The Concise Oxford Dictionary of World Religions (684 page)

(Arab., Qubbat al-
akhra). A Muslim building in Jerusalem which covers the rock from which
Mu
ammad
is believed to have ascended to heaven. From the Rock on which the earth is founded (
eben shetiyyah
), Mu
ammad was taken by
Jibr
l
through the seven heavens to the furthest limit. The Rock split at that moment, because it longed to follow Mu
ammad to heaven. His footprint can still be seen. The building is also known (piously, but unhistorically) as the Mosque of ‘Umar.

 
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(1170–1221).
Founder of the
Dominicans
. Born in Old Castile, he became a
canon
regular in Osma. With his bishop, Diego d'Azevedo, he initiated a new style of evangelization in Languedoc, characterized by humility and rigorous poverty. From this evolved the Order of Preachers, which he established in 1215. He was canonized in 1234: feast day, 7 Aug.

 
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Dominicans
.

The ‘Order of Friars Preachers’, founded by St
Dominic
in 1215 and confirmed in 1216. From the first foundation in Toulouse it spread rapidly; today its members work in most regions of the world. The goal of the order is to proclaim the word of God by preaching and teaching. It espoused
mendicant
poverty, simplified conventual life and study as its main observances. There are also monasteries of enclosed nuns under the jurisdiction of the order, and a large number of congregations of active sisters attached to the order, though juridically independent. There are also Dominican lay fraternities and secular institutes.

 
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(Lat., ‘the Lord be with you’). A formal Christian greeting, used especially in the
liturgy
.

 
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