A descent into the Maghárah or cave beneath the Sakhrah—a reverential salutation of the “tongue of the rock,” a broken column slanting against the roof of the cave—a prayer before the marks of the Angel Gabriel’s fingers—and, if he be a Shi‘ah, a fervent prostration before a piece of iron bar which does duty as the sword of ‘Alí ibn Abi Tálib “the Lion of God.” These, with a few others of less interest, complete the objects of special devotion in the Cubbet es Sakhrah itself.
On issuing forth into the open court more wonders meet his eye. First, there is the beautiful Cubbet es Silsileh[[77]] or Dome of the Chain; it derives its name from a tradition that in King Solomon’s time a miraculous chain was suspended between heaven and earth over this particular spot. It was possessed of such peculiar virtue that whenever two litigants were unable to decide their quarrel they had but to proceed together to this place, and endeavour each to seize the chain, which would advance to meet the grasp of him who was in the right, and would elude all efforts of the other to catch it. One day two Jews appealed to the ordeal, one accused the other of having appropriated some money which he had confided to his keeping, and, swearing that he had not received it back, laid hold of the chain. The fraudulent debtor, who had artfully concealed the money in the interior of a hollow staff upon which he was leaning, handed it to the claimant, and swore that he had given back the money. He also was enabled to seize the chain, and the bystanders were hopelessly perplexed as to the real state of the case. From that moment the chain disappeared, feeling doubtless that it had no chance of supporting its character for legal acumen in the midst of a city full of Jews.
[77]. Also called Malikemet Da’ád, or the Tribunal of David.
The place, however, still retains some of its judicial functions, and, if we are to credit Arab historians, perjury is an exceedingly dangerous weapon in the neighbourhood of the Sakhrah. It is related that the Caliph ‘Omar ibn ‘Abd el ‘Azíz ordered the stewards of his predecessor Suleimán, to give an account of their stewardship upon oath before the Sakhrah. One man alone refused to swear and paid a thousand dínárs rather than do so; in a year’s time he was the only survivor of them all. The Constantinople cabinet might take a hint from this.
On the right hand of the Sakhrah, in the western part the court, is a small dome called the Cubbet el M‘iráj, or “Dome of the Ascent,” which marks the spot from which Mohammed is supposed to have started upon his “heavenly journey.” It is, of course, one of the principal objects of the Muslim pilgrims’ devotion. The present dome was erected in the year 597, on the site of an older one which had fallen into ruins, by a certain governor of Jerusalem named Ez Zanjelí.
The Macám en Nebí, or “Prophet’s Standpoint,” is celebrated from its connection with the same event. It is now occupied by an elegant pulpit of white sculptured marble.
At the end of the Haram Area, on the eastern side, is a spot known as Súk el Ma‘rifah (Market of Knowledge), behind the praying place of David. The tradition attaching to this spot is, that when any of the ancient Jewish occupants of the city had committed any sin, he wrote up over the door of his own house a notice of the fact, and came to the Market of Knowledge to pray for forgiveness. If he obtained his request he found the written confession obliterated from his door, but if the writing still remained the poor Jew was rigorously cut off from all communication with his kind until the miraculous signature of pardon was accorded him. A little lower down on the same side is a small apartment containing an ancient marble niche, resembling in shape the ordinary Mohammedan mihráb; this is usually known as ‘´Mehd ‘Eisá or “Jesus’ Cradle,” although some of the Muslim doctors, with greater regard for the antiquarian unities, call it “Mary’s Prayer-niche.” The pilgrim enters the place with reverence, and repeats the Súrat Miryam, a chapter of the Coran which gives the Mohammedan account of the birth and ministry of our Lord.
By the Jámi‘ en Nisá, or “Woman’s Mosque,” forming part of the Jámi‘ el Aksa, is a well, on the left of the great entrance, called Bir el Warakah or “Well of the Leaf.” The story goes that during the caliphate of ‘Omar a man of the Bení Temím, named Sherík ibn Haiyán, dropped his bucket into this well, and climbing down to fetch it up found a door, into which he entered. Great was his surprise at seeing a beautiful garden, and having walked about in it for some time be plucked a leaf and returned to tell his companions of his strange adventure. As the leaf never withered, and the door could never again be found, no doubt was entertained but that this was an entrance into Paradise itself, and as such the well is now pointed out to the pilgrim.
The bridge of Es Sirát, that will be extended on the Day of Judgment between heaven and hell, is to start from Jerusalem, and the pilgrim is shown a column, built horizontally into the wall, which is to form its first pier.
The Muslim guide will wax eloquent upon this, his favourite subject, the connexion between the Day of Judgment and the Masjid el Aksa; and as the pilgrim stands upon the eastern wall he will hear a circumstantial account of the troubles and the signal deliverance which shall come upon the true believers in the latter day.