Christians refused. So he refrained. Later, when ʿAbd-al-Malik ibn-Marwân was in power, he made the same request for the enlargement of the mosque offering them money in exchange; but they refused to deliver the church to him. In his turn, al-Walîd ibn-ʿAbd-al-Malik called the Christians and offered them large sums for the church, and when they refused, he threatened them saying, "If ye do not agree, I will surely tear it down." To this someone replied, "He, 'Commander of the Believers', who tears down a church will lose his wits and be affected with some blight." Al-Walîd, being angered at what was said, ordered that a spade be brought and began demolishing the walls with his own hand, while he had a robe of yellow silk on him. He then called workmen and house-razers and they pulled the church down. Thus it was included in the mosque. When ʿUmar ibn-ʿAbd-al-ʿAzîz became caliph, the Christians complained of what al-Walîd had down for their church. ʿUmar wrote to his ʿâmil ordering him to return to the Christians that part which he had added to the mosque from their church. The people of Damascus disliked the idea saying, "Shall we destroy our mosque after we have called to prayer and held service in it? And can a Christian church be returned [to its former owners]?" Among the Moslems were at that time Sulaimân ibn-Ḥabîb al-Muḥâribi and other canonists. They then came to the Christians and proposed to turn over to them all the churches of al-Ghûṭah that had been taken by force and were in the hands of the Moslems, provided they give up the church of St. John and cease to assert their claim on it. The Christians rather seemed to favor the proposition and consented to it. ʿUmar's ʿâmil communicated the news to ʿUmar who was pleased and signed the agreement. Next to the tower of the Mosque of Damascus at the southern porch stands an inscription on marble near the roof which was
