They Want to Replace Masjidil Aqsa With This Temple
Ziqad 18, 1432 A.H, Monday, October 17, 2011
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.
Sisters for Aqsa
Translated and submitted by a Mujahid