Theal-Aqsa Library (مكتبة الأقصىMaktabat al-ʾAqṣā), also known as theal-Aqsa Mosque Library (مكتبة المسجد الأقصىMaktabat al-Masjid al-ʾAqṣā), is the assemblage of books in theAl-Aqsa mosque compound (al-Ḥaram ash-Sharīf) inJerusalem.
The library has two components:[1]
Both locations are only accessible from within the compound.[citation needed]
The main al-Aqsa library is a general library.[2] It is in a building immediately west of al-Aqsa Mosque (al-Qibli Mosque), inside the compound's south wall. This structure went by many names:
Its entrance faces the courtyard with theDome of Yusuf Agha. To its west is the southern section of theIslamic Museum and theal-Fakhariyya Minaret.[citation needed]
In 1922, theSupreme Muslim Council established thedār Kutub al-Masjid al-ʾAqṣā (al-Aqsa Mosque's House of Books,دار كتب المسجد الأقصى المبارك).[15]In 1923, books dispersed throughout the compound were gathered in thean-Naḥawiyya Dome.[16] After inactivity from 1948 to 1976, the library was revived in 1977; books were moved from theIslamic Museum to theAshrafiyya Madrasa, and then in 2000 to the Women's Mosque.[17]
Theal-Khutniyya Library[18][3] (alsoal-Khutaniyya[19][2] andal-Khataniyya[20]) (مكتبة الختنية) is a manuscript library.[2] It shares its name with a formerzawiya andmadrasa, which was named after a scholar,Sheikh al-Khutnī/al-Khatanī (الختني).[21][22](Not to be confused with theKhātūniyya, north of theCotton Merchants' Gate.)
It is insideOld al-Aqsa in the remains ofthe Fatimid-era fortification tower on top of the now-sealedDouble Gate.The library is in asalient (wall projection) attached to the compound's south wall,[18] at31°46′32.7″N35°14′8.8″E / 31.775750°N 35.235778°E /31.775750; 35.235778 (al-Khutniyya Library).[23]Its access is via a tunnel under the al-Aqsa Mosque (al-Qibli Mosque). The tunnel's only entryway/exit is before the mosque'sportico, facing north.[citation needed]
This library began in 1998 as the initiative of a mosque volunteer, MarwanNashashibi (1934-2014), and his wife, Um Adnan.[24] Its collection has texts onjurisprudence,hadiths,hagiography,Sufism and other topics.[23]
Its director (chief librarian) is often also the director (head curator) of theIslamic Museum.[25][26]
It has about 20,000 books, notably onIslamic archaeology. Books are mostly in Arabic and English, with some in French.It has about 2,000 titles of Arabic manuscripts, from the 5th century to the Ottoman period.[15] Only researchers have access to the manuscripts.[10]It also has a large number ofPalestinian newspapers and magazines, many dating to the early 20th century.[27]
It has a department dedicated to children and youths in themain library.[citation needed]
The al-Aqsa Mosque Library has been reduced in size since 2007 to allow room to revive the female mosque that used to be there in the past, in the location of in the medieval (Knight Templar) building. This change seems to be related to the change in management. Khader Salameh has left and is currently the director of theKhalidi library. Sheikh Hamed abu Tair is the head of the manuscript library (Khutaniyye) as well as the general library.
[in the small blueprint of the mosque:] White Mosque (Women's Mosque)(The spellingKhutniyah is on pp. 17 and 36 (alsoal-Khutni for the sheik).)
To the west of Al-Aksa is the building called byCatherwood and others, the Mosque of Abu Bekr, but the Sheikh of the Haram knew nothing of this name, nor did any of the educated Moslems living at Jerusalem, they invariably called it Al-Baka'at al-Baidha (the white corner or place), sometimes adding "of Solomon".
It was called White mosque due to the colour of the stone used, it was majorly used by women.
The annex building next to al-Aqsa was converted to an Islamic museum and library. […] The women's mosque which is presently used for offices will be integrated with the complex and restored.[page number N/A in the limited preview]
Jāmiʿ al-Nisāʾ. Convertedc. 590/1193 {anno Hegirae /CE}. Other names: Jāmiʿ Abū Bakr. Modern name: Maktabat al-Aqsa (the al-Aqsa Library).
the Knights Templars, who used it as an armoury or something of that sort […] This part of the building is now the women's mosque, the 'white mosque'.
the Templars' Armoury, sometimes calledBaka'at al Baida, and incorrectlyAl Aksá al Kadîmah ('the Ancient Askâ'). [Page 111: …] the Jâmi' an Nisâ, 'the Mosque of the Women' (the Templars' Armoury)
"[…] the Armoury of the Templars." Now this would be the White (or Women's) Mosque
A southern annex, built by the Crusaders over the southern salient in the city wall, was converted and endowed in 1189 as azawiya ([…] a residence for a Sufishaykh and a meeting place for his followers), known as al-Khutniyya or al-Khatuniyya
[map] Al-Khutaniyya. See also:preview at archive.org (free account needed).
al-Khataniyya library
المدرسة / الزاوية الختنية [structure number 129]
the Khatania Zawia that includes a school and a library, named after Sheikh al-Khatani. […] Al-Zawiya al-Khutaniyyeh)
Nashashibi and his wife began to promote the idea of establishing a library in 1998 in the southern corner of the mosque compound and called itAl-Khataniah Library. […] A couple of years later, the Al-Khataniah Library was attached to the main library in the mosque, which was established in 1923 in the southwestern corner of the compound. Both libraries are now affiliated with the Jordanian Ministry of Endowments and Religious Affairs to manage them.
Khader Salamah [also: Salameh], former director of the al-Aqsa Mosque Library and Islamic Museum.
ʿAdil Effendi Jaber, a professor of law […] in 1922 he became the first director of the newly established al-Aqsa Library and of the Islamic Museum.[pages are unnumbered in the preview]
The Al-Aqsa Mosque Library holds one of the largest collections of Palestinian historical newspapers and periodicals.
31°46′33.132″N35°14′6.216″E / 31.77587000°N 35.23506000°E /31.77587000; 35.23506000
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