Standing with those who defend Masjidi Al Aqsa
Dr Sheikh Arshid Ahmad
Al-Aqsa violence: Why Palestinians sacrifice themselves to defend the prestige of all Muslim Brotherhood as the Masjidi Al-Aqsa is the holy site in Jerusalem which has laid down the spiritual foundation of all Muslim Ummah.
The important and historical landmark has turned into battlefield and oftentimes the Palestinians clash with Israeli police and military to secure the holy land.
The religious and historical significance of Masjid Al-Aqsa cannot be ignored. This is an important holy site in Islam, located in the Old City of Jerusalem it has remained on the holy rank after the Masjid al-Haram (the ‘Great Mosque’ of Mecca) and Al-Masjid an-Nabawi (the ‘Prophet’s Mosque’ in Medina).
Al-Aqsa is the most sacred site for Muslims. The wider compound of Al-Aqsa, about 35 acres, is usually referred to as al-Haram (noble sanctuary) and includes the Dome of the Rock. It was built by Adam (AS).
Built about four centuries ago, Al-Aqsa translates from Arabic to English as “the Farthest Mosque”. According to the Quran, it is believed that Prophet Muhammad travelled from Mecca to Al-Aqsa during the Night Journey, and then on to heaven.
“Glorified be He [Allah] Who did take His servant for a journey by night from Al Masjid Al Haram to Al Masjid Al Aqsa, whose precincts We did bless, in order that We might show him some of our Signs. Verily He is the All Hearing, All Seeing,” reads Surah Isra (Chapter 17:Verse1).
Temple Mount, located in the compound, is a walled-in area dating back to the time of the Second Jewish Temple, built at the end of first century B.C.E. Jews believe that these walls were built around the summit of Mount Moriah where Abraham offered his son Isaac as a sacrifice.
Originally built as a small prayer house, the mosque was reconstructed by the Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik in 705 CE. After an earthquake, it was rebuilt again in 746, then in 1033 and many additions were made by the ruling dynasties of the Islamic Caliphate.
After the Crusades, the mosque was recaptured by Saladin Ayubi, the first sultan of Egypt and Syria, in 1187. It underwent renovations under various dynasties, including the Ottoman empire, the Supreme Muslim Council, and Jordan.
Though Jerusalem’s Old City is under Israeli control, the mosque has remained under the administration of the Jordanian and Palestinian-led Islamic Waqf since 1967. The Waqf is a religious trust that manages Islamic historical sites around the Temple Mount in Jerusalem.
According to the Israeli Ministry of justice Israel stands a long-standing land ownership and want the eviction of Palestinians from the Palestine.
The Palestinians retreated the concept and announcements go into susceptible violence. Number of fierce battles erupted in Jerusalem between Palestinians and Israeli security forces near Al-Aqsa mosque. Nearly laks of people died and injured in the clashes. The mosque compound, known as Haram al-Sharif in Islam, is also a major holy site for Jews, who refer to it as the Temple Mount falsely claimed by Israel.
The violence is believed to have been fuelled by a dispute over the land ownership case and considered unrest in the whole Middle East.
In the legal dispute, a key trigger for the recent unrest, Jewish settlers have been trying to evict Palestinians from their homes. However, this process has been interrupted by interference of the international communities.
The Al-Aqsa Masjid has been a frequent flashpoint for violence between Palestinians and jews.
On last Friday night, more than 160 people were wounded when Israeli riot police clashed with Palestinians at the Masjid compound. Protesters threw stones, bottles and fireworks. This violence can go deeper and deeper and it lashes its influence in all four corners of the world.
Global community must encourage direct peace talks between Israel, and Palestine. The isue needs free, fair and non-hyphenated discussion to solve the vexing problem.
(The author is a scholar hailing from Kuchmulla Tral)
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