About

         The King David Complex and the Dajani Family Quarter in 1937 Jerusalem          

    مقام النبي داوود و حي ال دجاني الدواهده في القدس عام 1937

The King David Complex

The tomb is located in a corner of a room situated on the ground floor remains of the former Hagia Zion a ancient house of worship; the upper floor of the same building has traditionally been viewed as the Cenacle of Jesus. The site was apparently not viewed as David's Tomb until the 12th century. According to Benjamin of Tudela, writing about 1173, the tomb was discovered during repairs to the church; the motivation for it being declared to be the tomb of David is due to Davids conquest of Mount Zion described in the Book of Samuel. In 1335, the ancient church became a Franciscan monastery, but, due to tensions with the Greek Orthodox Patriarch, the Franciscan residence was closed.

The Franciscan Monastery in Jerusalem during the 16th century did not encompass today's King David Tomb complex. In fact it was not a monastery but the residence of a small band of friars - in a room on the Western part of today's David Tomb complex because it was thought to be the site of the Last Supper. The friars used to throw their rubbish outside on the Eastern side of today's Tomb complex. The Sharif Ahmad Dajani, the first to hold the Dajani name, cleaned up the waste and renovated the neglected Eastern side of today's King David Tomb complex - where the tomb is located - in the 1490s. He established a place for Muslim prayer on the Eastern part of today's complex. The "Franciscans were driven out from the mountain" by residents of Jerusalem in 1524. The "Ibn Dawood" mosque, a title given Sheikh Ahmad Dajani by the residents of Jerusalem, was established for Muslim prayers under the patronage of Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent and the supervision of al-Shareef Sheikh Ahmad bin Ali Dajani.

Ownership of the site was transferred to the Muslim Palestinian family al-Ashraf Dajani al-Daoudi family(Descendants of the Prophet Mohammad's grandson Hussein) by an edict from Sultan Suleiman the Magnificent in 1529. Since then, the Dajani family supervised and maintained this site. As a result, they were given the title of Dahoudi  by the residents of Jerusalem in reference to the King David Tomb complex. 

[1] Limor, Ora (Jan 1, 2007). “Sharing Sacred Space” in edited book In Laudem Hierosolymitani: Ashgate Publishing. Ltd. P.227.

[2] Feldinger, Lauren Gelfond (08 July 2013). “Israeli and Vatican close to signing Holy Land accord”. The Art Newspaper

-----(King David Complex History Link)-----

A Sketch of the Prophet David Mosque in Jerusalem in 1835, which belongs to the Dajani Family.

The picture show the house of Sheikh Musa abu Soud Dajani who conducted the call of prayer from the Minaret which the Dajani family built. 

The Dome appearing in the picture is located above the room of the last supper which Palestinians called the Upper Mosque. 

Underneath that room is the Lower Mosque which is King David Mosque which was built by the first Dajani al-Sharif Sheikh Ahmad Dajani. 

The Interior of the King David Complex and the Dajani Family Prayer Room

                                                                                 Dajani Family Homes in the Dajani Quarter in Jerusalem