Hundreds if not thousands of Muslims exiting the walls this past Saturday (5/5/18).
The massive walls seen in this photo surround the Dome of the Rock Islamic Shrine that sits atop the Temple Mount in the Old City of Jerusalem that first opened in 691 AD. It is considered to be one of the most sacred sites for Muslims around the world.
The rock was said to be the beginning point for Prophet Muhammad’s Night Journey to Heaven. That rock is at the center of the mosque.
The location is watched and prayed over by more than one faith. It is also a significant location for those of the Jewish Faith in Israel. It is thought to be the Foundation Stone of where God gathered the dust to create the first human known as Adam on Mount Moriah and where Abraham attempted to sacrifice his son. The Jewish community actually turns towards this location in prayer.
Non-Muslims are not allowed to pray on the Temple Mount. It is also against the rules to bring any type of prayer book other than the Koran into the area. Furthermore, non-Muslim followers are not allowed to wear their religious apparel into the area next to the mosque.
Muslims once prayed towards the Temple Mount, but that changed when Muhammad was said to have had a revelation from Allah. That revelation led to the direction of Mecca for Islamic prayer.