مركز النجاح للدراسات الدينية
An-Najah Center for Religious Studies
Whoever visits the Dome of the Rock and climbs the stairs which lead to it finds that it is surrounded by marble columns ending in arches. These were named by our good ancestors Bawa’ik or Mawazin (Scales). Thus, the Ba’ika is a straight cluster of columns which are all attached and joint by a ceiling on their top. These Bawa’ik surround the Dome of the Rock. A visitor can reach the Dome of the Rock by climbing up wide stairs. Such Bawa’ik were not built at once. They were gradually built. Most of them were built during the Mamluk era. However, the most ancient ones were built in the Fatimid era. They had been renovated several times. There are eight Bawa’ik distributed on the four sides of the Dome of the Rock. The northern Ba’ika, the northwestern Ba’ika, the western Ba’ika, the southwestern Ba’ika, the southern Ba’ika, the southeastern Ba’ika, the eastern Ba’ika and the northeastern Ba’ika.
These Bawa’ik were not built for no purpose. Even the name given to them which is Mawazin carries many connotations. This name “Mawazin” is taken from the Islamic faith. It shows that when the Day of Judgement, people will be gathered there to be judged when the Divine just scales are set.
Another connotation that the name has is that these Mawazin are like the bones which protect the heart. These columns protect Al-Aqsa Mosque. History bears the witness that all those who freed Al-Aqsa Mosque were fair and just like the name Mawazin. For example, Omar Ibn Al-Khattab, who got the Keys of Jerusalem, was called Al-Farouq; this is because he was so fair and just. In addition, Salah Ed-Din who freed Jerusalem from the Crusades was also famous for being fair.
