Is it permissible to venerate the Dome of the Rock in Palestine?

The Shaykh : ... Islam. And before concluding this session, O Abu Mahmud, I offer you a special piece of advice, as well as to anyone who has been afflicted with what you have been afflicted with. This Rock that you are venerating now is absolutely not part of Islam in any way. It is not permissible for you, O Palestinians, to take it as your emblem, because this Rock is merely a rock from a mountain.

The questioner : So, it is not permissible to venerate this Rock, nor for anyone to claim that it is the Noble Rock?

The Shaykh : Yes, exactly.

The questioner : Because veneration or honoring requires a textual proof from the Book or the Sunnah?

The Shaykh : Without a doubt.

The questioner : Is that not so?

The Shaykh : And that they add to this by claiming that the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) ascended from it to the sky, and that when he was raised up, it followed him.

The questioner: Yes.

The Shaykh : And it stood in the air. All of this has no basis; it is merely a rock from the mountain.

The questioner : And it is also refuted by the fact that it is blessed, as everything around al-Aqsa Mosque is blessed.

The Shaykh : Al-Aqsa Mosque and Syria are blessed.

The questioner : And Jordan.

The Shaykh : And all of Jordan has no connection to the Rock.

The Shaykh : The second question.