There is no God except Allah; Muhammad is Messenger of Allah.
There is no God except Allah; Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah.

Al-Aqsa Mosque.

Al-Aqsa Mosque.



Prophet
Muhammad's
Night Journey
and the
Aqsa Mosque:

"Glory be to Allah who did take His Servant for a journey by night from the Sacred Mosque (in Makkah) to the Aqsa Mosque (in Jerusalem) the precincts of which We have blessed, so that We might show him some of our signs. Indeed Allah is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing."
[Holy Qur'an, Surah 17:1]




Al-Aqsa:
The Second
Mosque built
on the Earth

"Abu Dhar reported: I asked the Prophet, "O Messenger of Allah! Which mosque was built first on the earth?" He said: "Al-Masjid Al-Haram."
I asked, "Then which next?" He replied: "Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa."
[Sahih Muslim]




Hadith of
the Prophet Muhammad
(peace be upon him)

"Abu Darda is quoted a saying that the Prophet said: "The reward of a prayer in the Sacred Mosque (in Makkah) is worth 100,000 prayers, a prayer
in my mosque (in Medina) is worth 1,000 prayers and a prayer in al Aqsa Mosque (Jerusalem) is worth 500 prayers more than in any other mosque."
[Bukhari]


 

THE AQSA MOSQUE
Jerusalem

The Aqsa Mosque, in Arabic: Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa, literally means "the Farthest Mosque". The sacred mosque is mentioned by name in the Holy Qur'an. It was the first Qibla (the direction to which Muslims faced when offering prayers) before the revelation from God of the new Qibla for prayers: toward the Ka'bah in the sacred City of Makkah.

The Aqsa Mosque is also called the Farthest Mosque because it was place of worship in the farthest west known to Arabs in the time of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and was sacred to both Jews and Christians. Historically, the Mosque was originally built by Prophet Adam (peace be upon him). Prophet Ibraheem (peace be upon him) rebuilt it. Prophet Daud (David - peace be upon him) began the reconstruction which was completed by Sulayman (Solomon -peace be upon him). The City of Jerusalem is Holy to Jews, Christians and Muslims world-wide as it has their sacred sites.

Today the Aqsa Mosque is part of a large complex of religious buildings in Jerusalem's old city known to the Muslims as al-Haram al-Sharif (Noble Sanctuary) and to the Jews as the Temple Mount. For the Jews, the Temple Mount is the place where, according to the Jewish belief, redemption will take place when the promised Messiah arrives. There are also Christian sacred sites in Jerusalem including the Church of the Holy Sepulchre - believed to be - the site of the crucifixion of Jesus Christ, the Church of John the Baptist and other religious sites.

The mosque was once a tourist site but has been redesignated purely a place of worship and learning for Muslims only and closed to non-Muslims.



Why is Jerusalem and the Aqsa Mosque Sacred to Muslims?

The City of Jerusalem and the Aqsa Mosque is sacred to all Muslims because its significance is related directly to God, God's Holy Book: the Qur'an and God's Final Messenger: Muhammad (peace be upon him). This is more than sufficient reason for every Muslim to consider the City of Jerusalem and it's Holy sites to be sacred, particularly the Aqsa Mosque.

Further more, according to the basic Muslim belief the Holy Qur'an is the final Word of God. Every word and every verse of the Qur'an is from the True God - Allah, the Creator of the Heavens and the Earth. Therefore people who appreciate and follow truth in their daily lives believe that the Qur'an is the highest authority and the clearest guidance for mankind.

Muslims take guidance from the Holy Qur'an, and God has verified clearly the significance of Mi'raj (the Night Journey) of the final Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) in the Qur'an. The Night Journey - one of the most important events in the life of Muhammad (peace be upon him) - took place from the Ka'bah in Makkah to the Farthest Mosque (Al-Aqsa) in Jerusalem.



The Aqsa Mosque is the only site in the world where all the Prophets performed Salah prayer at one given time. It was here that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) led the prophets in that very prayer during the night journey of al Isra and al Mi'raj referred to in the Qur'an and hadith.

Al-Aqsa Mosque.
It was from the Aqsa Mosque that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) ascended through the heavens visiting the prophets again on his way to the Sidrat al-Muntaha (the Lote Tree) of the furthest limit.

We learn from the Holy Qur'an:
"Glory be to Allah who did take His Servant for a journey by night from the Sacred Mosque (in Makkah) to the Aqsa Mosque (in Jerusalem) the precincts of which We have blessed, so that we might show hm some of our signs. Indeed Allah is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing."
[The Holy Qur'an, Surah al-Isra, Verse 1]


The Hadith books and literature provides details of the Night Journey of the Holy Prophet (peace be upon him).


The Blessed Land

The land around the Aqsa Mosque is referred to as the Blessed Land in the Holy Quran. [The Holy Qur'an, Surah 17:1]


Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Jerusalem is the holiest Islamic city after Makkah and Madina. Located in East of this great city is Al-Haram al-Sharif (the Noble Sanctuary). The entire complex is regarded as a mosque. In the middle is the Dome of the Rock, and glorious Al-Aqsa Mosque is situated at its southernmost end. The Dome of the Rock was built in 687 AD by Caliph Abd al-Malik. The first wooden Al-Aqsa Mosque was constructed by the Umayyads which completed in 710. The last major reconstruction was during 1035. Al-Aqsa is the largest mosque in Jerusalem where approximately five thousand people can worship in and around the mosque.

Al-Haram al-Sharif has been a very important place of worship for the Muslims. Also a great religious and educational centre throughout Islamic history for the Muslims, the Jews and the Christians, attracting great teachers from all over the world. The Islamic Waqf Foundation is in charge of the Aqsa Mosque, along with most of the major mosques.

The Haram al-Sharif is of very important religious and political significance to Palestinians and to the Muslims around the world. Having the capital in East Jerusalem is a fundamental element of Palestine.


Prophet Ibraheem (peace be upon him) is buried near Aqsa Mosque in the city of Khalil, now called Hebron and many other Prophets' bodies (may peace be upon them) and some of the closest companions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) are buried in the vicinity of the Aqsa Mosque.

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) gave the area of Khalil (Hebron) as waqf (charitable trust) to the companion Tamim al Dari.

The last prophet of God, Muhammad (peace be upon him), while in Medina prophesied that the Aqsa Mosque will be in the hands of Muslims.



Visiting and Donating towards the Aqsa Mosque

Holy Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) encouraged Muslims to visit the Aqsa Mosque and pray therein. Abu Hurairah is quoted as saying that the Prophet said:
"Set out deliberately on a journey to three mosques: the Sacred Mosque (in Makkah), this mosque of mine (in Medina) and the Aqsa Mosque (in Jerusalem)."
[Bukhari and Muslim]

Maimunah bint Sa'd is reported as saying that the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) being asked about a person who is unable to travel to the Aqsa Mosque. The Prophet (peace be upon him) replied, "He should make a gift of oil to be burnt therein, for he who gives a gift to the Aqsa Mosque will be like the on who has prayed Salah therein."   [Ahmad and Ibn Majah]

Abu Umamah al Bahili reported that the Prophet of Allah (peace be upon him) as saying: "A group of my ummah will remain firm upon the truth, dominating their enemies. They will not be harmed by their opponents until Allah’s decree arrives upon them." They asked: "Oh Prophet of Allah! Where will they be?" He replied: "In Bait al-Maqdis and its surrounding areas."   [Ahmad]



 
 
 
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