Al-Aqsa is the Muslim sanctuary in the southeastern part of the Old City of Al-Quds. In the broad usage followed here, Al-Aqsa Mosque means the whole enclosed compound: its covered prayer halls, domes, courtyards and other structures. Al-Qibli Mosque is the principal covered prayer hall within it.[1][2]
In this guide
Start with the whole, then the buildings
Think of the sanctuary as the larger place and its monuments as parts of that place. The Dome of the Rock occupies a raised platform. Al-Qibli Mosque stands farther south, beside the southern enclosure wall. Identifying either building does not identify the boundary of the whole sanctuary. A photograph dominated by one dome can therefore be a photograph of Al-Aqsa without showing all of it.[3]
Why the name can seem inconsistent
Archnet records both meanings of “al-Aqsa”: a name for the precinct and a more specific name for the congregational mosque at its southern edge. The custodial guide stresses the broader Islamic understanding. These are explanations of usage, not evidence that there are two unrelated sites. When reading a book or image caption, check whether its author means the compound or the southern building.[2][4]
A place with several kinds of space
The sanctuary includes more than monumental interiors. Its open areas contain smaller domes, water structures, platforms and arcades; gates connect it with the surrounding Old City. The guide also describes prayer spaces below the main courtyard level. This makes Al-Aqsa difficult to understand through a single exterior view or a list of only its two most recognizable buildings.[5]
Sacred history and building history
Muslim understanding of Al-Aqsa is rooted in scripture and religious tradition, including the Night Journey and the earlier direction of prayer. The surviving monuments also have documented construction and restoration histories. Those histories answer different questions: the date of a dome does not date the beginning of the site’s religious significance. Keeping the two kinds of evidence distinct makes both easier to read accurately.[6][7][8]
A useful first sequence
First identify the enclosure and its southern prayer hall. Then compare the two large domes, before looking at the smaller structures between and around them. The linked guides follow this sequence. Explore provides photographs and a schematic overview of the place collection, with filters for area and level; the topic pages explain the terms, periods and traditions needed to interpret them.[9]
Sources & references
References are attached to the passages they support. Dates below record source consultation.
- A Guide to Al-Aqsa Mosque / Al-Haram Ash-Sharif (2015)
pp. 4–5
PASSIA · Jerusalem Awqaf · Hashemite Fund · Consulted 2026-09-14
- A Guide to Al-Aqsa Mosque / Al-Haram Ash-Sharif (2015)
pp. 4–5, 8–13
PASSIA · Jerusalem Awqaf · Hashemite Fund · Consulted 2026-09-14
- A Guide to Al-Aqsa Mosque / Al-Haram Ash-Sharif (2015)
p. 4, footnote
PASSIA · Jerusalem Awqaf · Hashemite Fund · Consulted 2026-09-14
- A Guide to Al-Aqsa Mosque / Al-Haram Ash-Sharif (2015)
pp. 4–5; contents
PASSIA · Jerusalem Awqaf · Hashemite Fund · Consulted 2026-09-14
- Qur’an 17:1 · The Night Journey
17:1
Quran.com · Arabic text and attributed translations · Consulted 2026-09-14
- Sahih al-Bukhari 399 · Prayer toward Bayt al-Maqdis
399
Sunnah.com · Sahih al-Bukhari · Consulted 2026-09-14
- The Dome of the Rock · Ana Botchkareva
The Metropolitan Museum of Art · Consulted 2026-09-14
- A Guide to Al-Aqsa Mosque / Al-Haram Ash-Sharif (2015)
pp. 4–13
PASSIA · Jerusalem Awqaf · Hashemite Fund · Consulted 2026-09-14