The document discusses the historical and religious significance of Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem according to Islamic teachings. It describes how Masjid al-Aqsa was established by prophets such as Adam and Ibrahim and its centrality increased after Prophet Muhammad's miraculous night journey to Jerusalem and ascension to heaven from there. It provides details on the mosque's destruction and rebuilding over the centuries under different rulers until the modern period when control has shifted between Muslims, Christians and Jews.

5.  The Masjid-al-Aqsa represents a place of greatest
religious significance.
 The love of every grain in the Holy City is sacred to
Muslims.
 Muslims respect all the Prophets revered by
Judaism and Christianity and their venerated
places are also central to the ethos of Islam.
 Quoting a few Quranic verses and sayings of
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) with regard to
Jerusalem will indicate the importance Masjid al
Aqsa and therefore Jerusalem.

8.  The miraculous journey of the holy Prophet
Muhammad(SAW) from Makkah to Masjid al Aqsa
(al Isra) and his ascension through the heavens (al
Ma’araj) has linked Jerusalem to the Muslims
hearts and minds.
 The Holy Quran states:
 Glory to Allah who did take His Servant for a
journey by night from the Sacred Mosque (in
Makkah) to theAl-Aqsa (in Jerusalem) whose
precinctsWe did bless (al-Isra 17: 1)

9.  The Lord Almighty had it in His power to have
taken Prophet Muhammad from Makkah straight
up to the heavens.
 However, to impress the importance of Jerusalem
upon Muslims the Prophet Muhammad
(SallallaahuAlayhiWasallam) was first taken to
Masjid al Aqsa in Jerusalem.

10.  When the Prophet Muhammad (SallallaahuAlayhi
Wasallam) reached al Aqsa (Haram Shareef), he led
prayers in congregation that was attended by all
the previous Prophets (AS).
 Hence Masjid al Aqsa is unique in that this is the
only place on earth where all the Prophets (AS)
performed Salah in congregation

11.  The Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) Alayhis salaam
who is central to all the three faiths, migrated to
the land of Canaanite around 1805 BC.
 We said, O Fire! Be thou cool and safety for
Ibrahim.Then they planned against him, butWe
made them the greater losers. ButWe delivered
him and (his nephew) Lot (and directed them) to
the land whichWe have blessed for the nations
 (Al-Anbiyaa 21: 69-71)

12.  .The sacredness of Jerusalem is emphasized in
numerous places in the Holy Quran.TheApostles
of Allah, Muhammad (SAW) and also Prophet Musa
(Moses) [AS] alluded to it.The Holy Quran reports
Prophet Musa (Moses) [Alayhis salaam] telling his
people (Children of Israel):
 O my people! Enter the holy land… (Al-Maida 5: 21)

13.  (It was Our power that made) the violent (unruly)
Wind flow (tamely) for Suleiman.To his order, to
the landWhichWe had blessed…
(Al-Anbiyaa 21: 81)

14.  (a) According to Islamic teachings there are only
three places to which it is desirable to undertake a
journey for the purpose of Salah.
 Abu Huraira [RA] is quoted as saying thatAllah’s
Messenger (SAW) said:
 ‘Set out deliberately on a journey only to three
mosques:
1. This mosque of mine (in Medina),
2. The Sacred Mosque (in Makkah) and
3. The Masjid al Aqsa (in Jerusalem)
(Bukhari & Muslim)

16.  Abu Darda [RA] is quoted as saying
that the Prophet of Allah
Muhammad (SAW) said:
 A prayer in the Sacred Mosque (in
Makkah) is worth 100, 000 prayers,
a prayer in my mosque (in Medina)
is worth 1, 000 and a prayer in
Jerusalem is worth 500 prayers
more than in an any other mosque.
(Bukhari)

17.  Abu Dhar [RA] is quoted as saying,
 I asked the beloved Prophet Muhammad (SAW)
which was the first mosque on earth? ‘
 The Sacred Mosque (in Makkah),’ he said. And then
which, I asked? ‘Masjid al Aqsa,’ he said. I further
asked, what was the time span between the two?
‘Forty years,’ the Prophet [SAW] replied. (Muslim)
1ST MASJID ON EARTH 2ND MASJID ON EARTH
40YEARS

18.  The centrality, historical and cultural significance
of Masjid al Aqsa is further emphasized by the fact
that Muslims used to turn towards Jerusalem when
they prayed.
 This was practiced until 16 to 17 months after
Hijrah, whenAllah commanded in His wisdom for
the Muslims to face Makkah.
 The importance of Masjid alAqsa remained and all
the worship performed facing Masjid al Aqsa was
good and valid.

19. The graves of many Prophet’s are in Palestine:
IbrahimAlayhis salaam
YakubAlayhis salaam
Ishaq [Alayhis salaam]
According to some commentators there are over
100 Prophets buried in Palestine.
Palestine also has the bodies of some of the closest
companions of the Prophet and thus the first
generation of Muslims. Included in these are the
graves of Ubada ibn al Samit, Shaddad ibn Aws ibn
Thabit al Ansari andTamim al Dari [RA].

20.  Umm Salamah [RA] narrates that she heard
the Prophet [SAW] saying, ‘whosoever starts
his Umrah or Haj from Masjid al Aqsa his
wrong actions will be forgiven, both past and
future.’
 In another version, he is reported to have said
that Paradise would be his reward.
(Targheeb)

21.  After the battle ofYarmuk the Muslim forces under
the command of Abu Ubaydah lay siege to
Jerusalem.
 The inhabitants consented to surrender on
condition that the Khalifa, Umar ibn al Khattab
(RA) came in person.
 Umar [RA] traveled to Palestine and formally
received the keys to the city in 637 AD

22.  . On his arrival, he concluded the famous peace treaty
with the people of Holy City.
 This opened the doors to the Jews, who were denied
access for thousands of years and for the first time
Jerusalem under Muslim rule became truly an OPEN
CITY to all the three faiths.
 Throughout Muslim rule of over one thousand two
hundred years of Jerusalem, members of Jewish,
Christianity and Islam prospered in Jerusalem.
 Muslim rule enabled the city to live up to its rightful
title of ‘The Holy City’ as it encompassed all the
believers in One God to go about their business
without any hindrance.

23.  History of Al Masjid Al Aqsa is best described in
three sections:
 1) From Prophet Adam (AS) to Prophet
Muhammad (SAW)
 2) From Prophet Muhammad (SAW) to 1917
 3) From 1917 to the present day.

24.  There is a difference of opinion amongst scholars
as to who exactly built Al Masjid Al Aqsa.
 Some scholars and historians assert the view that
Al Masjid Al Aqsa was built by Prophet Adam (AS)
 Others believe it was built by Prophet Ibrahim (AS).
 It has been rebuilt, renovated and expanded many
times in the history of Islam.

25.  It was a well known place of worship at the time of
Prophet Ibrahim (AS) and for his son Prophet Ishaq
(AS) and grandson ProphetYaqoob (AS).
 When ProphetYaqub's son ProphetYusuf (AS)
attained a position of power in Egypt, he asked his
family to join him and escape the poverty that
engulfed Palestine.
 Care for MajidAl Aqsa was entrusted to the native
Palestinians who were also followers of Prophet
Ibrahim (AS)

26.  The Israelites voluntarily emigrated to Egypt
seeking a better material life remained there for
approximately four centuries
 They were enslaved by the Egyptians.
 This slavery only ended when Prophet Musa (AS)
freed them from Ferron under the command of
Allah.
 Israelites rejected the orders of Allah to return to
Palestine
 They were thus commanded to live in and wander
through the desert of Sinai for 40 years.

27.  Israelites exile in Sinai ended when a new
generation was born and raised.
 Prophet Dawood (AS) was amongst them and led
his generation of believers to Palestine.
 Prophet Dawood (AS) established his kingdom in
part of Palestine, and controlled Jerusalem.
 His son Prophet Suleiman (AS) rebuilt MasjidAl
Aqsa with the help of the local indigenous
population and next to it he built the ruler’s palace.

28.  After Prophet Suleiman’s death, his two sons
divided his kingdom amongst themselves with
each having its own capital.
 These kingdoms existed for approximately two
hundred years, with the last king of Jerusalem in
this dynasty being dethroned in 586/587BC
 He tried to resist the Babylonians (led by King
Nebuchadnezzar) but failed due to a crippling
siege that the Babylonians had placed on the city.

29.  Shortly after the Babylonians took control of
Jerusalem, Al Masjid Al Aqsa was destroyed
 The Persians overthrew the Babylonians (during
which time efforts to rebuildAl Masjid Al Aqsa as a
place of worship were renewed)
 Thereafter ownership changed hands numerous
times, andAl MasjidAl Aqsa was destroyed, rebuilt
and then
 It was destroyed again within a century by the
Romans in 70AD after a revolt in the city.

30.  By 315-325AD, the Roman Emperor Constantine
converted to Christianity,
 Romans and the people residing in their land
(including the Jews) no longer had any regard for
MasjidAl Aqsa and no longer treated it as a place
of sanctity and worship, with the
 Site of MasjidAl Aqsa was used as a place of waste
disposal for the citizens of the city.
 This is how MasjidAl Aqsa remained for the next
few hundred years

31.  Up until the 2nd year of Hijrah (623/624AD), the
Prophet Muhammad (SAW) facedAl Masjid Al
Aqsa as the direction for his prayers.
 Al Masjid Al Aqsa has such significance in Islam
because it was the place to which he travelled on
the night of Isra
 It was the location from which he made his Miraj to
the Heavens.

32.  Umar Ibn Al Khattab, entered and mercifully
liberated Jerusalem (accompanied by 40,000
sahaba) on the invitation of the Christian leader
 It was done without bloodshed and with the
guarantee of protection for the lives, property and
places of worship of others within the city who
wished to remain there
 Umar’s personality and characteristics closely
resembled and matched those of the liberator of
Jerusalem foretold within scriptures, the people of
the city were quick to embrace and accept his rule.

33.  When he arrived at the site of Masjid Al Aqsa in
637/638AD, he didn’t find a place of prayer but
rather a plot of land that had been left barren and
used as a rubbish tip by the Romans.
 Upon seeing this he took the responsibility to
remove the waste with his own hands and to
rebuildAl MasjidAl Aqsa.
 Both the Christians and the Jews were pleased with
the arrival of Umar and the Muslims, and with their
just rule.

34.  In 691/692AD, CaliphAbd’ al Malik bin Marwan
began constructing what is nowadays known as
the Dome of the Rock
 This is on top of the rock which some believe was
the place where Prophet Muhammad (SAW)
embarked on his Miraj to the Heavens.
 Its main significance derives from it being within
the boundaries of Masjid Al Aqsa and therefore
part of Masjid Al Aqsa.

35.  The Muslims lost Al MasjidAl Aqsa to the Crusaders
in 1099AD
 On arrival into Jerusalem, the Crusaders
announced that they would not take any prisoners
 Large number of Muslims ran to Al Masjid Al Aqsa
in order to seek refuge.
 The Crusaders later entered the blessed Masjid and
massacred thousands of Muslims inside.
 MasjidAl Aqsa was then converted into a palace.

36.  it took 88 years before the Muslims reclaimed it in
1187 under the leadership of the great leader Salah
Uddin Ayyubi.
 His reclamation of Jerusalem and Masjid Al Aqsa was
reminiscent of Umar Ibn Al Khattab liberation five
centuries earlier
 There was a stark contrast to the actions of the
Crusaders just a generation prior.
 Like Umar Ibn Al Khattab, Salah Uddin Ayyubi did not
allow a massacre of civilians or soldiers
 After reclaiming Masjid Al Aqsa he also used his own
hands to clean the blessed land, and famously
sprinkled rosewater through the Masjid.

37.  The Muslims once again had unhindered control of
Jerusalem and Al MasjidAl Aqsa for a significant
period of time – approximately eight centuries
 Their rule was characterized by peace, justice and
prosperity
 MasjidAl Aqsa was a great center of learning with
scholars from all over the world travelling to study
and teach within its blessed precincts.
 Throughout this entire period, the Christians and
Jews were provided safety and protection, and
their rights were respected as People of the Book.

38.  For numerous centuries during the Ottoman
caliphate, the city of Jerusalem and MasjidAl Aqsa
were preserved with honor and dignity
 Muslims were in charge of the administration of
the city according to Islamic law and the Ottoman
millet system
 They provided religious freedom and security for
the Jewish and Christian minorities

39.  AfterWorldWar 1 the British captured Jerusalem
and brought an end to eight centuries of Muslim
rule.
 On arrival into Palestine in 1917 they found a land
that was 90% populated by Arabs
 There were fewer than 56,000 Jews (of which only
5% were native Palestinian Jews, with the majority
being those who had fled European persecution in
recent decades).
 The British allowed the Muslims control of Al
MasjidAl Haram during this period

40.  Five years after the British capture of Jerusalem,
the first restoration works of the 20th century in
MasjidAl Aqsa took place
 Couple of years later in 1924Trans-Jordan took
over custodianship of Masjid Al Aqsa.

41.  In 1947 Britain passing on the issue of Palestine to
the UN
 The Jews owned less than 6% of the total land of
Palestine.
 When the UN GeneralAssembly recommended
(despite this being outside of their competence
according to the UN Charter) having a “Jewish
state” which would comprise 54% of the
Palestinian land
 The native Palestinians rejected the proposal.

42.  In 1948 after a war and numerous massacres and
atrocities committed by the Zionists, the Jews
established “Israel” on 78% of Palestinian land
 They captured approximately 85% of Jerusalem.
 The JordanianArab Legion took control of the
West Bank – including 11% of the eastern parts of
Jerusalem which encompassed the Old City and
MasjidAl Aqsa.

43.  After 1967 war, Israel illegally occupied East
Jerusalem and claimed to unify Jerusalem as part
of Israel.
 This move was. and is still, opposed and
unrecognized by the international community.
 Following its capture of Jerusalem and the
protests that followed, the Jewish authorities
swiftly handed MasjidAl Aqsa back to Muslim
control.

44.  Following attempts by prominent Israeli figures to
establish Jewish prayers at Al Masjid Al Aqsa and
subsequent protests, a law was passed prohibiting
Jewish prayer on Al Masjid Al Aqsa.
 The decision also meant that Jews and foreign tourists
could only enter Al Masjid Al Aqsa through the
Maghrebi gate.
 However since 1967 many Israeli authorities have
passed rulings permitting Jews to offer worship on the
site of Al Masjid Al Aqsa
 Many organizations have been lobbying Israeli officials
to start the process of rebuilding a Jewish place of
worship on the sacred land of Al Masjid Al Aqsa.

45.  In 1969 a fire that was started by a Zionist
extremist destroyed the mimbar that was installed
by Salah Uddin Ayyubi.
 The mimbar was considered one of the most
beautiful in the world and was constructed with
over 10,000 interlocking pieces of Cedar and other
wood, Ivory and Mother of Pearl affixed without a
drop of glue or a single nail.
 Most of the damage from the fire took over 20
years to repair, due to the Israelis not allowing
suitable resources into MasjidAl Aqsa.

46.  In 1987 four Palestinian men were killed
queuing at a checkpoint in Gaza
 It sparked the first intifada.
 Intifada literally means “shaking off”
 Intifada is used to convey the meaning
of setting Palestine and Al Masjid Al
Aqsa free from Israeli oppression.

47.  In 2000, Ariel Sharon marched on Al MasjidAl Aqsa
surrounded by over 1000 security guards and
police.
 This sparked the second Palestinian intifada.
 Following this visit, restrictions were placed on
Palestinians wishing to pray at Al MasjidAl Aqsa,
 Palestinian men (especially those between 18-50
years of age), faced bans from praying at certain
times.
 These restrictions continue to this day.

48.  In March 2013 Jordanian King Abdullah II
signed an agreement with the Palestinian
Authority President Mahmoud Abbas
 It maintained and reiterated the status quo
 It declared that King of Jordan is the official
custodian of the holy sites in Jerusalem
 He has the right to exert all legal efforts to
preserve them, especially Masjid Al Aqsa.

49.  In November 2013 a draft Israeli law was proposed in
the Knesset (Israeli Parliament) allowing Jews the right
to pray on Al Masjid Al Aqsa.
 This development was the result of 40 years of intense
lobbying by nationalists
 They wish to destroy Masjid Al Aqsa in its current
form, and replace it with a Jewish place of worship.
 In October 2014 Israeli authorities closed Al Masjid Al
Aqsa for the first time since 1967.
 This resulted in mass protests across Palestine and the
Muslim world, and was swiftly followed by Al Masjid Al
Aqsa being reopened.

50.  Israel systematically denies access to Masjid Al Aqsa to most
Palestinians,
 It has permitted excavation works to be carried out under
Masjid Al Aqsa damaging the foundations of Al Masjid Al
Aqsa
 It has permitted Jews to enterAl Masjid AlAqsa during
certain times on most days (despite this being contrary to
traditional Rabbinical law for fear of disrespecting such
sacred land).
 Israel maintains a security force on Al Masjid Al Aqsa
permanently despite numerous appeals by the Supreme
Muslim Council
 The UN Security Council has passed more than 20
resolutions condemning Israel’s annexation of Old Jerusalem

51.  On July 14, 2017 three Palestinian citizens of Israel
killed two Israeli policemen
 This came in the context of what has been termed
the "Jerusalem Intifada (uprising)", which began in
October 2015.
 Since the uprising began, some 285 Palestinians
have died in alleged attacks, protests and raids.
 Simultaneously, 47 Israelis have been killed by
Palestinians in car-ramming and knife attacks.

52.  Israel restricted freedom of movement through
security checks for all Palestinians
 Metal detectors were installed at the gates of Masjid
Al Aqsa.
 Israel already restricts Palestinian entry to the site
through its separation wall, which cuts off theWest
Bank from Jerusalem.
 Of the three million Palestinians in the occupiedWest
Bank, only those over a certain age limit are allowed
access to Jerusalem on Fridays.
 Others must apply for a hard-to-obtain permit from
Israeli authorities.

53.  Under the 1947 United Nations partition plan for
Palestine, Jerusalem was meant to be
internationally controlled by the UN for its
importance to the three monotheistic religions.
 But Israel claimed the holy city to be its "eternal,
undivided capital" after it illegally annexed East
Jerusalem in 1967 and extended its law there.
 Israel now took control over al-Haram al-Sharif
(Masjid Al Aqsa) and restricted entry of Muslims
into the site ,violating the freedom to worship.

54.  Installation of metal detectors and turnstiles at the
entrance to al-Aqsa Mosque compound, enraged
Palestinians who came out in large numbers to protest
 It was believed that the new measures were an
attempt by Israel to change the status quo at the holy
site.
 Palestinians refused to enter the compound through
the detectors and resorted to praying on the streets.
 Israeli forces responded to their protest with assaults
and beatings.
 After Friday prayers, three Palestinians were killed and
hundreds injured, further aggravating the heightened
tensions.

56.  Israel decided to remove metal detectors it
had placed at the entrance to the al-Aqsa
Mosque
 These were replaced with more advanced
surveillance cameras.
 Palestinian leaders said they will never accept
the current status, unless everything that was
added after July 14 was removed

57.  www.transcendingjerusalem.com,
 www.foa.org.uk
 www.lostislamichistory.com