The Dual Gate

It is the second important closed gate, after the Tripartite Gate, in the southern wall of Al-Aqsa Mosque. It is located to the west of the Tripartite Gate, specifically under the platform of Al-Qibli Mosque. It represents and entrance of the Ummayad palaces that were staning in the south of Al-Aqsa Mosque and reaching Al-Qibli Mosque through a dual passage under the mosque, which used to be a passage for the Ummayad princes. Now it is known as the Old Al-Aqsa Mosque. The dual Gate has two gates, as its name illustrates, whih lead to two passages. The elements of its structure prove that it was built by Ummayads, most probably during the period of Abdul Malik Bin Marwan, and then his Son Al-Walid. This refures the Jewish claims about it, as they claim it was build by the Prophet Sulaiman or the King Herod.

Most probably, the Dual Gate was closed by an order from the Sultan Al-Naser Salah Al-Din Al-Ayyoubi to protect the mosque and the city from the invadors. It was closed in a special way, as Al Naser Salah Al-Din built a school that was named Al-Khanthaniya Corner\ School (Al-Khatniya) after its Sheikh Al-Khanthani. The school was built inside the prominent building located outside the southern wall of Al-Aqsa Mosque, known as Al-Burj (the tower), in order to surround the gate from the outside. Moreover, the Sheikh made it a Waqf in 587 Hijri\ 1191 AD. The school can be reached through a steps down to an entranc located on the right side of Al-Qibli Mosque, in the west of the platform. It can also be reachd through the Double Gate from inside Al-Aqsa Mosque, specifically, from inside the Old Al-Aqsa Mosque located under Al-Qibli Mosuqe.

In the modern era, and after the school had been neglected and used as a store for many years, today it became cresset for knowledge in which students learn Quran. It also has a modern library that has thousnads of books and references and it is called Al-Khataniya School. However, the whole building is inseure and might collapse due to the excavacations done by the Zionist occupation authority under the southern wall of Al-Aqsa Mosque, which extended and reached under the school as they dug a huge tunnel under it which threatens the whole wall.