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Papers by Suleiman Mourad

The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this p... more The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.

The city of Jerusalem is crowned with one of the world's most impressive architectural structures... more The city of Jerusalem is crowned with one of the world's most impressive architectural structures, the Dome of the Rock. This octagonal sanctuary, capped by its eponymous dome, has symbolized Islam's unequivocal link to the town that sits at the center of the religious universe of Judaism and Christianity. The Umayyads were literally the architects who cemented Islam's link to Jerusalem with their project of rebuilding the Temple Mount (known in Arabic as the Haram al-Sharif), including the construction of the Dome of the Rock and the Aqsa Mosque (see Figures. and .). Their religious and political interest in Jerusalem reflected their eagerness to present themselves as protectors and sponsors of the city and addressed both Muslims and Christians, as the two largest communities that they ruled. The Umayyads believed that their patronage would translate into popular support for the dynasty. Hence, the architecture they patronized carried religious symbolisms that resonated with two traditions, and directly shaped one-the long-standing Judeo-Christian tradition and the newly forming Islamic one. The appropriation of the Judeo-Christian tradition took the form of narratives and practices that were common among Jews and Christians in Late Antiquity. They range from Biblical narratives about Jerusalem and its Temple and Temple Mount, to events and religious lore associated with precise locations and sites there, to pilgrimage and popular veneration. It is true that by the seventh century, the Christians had generally refocused their veneration away from the Temple Mount (a process that had started in the late fourth century). However, Christians still visited at least one location there-the Pinnacle where James the brother of Jesus was killed. As for the Jews, some kept coming to mourn the loss of their Temple at the site of the Foundation Stone (even ha-shtiyya). What is not clear is how much of this Judeo-Christian lore the early Muslims knew. Obviously, as early as the eighth century, most of this knowledge became widespread. Before that, one can only speculate that it must have resulted from direct exposure and from the eagerness of Muslims to shape the new religion of Islam in ways that elevated it above its other monotheistic siblings (in the same way Christian groups drew on the ancient Biblical traditions to shape their respective forms of Christianity vis-à-vis Judaism). With respect to the Islamic tradition, it makes sense to start with the Qur an. However, the Qur an does not make any explicit reference to Jerusalem. There are

Since the nineteenth century, modern historians have struggled to explain the origins of Islam an... more Since the nineteenth century, modern historians have struggled to explain the origins of Islam and the nature of Muhammad's career, largely following scholarly agendas determined by European modernity. Armed with a variety of "scientific" tools (methodologies, theories, etc.,), and hidden political and religious agendas, many a scholar have toiled with scanty historical evidence in order to produce smooth narratives that in their minds explain Meccan and Arabian society and the religious movement of Muhammad. 1 Probably the most stellar case was Hagarism, the epic monograph by Patricia Crone and Michael Cook published in 1977. 2 The mania around Hagarism dissipated faster than its meteoric rise, when scholars realized its questionable and manipulative methodology and the double standards applied of doubting the Islamic narratives and blindly trusting alternative narratives. 3 The failure of Hagarism opened the door to others to try their luck, ranging from the wild (e.g., Yehuda Nevo and his fantastical theory of the emergence of Islam in the Negev in Palestine) 4 to the spectacular (Stephen Shoemaker's theory of Islam as a movement of urgent eschatological belief). 5 (1) For an overview, see Robert Irwin, Dangerous Knowledge: Orientalism and Its Discontents

مجلة الدراسات الفلسطينية, 2020

Review of Middle East Studies, 2019

Muslims have venerated Jerusalem since the seventh century. Their direct control of the city bega... more Muslims have venerated Jerusalem since the seventh century. Their direct control of the city began in 638 and lasted, except for a few interruptions, until 1917. When we examine the evolution of an official Muslim attitude towards Jerusalem, it becomes clear that they perceived their role not as owners of the city but rather as custodians. This attitude was informed by the realization that Jerusalem was sacred to Muslims, Christians, and Jews alike, and that all three religious communities share many of the same sacred sites. As such, statesmanship and law obliged Muslim rulers to protect and defend Christian and Jewish sacred spaces, even against occasional Muslim mob behavior that called for the destruction, confiscation, or exclusive use of those places. The Trump administration's decision in 2017 to enact the 1995 decision of the U.S. Congress to move the American embassy to Jerusalem stands as a violation of this historical framework and of the rule of law and sanctions the eradication of Palestinian identity and historical memory.

The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this p... more The use of general descriptive names, registered names, trademarks, service marks, etc. in this publication does not imply, even in the absence of a specific statement, that such names are exempt from the relevant protective laws and regulations and therefore free for general use.

The city of Jerusalem is crowned with one of the world's most impressive architectural structures... more The city of Jerusalem is crowned with one of the world's most impressive architectural structures, the Dome of the Rock. This octagonal sanctuary, capped by its eponymous dome, has symbolized Islam's unequivocal link to the town that sits at the center of the religious universe of Judaism and Christianity. The Umayyads were literally the architects who cemented Islam's link to Jerusalem with their project of rebuilding the Temple Mount (known in Arabic as the Haram al-Sharif), including the construction of the Dome of the Rock and the Aqsa Mosque (see Figures. and .). Their religious and political interest in Jerusalem reflected their eagerness to present themselves as protectors and sponsors of the city and addressed both Muslims and Christians, as the two largest communities that they ruled. The Umayyads believed that their patronage would translate into popular support for the dynasty. Hence, the architecture they patronized carried religious symbolisms that resonated with two traditions, and directly shaped one-the long-standing Judeo-Christian tradition and the newly forming Islamic one. The appropriation of the Judeo-Christian tradition took the form of narratives and practices that were common among Jews and Christians in Late Antiquity. They range from Biblical narratives about Jerusalem and its Temple and Temple Mount, to events and religious lore associated with precise locations and sites there, to pilgrimage and popular veneration. It is true that by the seventh century, the Christians had generally refocused their veneration away from the Temple Mount (a process that had started in the late fourth century). However, Christians still visited at least one location there-the Pinnacle where James the brother of Jesus was killed. As for the Jews, some kept coming to mourn the loss of their Temple at the site of the Foundation Stone (even ha-shtiyya). What is not clear is how much of this Judeo-Christian lore the early Muslims knew. Obviously, as early as the eighth century, most of this knowledge became widespread. Before that, one can only speculate that it must have resulted from direct exposure and from the eagerness of Muslims to shape the new religion of Islam in ways that elevated it above its other monotheistic siblings (in the same way Christian groups drew on the ancient Biblical traditions to shape their respective forms of Christianity vis-à-vis Judaism). With respect to the Islamic tradition, it makes sense to start with the Qur an. However, the Qur an does not make any explicit reference to Jerusalem. There are

Since the nineteenth century, modern historians have struggled to explain the origins of Islam an... more Since the nineteenth century, modern historians have struggled to explain the origins of Islam and the nature of Muhammad's career, largely following scholarly agendas determined by European modernity. Armed with a variety of "scientific" tools (methodologies, theories, etc.,), and hidden political and religious agendas, many a scholar have toiled with scanty historical evidence in order to produce smooth narratives that in their minds explain Meccan and Arabian society and the religious movement of Muhammad. 1 Probably the most stellar case was Hagarism, the epic monograph by Patricia Crone and Michael Cook published in 1977. 2 The mania around Hagarism dissipated faster than its meteoric rise, when scholars realized its questionable and manipulative methodology and the double standards applied of doubting the Islamic narratives and blindly trusting alternative narratives. 3 The failure of Hagarism opened the door to others to try their luck, ranging from the wild (e.g., Yehuda Nevo and his fantastical theory of the emergence of Islam in the Negev in Palestine) 4 to the spectacular (Stephen Shoemaker's theory of Islam as a movement of urgent eschatological belief). 5 (1) For an overview, see Robert Irwin, Dangerous Knowledge: Orientalism and Its Discontents

مجلة الدراسات الفلسطينية, 2020

Review of Middle East Studies, 2019

Muslims have venerated Jerusalem since the seventh century. Their direct control of the city bega... more Muslims have venerated Jerusalem since the seventh century. Their direct control of the city began in 638 and lasted, except for a few interruptions, until 1917. When we examine the evolution of an official Muslim attitude towards Jerusalem, it becomes clear that they perceived their role not as owners of the city but rather as custodians. This attitude was informed by the realization that Jerusalem was sacred to Muslims, Christians, and Jews alike, and that all three religious communities share many of the same sacred sites. As such, statesmanship and law obliged Muslim rulers to protect and defend Christian and Jewish sacred spaces, even against occasional Muslim mob behavior that called for the destruction, confiscation, or exclusive use of those places. The Trump administration's decision in 2017 to enact the 1995 decision of the U.S. Congress to move the American embassy to Jerusalem stands as a violation of this historical framework and of the rule of law and sanctions the eradication of Palestinian identity and historical memory.