But precisely at this epoch there appeared an enemy far more formidable for the Christians than the sectaries of Zoroaster.  In 622 Mahomet founded Islamism; and some years after his death, in 638, the second of the khalifs, his successors, Omar, sent two of his generals, Khaled and Abou-Obeidah, to take Jerusalem.  For to the Mussulmans, also, Jerusalem was a holy city.  Mahomet, it was said, had been thither; it was thence, indeed, that he had started on his nocturnal ascent to heaven.  On approaching the walls, the Arabs repeated these words from the Koran:  “Enter we the holy land which God hath promised us.”  The siege lasted four months.  The Christians at last surrendered, but only to Omar in person, who came from Medina to receive their submission.  A capitulation concluded with their patriarch, Sophronius, guaranteed them their lives, their property, and their churches.  “When the draft of the treaty was completed, Omar said to the patriarch, ’Conduct me to the temple of David.’  Omar entered Jerusalem preceded by the patriarch, and followed by four thousand warriors, followers of the Prophet, wearing no other arms but their swords.  Sophronius took him, first of all, to the Church of the Resurrection.  ‘Be-hold,’ said he, ‘the temple of David.’  ’Thou sayest not true,’ said Omar, after a few moments’ reflection; ’the Prophet gave me a description of the temple of David, and it tallieth not with the building I now see.’  The patriarch then conducted him to the Church of Sion.  ‘Here,’ said he, ‘is the temple of David.’  ’It is a lie,’ rejoined Omar, and went his way, directing his steps towards the gate named Bab-Mohammed.  The spot on which now stands the Mosque of Omar was so encumbered with filth that the steps leading to the street were covered with it, and that the rubbish reached almost to the top of the vault.  ‘You can only get in here by crawling,’ said the patriarch.  ’Be it so,’ answered Omar.  The patriarch went first; Omar, with his people, followed; and they arrived at the space which at this day forms the forecourt of the mosque.  There every one could stand upright.  After having turned his eyes to right and left, and attentively examined the place, ‘Allah alchbar!’ cried Omar; here is the temple of David, described to me by the Prophet.’”

He found the Sakhra (the rock which forms the summit of Mount Moriah,) and which, left alone after the different destructions of the different temples, became the theme of a multitude of traditions and legends, (Jewish and Mussulman) covered with filth, heaped up there by the Christians through hatred of the Jews.  “Omar spread his cloak over the rock, and began to sweep it; and all the Mussulmans in his train followed his example.” (Le Temple de Jerusalem, a monograph, pp. 73-75, by Count Melchior de Vogue, ch. vi.) The Mosque of Omar rose up on the site of Solomon’s temple.  The Christians retained the practice of their religion in their churches,