The Names of al-Quds: A Historical Survey from Earliest Times to Today

This article investigates the rich and complex history of the names given to al-Quds (Jerusalem) from antiquity to the present, exploring how each name has carried profound cultural, religious, and political significance. The study aims to shed light on how various ruling powers and religious communities have used names not merely as labels but as tools to assert identity, legitimacy, and authority over this deeply contested space. Employing an interdisciplinary methodology, the research draws on scholarly analyses of ancient documents, religious scriptures, period chronicles, and administrative records, as well as archaeological and epigraphic evidence examined and interpreted in secondary literature. It traces the evolution of names such as Salem, Urušalim, Yerushalayim, Hierosolyma, Aelia Capitolina, Īliyāʾ, Bayt al-Maqdis, and al-Quds, highlighting how each reflects broader historical transformations. A particular emphasis is placed on the Islamic period, during which Muslim rulers generally demonstrated greater tolerance than previous powers in preserving the city’s existing urban fabric and maintaining continuity in its names, even while establishing the new identity. The study also engages with modern scholarly debates, particularly regarding the identity of Jerusalem’s earliest inhabitants, like the Jebusites, whose origins remain the subject of historical and political contention. Overall, the findings illustrate that the shifting names of al-Quds are not merely linguistic curiosities but offer perspectives on the city’s layered past and ongoing struggles over meaning and belonging. The research underscores how to this day, the names of Jerusalem continue to resonate with competing cultural memories and political claims, reminding us that the city’s identity is as dynamic and contested as its history.