Al-Quds is the essence of Palestine, and the Old Town is its beating heart. Although the area of the latter is less than 1km2, it encompasses 5,000 years of civilization. Whoever controls it, controls Palestine; and whoever controls Palestine controls the world. For this town, the hearts long and the souls yearn, for it is where Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa resides.
In this report, we will introduce the neighborhoods and quarters of the town. The names given to the quarters (Muslim and Christian quarters) do not necessarily mean that only Muslims or Christians live there. It simply means that the majority of the people living there are so and so. For instance, in the Christian neighborhoods one would find Muslims living there and Islamic monuments, and vice-versa.
The Muslim Quarter
It is the biggest neighborhood in the city and the most populated worldwide. It has 10 settlement posts. It also has Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa, which cannot be referred to as the holy Haram since Harams have special rules. For example, Muslims are not allowed to uproot trees that grow without being planted there nor shoot its birds.
Sheikh Ibn Taymiyyah said in Majmu’ Al-Fatawa, “There is not a place in Al-Quds or in Hebron that is called a haram”. Therefore, it is more correct to say Al-Masjid Al-Ibrahimi not Al-Haram Al-Ibrahimi.
This Quarter has lots of Islamic monuments which attract the ambitions of the ‘Israeli’ occupation which confiscated the Palestinians’ homes and constructed extreme Jewish schools instead. Ariel Sharon, former Prime Minister, even seized one of the houses.
The Christian Quarter
Back in the days, about 6,000 Christians inhabited this area. However, their numbers decreased to 4,000 as a result to ‘Israeli’ measures such as exercising economic pressure, limiting job opportunities and tightening the living spaces as reported by Basim Saeed, Chairman of the Development Society of the Christian Quarter.
There are four patriarchs in the quarter: Patriarchate of the Greek Orthodox, the Greek Catholic, the Latin Patriarchate and Copts. There are also several monasteries and churches. The oldest building of the neighborhood dates back to the 5th century when the Church of Saint John was established by the Greek Orthodox, and then the Church of the Holy Sepulchre was established during the Crusaders period. The most famous Islamic monument in the quarter is Masjid Omar, where Omar prayed after the liberation of the area.
Al-Sharaf Neighborhood
It is located in the south-west side of Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa. It is named after the Sharaf family. The Jews lived there after the fall of Al-Andalus, but their number increased during the British occupation when they took over so many houses. In 1948, the neighborhood was demolished, so the Jews left. However, after the occupation of Al-Quds in 1967, the Jews destroyed the houses and displaced about 3,000 Arabs. The neighborhood was later called ‘the Jews Quarter’, but it was originally the Arab Sharaf neighborhood that was demolished in 1967.
The occupation claimed its ownership of the neighborhood and falsely called it ‘the Jewish Quarter’, and expanded the territory from the southern side (at the expense of the Arminian and Christian quarters).
In 1975, only 20 Arab families owning 70 shops continued to live there. The last Arab family to live there was Ayoub Al-Tutanji which was expelled in 1980.
The Moroccan Quarter
It is located in the west of Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa, but it was demolished in the war of 1967 by the occupation. There are about 135 monuments that date back to the Ayyubid, Mamluk, and Ottoman empires. Some of these monuments are Jami Al-Buraq, Al-Afdaliya school, and the Moroccan Corner. This quarter was turned into an arena for the Jewish rituals near Al-Buraq Wall.
The Moroccan Quarter was named after the Moroccans who came to Al-Quds in the 8th century of Hijra. After the fall of Al-Andalus, the immigrants who came to the town increased, so the Quarter was named after them. This Quarter was announced a waqf land by the King Al-Afdal bin Salah Ad-din Al-Ayoubi after the liberation of the city from the crusaders. He announced it as a waqf area for the Moroccan Mujahidin who fought for its liberation.
The Armenian Quarter
It constitutes 17% of the Old Town’s area making it the smallest neighborhood. 80% of the Quarter’s area is a monastery with 2 settlement outposts and 17 religious monuments.
The Armenians came to Al-Quds in the 3rd century. They settled there and established their own Patriarch in the 7th century. This place became a destination for the Armenians who established their own hospitability centers. They are considered the third Christian community in Al-Quds along with the Greek Orthodox and Latin.