What is the purpose of the railing around the exposed sacred rock in the Dome of the Rock?

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The Dome of the Rock in Jerusalem, Israel, features a large gold dome and ornate blue and gold exterior, set against a backdrop of densely packed stone buildings. — Dome of the Rock Dome of the Rock, Jerusalem.

The railing surrounding the sacred rock inside the Dome of the Rock serves to protect the exposed stone.1

Historically, the need for such a barrier arose during the period of the Crusader kingdom of Jerusalem, when a wrought-iron screen was installed to prevent Christian pilgrims from extracting relics from the rock. This was later replaced by the Ayyubids with the wooden screen that remains in place today.1