The Arabic Islamic inscriptions on the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem are perhaps
among the most well-known and well-studied inscriptions in the Western literature.
In this short article, we will present the inscriptions on the Dome of the Rock
and their translation.
TOP VIEW SHOWING THE FLOOR PLAN
INSCRIPTIONS ON THE INNER OCTAGONAL ARCADE
S In the name of God, 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! God and His angels shower blessings
on the Prophet.
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 God have mercy. O People of the Book! Do not exaggerate
in your religion
E nor utter aught concerning God save the
truth. The Messiah, Jesus son of
Mary, was only a Messenger of God, and His Word which He conveyed unto
Mary, and a spirit
from Him. So believe in God and His messengers, and say not 'Three' -
Cease! (it is)
NE better for you! - God 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 God is
sufficient as Defender. The Messiah will never scorn to be a
N servant unto God, nor will the favoured
angels. Whoso scorneth
His service and is proud, all such will He assemble unto Him.
Oh God, 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)
God 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! God is my Lord and your Lord. So serve Him. That is the right path.
God (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 God (is) Islam. Those who (formerly) received the Book
differed only after knowledge came unto them, through transgression among
themselves. Whoso
disbelieveth the revelations of God (will find that) Lo! God is swift
at reckoning!
INSCRIPTIONS ON THE OUTER OCTAGONAL ARCADE
S In the name of God, the
Merciful the Compassionate. There is no god but God. He is One. He has
no
associate. Say: He is God, the One! God, the eternally
Besought of all! He begetteth not nor was begotten. And there
is none comparable unto Him. Muḥammad is the Messenger
of God, the blessing of God be on him.
SW In the name of God, the
Merciful the Compassionate. There is no god but God.
He is One. He has no associate. Muḥammad is the Messenger
of God.
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 God, the Merciful
the Compassionate. There is no god but God. He is One.
Praise be to
NW God, 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 God, the blessing of God
be on him and the angels and His prophets, and peace be
on him, and may God have mercy. In the name of God, the
Merciful
the Compassionate. There is no god but God. 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 God,
the blessing of God be
on him. May He accept his intercession on the Day of Judgment
on behalf of his people.
E In the name of God, the
Merciful the Compassionate. There is no god but God. He is One.
He has no associate. Muḥammad is the Messenger of God,
the blessing of God be
on him. The dome was built by servant of God ʿAbd
SE [Allah the Imam al-Ma'mun,
Commander] of the Faithful, in the year two and seventy. May God accept
from him and be content
with him. Amen, Lord of the worlds, praise be to God.
Date
72 AH / 692 CE.
Script
Monumental kufic.
Comments
The inscriptions on the Dome of the Rock can be rightly called as the "big-daddy"
of all the first century Islamic inscriptions. These inscriptions are in the
mosaics as shown in the figure below.
These inscriptions have copious amount of Qur'anic verses.
The Dome of the Rock was built by Umayyad caliph ʿAbd al-Malik but the later
Caliph al-Ma'mun inserted his name as is evident from the inscription.
[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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The Copper Plaque Inscriptions At The Dome Of The Rock In Jerusalem, 72 AH / 692 CE.
