HARAM AL-IBRAHIMI, HEBRON
HARAM AL-IBRAHIMI, HEBRON
- The Musjid is built over the graves of four of the most illustrious Prophets and their wives. The four prophets are Ibrahim AS (Abraham), his son Isḥāq AS (Isaac), his son Ya’qub AS (Jacob) and his son Yusuf AS (Joseph).
- The original structure which still stands today was built in the 1st century BCE by Herod. In 637 CE the area was liberated by the Muslims and the building was converted to a roofed musjid.
- In 1100 CE, the Crusaders took over the complex and banned Muslims from entering. It was only when Salah ad-Din RA reclaimed the city in 1188CE, where Muslims allowed to enter. He converted it once again into a Musjid and allowed entry for Christians. He added a minaret on each corner of which only two survive. He also brought a wooden mimbar (pulpit) from Ashqelon which is still in use today. It is considered to be the oldest Islamic wooden mimbar still in use and is considered to be a masterpiece in both workmanship and design.
- In 1994 an orthodox Jew, Baruch Goldstein, using a machine-gun, slayed 29 Palestinian Muslims as well as injuring 125 others, before being killed himself. Bullet holes from the incident can still be seen around the Musjid. Since that incident, the Musjid was partitioned and half was given to the Jewish community for their usage.
