The Islamic Museum is one of the main important monuments of Al-Aqsa Mosque. It is one of the symbols of Islamic civilization and its wonderful arts, which was created following a decision of the Supreme Islamic Council in 1923 AD, with the aim of preserving and enhancing the Islamic archaeological remains, because it contains many artifacts, which express in their entirety the treasures of Islamic civilization in the city of Jerusalem.

The Islamic Museum is located in the southwest corner of the Al-Aqsa Mosque courtyard in two buildings:

1) The Moroccans Mosque: Built in the Mamluk era and renovated in the Ottoman era, it is considered the main hall of the museum and contains the main entrance.

2) The Women's Mosque: Located to the south of the museum and adjoins the first room. It was rebuilt during the Ayyubid era. Previously, it served as a warehouse

for the templar arms during the Crusader era.

3) There is another building adjoining the Moroccans Mosque from the west. It is a part of the Islamic Museum known as the Honorary Khanqah (Al-Fakhriyah) and it is attached to a minaret which dates from the Mamluk period, and a big part of it is roofless and serves as a courtyard and garden for the museum, and the other part is covered, which is the Al-Zawiya Mosque, currently used as offices for the museum staff.

Antiques at the Museum:

The Islamic Museum contains many antiques, artifacts, manuscripts and copper pieces, all of which reached the Islamic Museum either as gifts and donations from Muslim sultans or from the remains of the successive restorations that took place at the Blessed Mosque of Al-Aqsa during the diffe-

rent Islamic eras.

The most important Archaeological Artifacts:

First: The Manuscripts

-The Quran: The Museum contains a magnificent and rare collection of the Noble Quran, numbering about 266. The oldest of these Quran books is a Quran in Kufi script dating from the 4th century AH/10th century AD. The largest of these is a Mamluk Quran from Sultan Barsbay which has been

endowed for the Dome of the Rock.

- Mamluk Documents: These are documents linked to social and economic life in the Mamluk era. There are about 1,000 documents.

Second: The Wood

The Islamic Museum contains many Umayyad woods found in the ceiling of the central portico of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, which were removed during renovations in 1927 AD, in addition to the wooden remains of the Pulpit (Minbar) of Salah Ad-Din Al-Ayyoubi, burnt in 1969 AD, as well as Fatimid and Ottoman woods.

Third: Metals

The Islamic Museum contains many copper and metal pieces, such as the iron balustrade that dates back to the Crusader period, the copper pots from Khasiki Sultana's Tikiya, which

dates back to the Ottoman period, as well as copper and silver perfume burners and various copper candlesticks.

Fourth: The Tiles of Damascus (Al-Chami/Al-Qachani)

The museum contains enormous quantities of Damascus tiles dedicated to the Dome of the Rock, which date back to the Ottoman period from the 16th to the 19th centuries AD.

Fifth: Pottery The museum contains many pieces of pottery from such as large urns used for drinking water, and some for storing oil and others.

Sixth: Textiles

The museum contains textiles and clothing dating from the Ottoman era, including a dress belonging to the wife of the governor of Jerusalem, an outfit of Sheikh Al-Khalili, a sort of cloak and headdress, as well as decorative pieces of the Kaaba cover fabric, received in the museum as gifts during the Ottoman era.

Seventh: Coins

The Islamic Museum contains many diverse designs of Islamic coins from the Umayyad to the Ottoman period, including gold dinars, silver and copper dirhams, and others.

Eighth: The Weapons

The Islamic Museum contains a collection of Islamic military weapons, most of which date back to the Ottoman period, including rifles, pistols, swords, shields and daggers.

Ninth: The Seals

The Islamic Museum contains a set of Ottoman era seals with significant inscriptions and evidence, including a seal of the plan of the Rock Dome and the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Tenth: Plaster windows

The museum contains a set of ornate plaster windows among the remains of the reconstruction of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, dating from the Ottoman era.

Eleventh: Stone Sculptures, Crowns and Columns

The museum contains inscriptions and decorative engravings dating from various historical periods, ranging from the Umayyad to the Ottoman period; as well as

Byzantine column capitals that were reused in the Islamic era.