Ascending back from the Tomb of the Virgin Mary’s Church, reaching the old Jerusalem-Jericho road level, one can see a small but impressive dome, housing the tomb of Mujir al-Din, Jerusalem and Hebron historian.
Who was Mujir Eddin?
Mujir al-Din ‘Abed al-Rahman abu al-Yaman al-Umari al-‘Alaimi was a scholar, a judge, and a historian, and the author of al-uns al-jalili fi tahrikh al-quds wa al-khalil, the most well-known book on the history of the city of Jerusalem and Hebron and Palestine. Born in 860 H (927 AD), he was one of the prominent dignitaries of Jerusalem towards the end of the Mamluk period and the beginning of the Ottoman era.
The Dome Date
The dome was built in 1927 by the Supreme Islamic Council. The tomb is a long structure with a small dome open from all four sides, resting on four marble columns supporting the arches holding the dome. Some scholars believe that the tomb was built east of Bab al-Rahma cemetery. During excavation works to widen the road to Ras al-‘Amud, the tomb was discovered and moved to its present location. Other scholars believe that Mujir al-Din was buried in Mamillah (Ma’man Allah) cemetery.
