أشكال الزخارف الفسيفسائية والنقوش الأموية ودلالاتها في قبة الصخرة المشرفة ومسجدها: دراسة تحليلية

This study aims to examine mosaic decorations and inscriptions and analyze their religious significance. These decorations are considered among the most prominent artistic achievements in early Islamic architecture, embodying an aesthetic vision derived from Islamic beliefs and its conceptions of the universe and the afterlife. The study employs a descriptive-analytical approach to decipher these decorative elements and their meanings, linking them to Quranic verses and the historical context. The research reveals a close connection between vegetal, geometric, and linear forms and religious themes, making the Dome of the Rock a unique example of Islamic art that embodies the philosophy of beauty and monotheism. Among the most prominent religious connotations of the mosaic decoration are patience, steadfastness, and continuous giving; unity, cohesion, and the absence of division; and it evokes Paradise. Furthermore, the colors used represent God's power in creation and symbolize abundant blessings and goodness, reflecting the principle of monotheism and transcendence in Islamic belief. Since the Dome of the Rock and its mosque are places of worship, the artist refrains from depicting anything that could lead to imitating God's creation or worshipping anything other than God. The researcher recommended the need to create a detailed digital archive of the decorations and calligraphy in the Dome of the Rock to facilitate future studies, to conduct comparative studies between the decorations of the Dome of the Rock and the Umayyad Mosque in Damascus to understand the Umayyad artistic development.