 The Byzantine church was transformed into a mosque in the 7th @-@ century by Omar ibn al @-@ Khattab 's generals , in the early period of Rashidun rule . The mosque is alternatively named " al @-@ Omari " in honor of Omar ibn al @-@ Khattab who was caliph during the Muslim conquest of Palestine . In 985 , during Abbasid rule , Arab geographer al @-@ Muqaddasi wrote that the Great Mosque was a " beautiful mosque . " On 5 December 1033 , an earthquake caused the pinnacle of the mosque 's minaret to collapse . 
