FOR long, the Jews have been claiming that Masjid al-Aqsa was built at the site of a so-called ”Jewish temple.’’
Since the occupation of Al-Quds by the Zionists in 1967, Masjid al-Aqsa, with its Muslim worshippers, has been suffering:
Bloody attacks and incursions by occupation forces that led to massacres of tens of men, women, and children, while they were worshipping . One of these massacres left 34 Muslims martyrs and 115 wounded on 8 October 1990.
Several acts of aggression against Al-Aqsa buildings, including the famous Fire of 21 August 1969 which destroyed one third of the Qibly prayer hall inside Al-Aqsa, as well as several bombing attempts by Jewish extremists.
Seizure of some parts of Masjid al-Aqsa by occupation authorities to prevent Muslim access to them, such as Al Magharba gate (since 1967, it has been used to let Jewish extremists and tourists only inside the holy compound), the Tankuzia School (which was turned into a military building, and the Buraq wall (a part of Al-Aqsa’s western wall which was turned into a Jewish shrine known as the ‘‘wailing wall’’).
Siege of the other gates to Masjid al-Aqsa by occupation forces who frequently block the entry of many Muslims, specially youth, on security pretexts, for several weeks or months.
Dangerous diggings and excavations around and under the walls of Al-Aqsa Compound by occupation authorities, in order to destruct the place, and build Jewish structures instead. The most recent and largest such acts have led to a demolition of the road leading up to the Magharba gate starting on 6 February 2007.
Ban for all Islamic renovations and repair works inside the walls of Masjid al-Aqsa by occupation authorities since 2001.
It Belongs to Muslims
Masjid al-Aqsa belongs to all Muslims at every time and every place, as it has been a symbol for the one and same message of the oneness of God , which was preached by all Prophets who prayed at it.
Islam, the final version for this same message conveyed by the Last Prophet, Muhammad (PBUH), has confirmed and commanded over prior versions, and made the belief in all former Prophets a pillar of faith.
So, Muslims are all willing and should be able to preserve the integrity of such a place that is central to all Prophets, and to make true and real peace prevail at the city of Jerusalem, that is so dear for all Prophets’ followers.
Misconceptions
The following are some misconceptions and our clarification.
Al-Aqsa, Not the Temple
Masjid al-Aqsa is the name for the walled 144,000 square meters area in the southeastern part of the walled Al-Quds (Old Jerusalem).
According to Prophet Muhammad sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, Allah, the Almighty, chose it to be His second place for worship; the first being Masjid al-Haram in Makkah. Built by Prophet Adam forty years after the Ka’bah, restored by Prophet Sulaiman, and visited by many other prophets of Allah, including their last, Muhammad (peace be upon them all), Masjid al-Aqsa has always been a representation of one and the same belief in the ‘‘oneness of Allah’’ (the main principle in Islam) that was preached by these Prophets over generations.
None of them, including Ibrahim, Ya’qub, Musa, and Jesus (’Isa), considered Al-Aqsa Mosque as a ‘‘temple’’.
However, some of their proclaimed followers, who had chosen not to believe in some of these brother Prophets, especially in Muhammad sallallahu ‘alayhi wa sallam, call it a ‘‘temple’’, denying Islam’s old established link to it.
The Zionists and Crusaders, after capturing the Holy Land from Muslims, have been seeking to destroy this very place of worship in order to build instead that structure they attribute to Sulaiman ‘alayhissalam.
But Solomon was just another Prophet of Islam, and therefore, he could not have the authority to build a structure for the worship of any other god but Allah. In fact, only true believers in One Allah, and in all His prophets can recognize the holy status of Masjid al-Aqsa, and, so, should always defended it as a heritage of all Prophets.
Al-Buraq Wall, Not Wailing Wall
Al-Buraq Wall is the part of the western wall of Masjid al-Aqsa where Prophet Muhammad sallallahu ’alayhi wa sallam tied his winged steed, Al-Buraq, during his night journey to Al-Aqsa. It is located near the Magharba Gate of Masjid al-Aqsa.
However, Jews and some Christians, while falsely claiming that it is part of their so called ‘‘temple’’, have made a ritual of standing in front of it, and wailing over the power they say was lost to Muslims.
Despite the lack of a shred of proof to support these claims, they have turned it into a Jewish shrine since occupation in 1967, and have been conducting so-called archeological excavations beneath it as well as other walls of Masjid al-Aqsa, in preparation for laying hands over the whole Masjid.
Al-Qibly Prayer Hall, Not the Whole Masjid al-Aqsa
Many Muslims are used to associating the name ‘‘Masjid al-Aqsa’’ to the building with the grey dome, located in the southern part of Masjid al-Aqsa compound.
However, the correct name for that building is Al-Qibly Prayer hall, as it is located nearer to the Qiblah.
In fact, this is a most significant part, but not the whole, of Masjid al-Aqsa compound, which spans 144,000 square meters and surrounded by the wall located in the southeast corner of the walled city of Al-Quds (Jerusalem).
Marwani Hall, Not Solomon’s Stables
The Jews, as well as the Crusaders who used it as a stable for horses, name the vast area that lies just below the paved courtyard in the southeast part of Masjid al-Aqsa ‘‘Solomon’s stables’’.
They try to lead people into believing that the structure is part of the so-called ‘‘temple’’ they attribute to Prophet Sulaiman, peace be upon him, despite the fact that he was one of the Prophets of Islam.
In reality, archeologists have established that this part of Masjid al-Aqsa, which had long been known as the Eastern Basement, was built by the Umayyah, as they were restoring Masjid al-Aqsa, leveling its sloppy terrain, and constructing some of its main buildings such as Al-Qibly prayer hall.
More recently, Muslims managed to open that basement for prayers, and it came to be known as the Marwani Prayer hall.
Ribat Al-Kurd, Not Little Wailing Wall
The wall of Ribat Al-Kurd is another part of the western wall of Masjid al-Aqsa, just as the famous Buraq Wall.
It is located at the Iron Gate of Masjid al-Aqsa, and the ‘‘ribat’’ itself was used as a school to house military volunteers, called the murabitun (those who safeguard). Following 1967’s occupation of East Jerusalem, Zionists occupied the whole area of Ribat Al-Kurd, and called it “the Little Wailing Wall”, as part of their claims for Masjid al-Aqsa.
Later they turned it into a Jewish religious school and a synagogue, while Jewish organisations had been encouraging visits to this site especially during Jewish holidays, in order to establish their claims to it, just as they did with the Buraq Wall.
In 1971, Ribat Al-Kurd partially collapsed, due to the excavations carried by occupation authorities underneath it. Following the collapse, the old city of Jerusalem and its walls were declared a UNESCO world heritage site, but occupation authorities still endanger this and other parts of Masjid al-Aqsa.
Dome of Rock, Not Holy of Holies
The term “Holy of Holies” is used by Jews and some Christians to refer to the most sacred part of their claimed “Jerusalem Temple”, which they assume is located under the Dome of the Rock (which lies at the center of Masjid al-Aqsa).
In fact, the Rock itself was the Qiblah of the Prophets of the Children of Israel and was also the first Qiblah of Prophet Mohammad, peace be upon him, for nearly 14 years.
However, it is just another part of the blessed Masjid al-Aqsa, being the top part of the Moriah Mount (where Masjid al-Aqsa lies) and its significance shouldn’t be exaggerated.
No comments:
Post a Comment