Dome of the RockThe Dome of the Rock is one of the oldest works of Islamic architecture, and is based around the Foundation Stone, which is an important religious icon for Jews and Muslims.The octagonal structure, dome, and mosaics are modeled after Byzantine architecture, and is located over the original place of the First Temple and Second Jewish Temple.The Dome of the Rock is significant to Islam because it is the spot where Muhammad ascended into heaven, and also where he prayed with Abraham, Moses, and Jesus.
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The KaabaThe Kaaba was once a shrine to the pagan gods of the Arabic tribes but was turned into an Islamic icon for prayer when Muhammad reclaimed Mecca and rid the Kaaba of its pagan deities. The significance of Muhammad's destruction of pagan idols and the transformation of the Kaaba into an Islamic monument resulted in the ritual of facing towards Mecca during prayer five times a day. One of the five pillars of Islam is the hajj, a pilgrimage to Mecca, attracting many Muslim visitors to this significant Islamic structure.
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Great Mosque of KairouanThe Great Mosque of Kairouan is located in the important UNESCO World Heritage City of Kairouan. This Mosque is on of the oldest places of Islamic worship in the world and served as a model for later mosques to be built. The university which supplied scholars to teach at the mosque became the center of Islamic and secular studies, including science and mathematics. Between the ninth and eleventh centuries CE, the Great Mosque of Kairouan was one of the greatest centers of the Islamic faith, a place for prayer and a place for teaching.
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