House of the Ka'abah (at Makkah). |
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