Nabi Musa

The Nabi Musa (النبي موسى), literally meaning "The Prophet Moses", also transliterated as Nebi Musa, is a relatively small locality in Israel/Palestine with an administrative area of some 113 square kilometers south of Jericho, in the West Bank. It is home to a number of Islamic mosques and shrines including a mosque-complex believed to contain the tomb of Moses (Musa, in Islam) according to tradition. The shrine of Nabi Musa lies 11 kilometers (6.8 miles) south of Jericho and some 20 kilometers (12 miles) east of Jerusalem, in the Judaean Desert.

Overview

In 1269 CE, the Mamluk sultan Baibars al-Bunduqdari built a small shrine here. The shrine was mostly dedicated to biblical prophets and the companions of prophet Mohammed, and their maintenance was funded by an waqf.

Baibars' construction inscription is still to be seen, and it indicates the year the shrine was built, circa 1269-70 CE (668 Hijri), and the fact that he "ordered the building of this noble sacred place over the tomb of Moses" while he was on his way from Mecca, where he had performed his hajj, towards Jerusalem.

A Mamluk inscription provides the details of date and construction; "The construction of this Maqam over the grave of the Prophet who spoke to the God, Moses, is ordered by his majesty, Sultan Dhaher Abu El-Fateh Baybers, in year 668 Hijri (1269-1270 CE)."

Mosque Complex

circa 1270 CE

The Mosque of Nabi Musa, also known as the as the Maqam of Nabi Musa, a small shrine was built here topped by a dome, in 1269 CE. The current mosque-complex was almost fully rebuilt in the Ottoman era, during the reign of Mahmud II. The Maqam of the Prophet Musa (Moses) is one of the largest religious architectural complexes in Palestine comprising three levels: the basement, ground and first floors. Enclosed on all four sides, the complex covers an area of 5000 square meters. Its plan is almost square: the length of the north wall is about 74 meters, the west wall about 70 meters and the east wall 68 meter. The south wall is the shortest at about 55 meters. This large walled complex includes 120 rooms, a large number of white domes above its roofs, and a minaret. The allegory of Moses and the Shepherd is a story from the poet Rumi’s work Masnavi.

Necropoles and Tombs

circa

Tomb of Hassan al-Raayi
The large tomb two kilometres south of the maqam is traditionally identified as that of Moses' shepherd, Hasan er-Rai. The structure is encloesd within a wall, has six arches on four sides and topped with two domes.

circa

Sitna 'Aishah
The Maqam Sayedina Aiesha, according to the local tradition it belongs to Aiesha a wife of prophet Muhammad and the daughter of the first caliph Abu Bakr, which is highly unlikely, because she is known to have been buried in Baqi ul-Gharqad in Medina.

Gallery

See Also

• Mount Nebo
• Qumran
• Saint George’s Monastery in Wadi Qelt
• Euthymius Monastery
• Museum of the Good Samaritan

References

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