Mu' meneen Brothers and Sisters,

As Salaam Aleikum wa Rahmatullahi wa Barakatuh.  (May Allah's Peace, Mercy and Blessings be upon all of you)

 

 

One of our brothers/sisters has asked this question:

What are the strongest arguments for convincing people of other religion that Islam has deep religious respect and yearning for Jerusalam. I am asking this question as non-muslims do not seriously understand miraaj of our prophet. Are there other historical reasons prior to Prophet Mohamed (saw) for Muslims to stake their claim on Jerusalem? 

 

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Answer:

 

Muslim claims on Jerusalem

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is no one (no idol,  no person,  no grave, no prophet,  no imam,  no dai,  nobody!) worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 17 Surah Israa verse 1:Glory be to Him (Allah), Who transported His servant (Mohamed (saws)) one night from Masjid-e-Haraam (in Makkah) to the Masjid-e-Aqsa (in Jerusalem), whose surroundings We have blessed, so that We might show him some of Our Signs!   Indeed, He (Allah) is All Hearing, All Seing.

 

The Masjid-e-Aqsa is the land of many of the noble Prophets of Allah, and some of the mightiest Prophets of Islam like Prophet Ibrahim, Prophet Yaqoob, Prophet Ishaaq, Prophet Sulaimaan, Prophet Dawood, etc. are buried in this third holiest city in the world!   Although, the Jews and the Christians also believe in these noble Prophets and claim them to be their own; the truth is that Allah says that all these Prophets were true Muslims, who surrendered their will to Allah Subhanah.  The believers today are the true inheritors of the deen of these noble Prophets, for the muslims follow the same deen as was followed by these noble Prophets of Allah; because Allah says in the Holy Quran, that the deen that was brought by all the Prophets all over the world was one and the same… and that deen was Islam.    Prophet Mohamed (saws) did not come with a new deen, but rather was sent by Allah to perfect the deen of Islam, which had been corrupted by the unscrupulous people and their scholars.   

 

Allah says in the Holy Quran Chapter 3 Surah Ale-Imraam verses 67-68:Ibrahim was neither a Jew, nor a Christian; but he was a Muslim; sound in his faith, and he was not of those who set up partners with Allah.   Surely, only those people who follow Ibrahim, are entitled to claim a relationship with him.   Now this Prophet (Mohamed) and the Believers are better entitled to this relationship.  Allah is indeed the Protector of the Believers.

 

The holy land of Jerusalem was declared the third holiest site in the world by the Messenger of Allah (saws) in one of his narrations.

 

Sahih Al-Bukhari Hadith 3.215         Narrated by Abu Said Al Khudri

The Messenger of Allah (saws) said, "One should travel only for visiting three Masaajids. (Mosques):   Masjid-al-Haram (Mecca), Masjid-al-Aqsa (Jerusalem), and this (my) Mosque (at Medina)."

 

Also, in the early years of the appointment of the status of Prophet hood on Prophet Mohamed (saws); Prophet Mohamed (saws) and the believers used to face towards Jerusalem and used that Holy Land as their Qiblah for prayers.   It was only after the Hijrah of the Prophet (saws) and the believers from Makkah to Medina, that Allah commanded the believers to change their Qiblah, from Jerusalem to the Sacred Mosque in Makkah!    

 

Your Question: Are there other historical reasons prior to Prophet Mohamed (saw) for Muslims to stake their claim on Jerusalem? 

Not only are there historical reasons for the Muslims to stake their claims on the Holy Land of Jerusalem, there are enough logical and basic reasons of Human Rights; which declare that the land of Jerusalem belongs to the Muslims.

 

Jerusalem was conquered, and entered into the Muslim Territory soon after the Prophet’s death, in the era of the second Khalifa of Islam, Hadrat Umar ibn Khattab (r.a.).  For almost 1300 years this Holy Land has been under the rule of the Muslims; and the muslims and the non-muslims have lived in this Holy Land in peace since that time (except for a few short skirmishes in history).  An individual Jew or a Christian may have had a problem with an individual muslim; or an individual muslim may have had a problem with an individual Jew or a Christian in this Holy Land; but never have the muslim rulers of this Holy Land prosecuted the people of another faith for their beliefs!   

 

After World War II, the world powers of the time, planted the State of Israel and gave the Jews control over this Holy Land by force; and uprooted the Muslims, Christians, and other indigenous people of the land!   Even the United Nations have passed several resolutions giving the indigenous people of the land the Right over this Holy Land; but the State of Israel blatantly refuses to surrender the usurped property!   

 

It is not legal in Islam; and neither in the Common Law of the world, even today; that any indigenous people be uprooted from its land.   And the ones who uproots them by force, and stakes their claim on a land unjustly; will be recognized as unjust aggressors and oppressors!   

 

The claim of the Jews that because they inhabited this land before the advent of Christianity and Islam, they are the rightful owners of this land…is nothing short of ridiculous!   If this law and logic is applied, Australia should be handed over to the Aborigines and The United States of America to the Indigenous American Indians!,   for these indigenous people lived in these lands,  and were uprooted unjustly by the very same people who claim to be the Champions of Human Rights today! 

 

The claim of the Jews is that they say that the Holy Land of Israel was promised to them in their Taurah,  where God told them that the Holy Land of Israel will be given to the ‘seeds of Abraham’!   And they claim that since they belong to Bani Israel, and are the followers of the descendants of Abraham, and Isaac, and Jacob, etc.; they are the seeds of Abraham, and thus the Holy Land of Israel belongs to them.   

 

Little do they realize, that even the Muslims are the followers of the Prophets amongst the descendants of Abraham, and Isaac, and Ismail, and Jacob, etc.   And our Noble Prophet and Last Messenger of Allah, Mohamed ar-Rasool Allah (saws) is a direct descendant of Prophet Ismail, son of Prophet Abraham (a.s.)!   Thus, the word of their God and our Lord is true… that the land of Israel will be given to the ‘seeds of Abraham’…. For indeed the Muslims are also from the ‘seeds of Abraham’.   Thus, it is absolutely incorrect for the Jews to claim their stake on the Holy Land of Israel simply because of their claim that they alone are the ‘seeds of Abraham’! 

 

The muslims are the majority of the population in the Land of Israel; and the current rulers of Israel have tried every means to uproot the muslims from the land of Israel by force, and have unjustly made the indigenous people refugees away from their own land!  This is absolutely illegal, unjust, oppression, and aggression in any law… whether it be Islamic Law or the Common Law of the World!   So much so, that even the United Nations have passed several resolutions giving this most basic of Human Rights to the indigenous people of the land; but the Unjust State of Israel blatantly and arrogantly refuses to obey these Resolutions!   And the State of Israel openly refuses to abide by the Common Law of the world, and is supported by, and has the full blessings of the very same World Powers, who unashamedly claim to be the Bastion of Human Rights, in the world today!  

 

Allah Subhanah is the All-Just; and He does not like injustice, arrogance, unjust oppressors and aggressors.  Allah Is the All Seeing, All Knowing…and He is watching over everything!   And whenever He Wills, His Justice will be served; and when His Justice is served, the arrogant, unjust oppressors will have no place to hide!    However arrogant and mighty they might seem today; they have absolutely no power and no might, compared to the Power and Might of the All Powerful Lord!   

 

In Allah we have believed, and in Him we have put our trust.

 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me.  Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 

 

Your Brother in Islam,

 

 

Burhan