Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan
Architecture and decorative motifs
In building the Dome of the Rock Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan, a pioneer building for Islam, it was important to establish the worth of Islamic art and architecture by bringing forth elements that were traditionally familiar and to establish an equality of craftsmanship with the other dominant cultures in the region. Being a centrally planned building the Dome of the Rock facilitates the ritualistic circling of the Rock similar to the Kaaba and the Church of the Holy Sepulchre located nearby. It was also built in an ornate and monumental style to propagate Islam as triumphant. Abd al-Malik ibn Marwan incorporated several decorative motifs in the building of the Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem.
