Jerusalem, Palestine
Coordinates: 31.778230, 35.235555
King Issa Al-Moatham ordered building this dome’s basic structure in 604 AH/1207 AC and dedicated it to teaching Arabic language and grammar in particular.
The building consists of two rooms and a hallway in the middle that is topped with two domes: the big silver dome lies on top of the western room, the smaller dome sits on top of the eastern room, while the hallway’s roof is flat.
The dome’s entrance is located on its northern side, and is decorated with two marble columns famous by the name of the “Unthankful Son.”
The structure remained a school until the 12th Century AH and has played a great role in Jerusalem’s cultural and intellectual scene and continued to be a school for Arabic language and grammar until the 12th Century AH.
During the past century the dome was used as a library for the Islamic Supreme Council, and as an architectural office for the restoration and reconstruction of the Dome of the Rock.
Today, it is serving as an office for the acting Supreme Judge and as headquarters for the Shari’a Appeal Court.
It is also known as Madrasa Nahawiyya, al-Mu’azzamiyya, al-Rusasiyya, Qubbat al-Hanabila.
The Nahawiyya is located southwest of the Dome of the Rock. This madrasa was founded by al-Malik al-Mu’atham Issa in 604 H/1207 AD, specializing in the Arabic language.
It is a small rectangular building with three rooms and a cellar. It is about 25 meters long and located about 40 meters from the Dome of the Rock.
The structure is called the Dome of Grammar because he was particularly fond of studying written and verbal language. There are those who call it the Qubbat al-Hanbala, after the Hanbalite scholars who use to dedicate hours of study and prayer there.
This part of the building is roofed with a dome, which is coated in lead and contains three openings. The eastern room is also square in plan and opens onto the Haram terrace through a door on the north side of the room.
