Holy cities and capital cities in the Islamic world
Published: 31 May 2006 Briefing Number 174	Click to Print

Summary: Jerusalem , known as Al Quds to Muslims, is an important holy city in Islam, containing the Dome of the Rock on the Temple Mount , and the Al Aqsa Mosque. But it does not follow that Jerusalem must necessarily serve as the capital of a future Palestinian state. The capital city of leading Muslim countries is different from the key holy cities of those countries.

Saudi Arabia
The foremost holy cities in the Islamic world are Mecca and Medina , which are both situated in Saudi Arabia . But the capital city of Saudi Arabia is neither. The capital city is Riyadh .

Iraq
The foremost holy city to Muslims in Iraq is Najaf . But Iraq 's capital city is Baghdad .

Iran
The foremost holy cities in Iran are Qom and Isfahan . But the capital city of Iran is Teheran .

Comments

The Palestinians are entitled to demand that Jerusalem should serve as the capital of a future Palestinian entity. But this demand does not follow from the fact that Jerusalem is a holy city in Islam.

For Jerusalem to serve as a future capital city would break with the prevailing pattern in the Islamic world which separates holy cities from capital cities.