(Arabic for "the furthest mosque") A mosque located in the Old City of Jerusalem, adjacent to the Dome of the Rock on the area known as the Temple Mount or Haram Al-Sharif (The Noble Sanctuary). The structure was completed in the 7th century, destroyed by an earthquake in the 8th century, and restored to its current structure in the 11th century. While the Dome of the Rock was constructed as a mosque to commemorate the Muslim prophet Mohammad’s Night Journey described in the Qur’an, the building known as Al-Aqsa mosque became a center of worship and learning, attracting great teachers from all over the world. The mosque is currently under the supervision and authority of the Waqf (Islamic Endowment).  The area on which Al-Aqsa Mosque was built is known by Jews as the Temple Mount, the holiest place in Judaism. For Muslims, the area is known as Haram Al-Sharif and is considered Islam’s third holiest site. See the Haram Al-Sharif website at http://www.noblesanctuary.com/index.html.  http://www.justvision.org/glossary/al-aqsa-mosque