Bayt Al-Maqdis, Jerusalem, in the Qur’an and Hadith
The First Qibla
How long Muslims took Al-Aqsa Mosque as their Qibla?
Since prophet Mohammed was sent by Allah, he and Muslims were turning to Jerusalem to pray. This lasted as long as the prophet was in Mecca. He used to head toward both Qiblas in their prayers; the Holy Kaaba and Jerusalem, as he prayed between the two pillars in the south northward. Regarding this matter, Al-Bara’a bin A’azib said: “I prayed with the Prophet, PBUH, in the direction of Bayt Al-Maqdis for 16 or 17 months, then we turned to the Qibla I the Kaaba”; narrated by Al-Bukhari and Muslim, quoting from Abu Mousa Mohammed bin Al-Muthanna who quoted from Yahya bin Sa’eed.
Changing the Qibla
After the Hijra (immigration) to Madinah, Prophet Mohammed couldn’t head toward both Qiblas in prayer. Therefore, he ordered Muslims to head toward Jerusalem, until there came a divine order to head toward the Holy Kaaba in prayers, in the seond year of Hijra. Allah the Almighty says in His Book: “We have certainly seen the turning of your face. [O Mohammad], toward the heaven, and We will surely turn you to a qibla with which you will be pleased. So turn your face toward Al-Masjid Al-Haram”; Surat Al-Baqara- verse 144. The first prayer Muslims have prayed toward Al-Haram Mosque was the Asr prayer.
The Connection between the Two Mosques
The heading toward both mosques as one qibla by Prophet Mohammed, PBUH, indicates the deep connection between them, and their holiness and great grace.
The Second Mosque on Earth
Aby Dhār said: “I asked the Messenger of Allah, PBUH: ‘Which Masjid was built first?’ He said: ‘Al-Masjid Al-Haram.’ I said: ‘Then which?’ He said: ‘Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa.’ [2] I said: ‘How long was there between them?’ He said: ‘Forty years. And the earth is a Masjid (or a place of prostration) for you, so wherever you are when the time for prayer comes, pray”; narrated by Al-Bukhari in his Sahih, quoting from Mousa bin Ismail, and narrated by Muslim in his Sahih, quoting from Abu Kamel Al-Fudail bin Al-Hussein, and they both quoted from Abul Wahid bin Ziyad, who quoted from Suleiman bin Mahran Al-A’mash.
The Relationship between Al-Masjid Al-Haram and Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa
The previously mentioned Hadith indicates that the relationship between Al-Aqsa and Al-Haram Mosques existed since the beginning of time. They are the first two mosques on earth. The 40 years represent a short period of time in life and the history of peoples. Therefore, we can conclude that the two mosques were possibly built by the same person, and probably it was Prophet Adam, PBUH, after a divine revelation.
The Third Mosque to Be Travelled to
It was narrated from Abu Huraira that Prophet Mohammed, PBUH, said: “Mounts are not saddled for except to (travel to) three Masjids: Al-Masjid Al-Haram, this Masjid of mine, and Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa”.
The Privilege of Praying in It
A Hadith
Abu Omama said: “Maimouna bint Al-Hareth, the wife of Prophet Mohammed, said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, tell us about Bait Al- Maqdis’. He said: ‘It is the land of the Resurrection and the Gathering. Go and pray there, for one prayer there is like one thousand prayers elsewhere’. I said: ‘What if I cannot travel and go there?’ He said: ‘Then send a gift of oil to light its lamps, for whoever does that is like one who goes there’”.
What Should Be Done when Visiting Al-Aqsa Mosque
It not preferable for one who visits Bayt Al-Maqdis to touch any of its buildings in the intentions of getting blessed, or to walk around them. This is considered an invented heresy. There no place of worship in Jerusalem other than Al-Aqsa Mosque. Going to the graves of the Companions and the righteous to worship is wrong, we only visit them to ask Allah to grant them mercy, not to worship.
Is the Reward of Voluntary Prayers Greater in Al-Aqsa Mosque?
The theologians’ two different opinions are:
1.The followers of Al-Shafi’e and Al-Hanbali Schools, and Abu Al-Mutarraf who follows Al-Maliki School say that both the obligatory and voluntary prayers are granted more reward. They say that in his Hadith, Prophet Mohammed talked about praying in Al-Aqsa Mosque in general, without specifying a certain kind of prayers.
2.However, in Al-Hanafi School and the most common in Al-Maliki School is that only the obligatory prayers in Al-Aqsa Mosque are more rewarded.
The Triumphant Group
Abu Omama said: “the Messenger of Allah said: ‘There will always be a group from my Ummah triumphant upon the truth, victorious over their enemies, there will be no harm from those who oppose them and they will not be harmed until the order of Allah comes and they will be like that (triumphant)’. We said: ‘O Messenger of Allah, where are they?’ he said: ‘In Bayt Al-Maqdis and the precincts of Bayt Al-Maqdis’”.
Bayt Al-Maqdis at the End of Time
Bayt Al-Maqdis and the Imposter
Abdullah bin Omar narrated that the Messenger of Allah said: “There is something in the Imposter that will make you feel suspicious. Your Lord is not one-eyed. The Imposter will appear on earth and stay for 40 mornings. He will be visiting every place except the Kaaba, Bayt Al-Maqdis, and Madinah. A month will be like a week, and a week will be like a day. He has a heaven and a hell; his hell is actually a heaven and his heaven is actually a hell. He has a mount of bread and a river of water. He calls a man, who’s the only person the Imposter will kill. He says: ‘what do you think of him?’ the man says: ‘you’re the enemy of Allah, and the lying deceiver’. The Imposter asks for a saw and puts it next to his head. He cuts his head until it falls on the ground, and then brings him back to life. He says to the man: ‘what do you say now?’ The man says: ‘I only got more aware of your truth now. You’re the enemy of Allah, and the lying deceiver that the Messenger of Allah, PBUH, has told us about’. The Imposer strikes the man with his sword but cannot kill him, so he says throw him in my hell (which is in fact a heaven).
The Land of Resurrection and the Gathering
Abu Omama narrated that Maimouna bint Al-Hareth, the wife of prophet Mohammed PBUH, said to the prophet: “tell us about Bayt Al-Maqdis. He said: ‘it’s the land of the Resurrection and the Gathering. Go and pray there, for one prayer there is like one thousand prayers elsewhere’. I said: ‘What if I cannot travel and go there?’ He said: ‘Then send a gift of oil to light its lamps, for whoever does that is like one who goes there’”.
Al-Mahdi Stays at Bayt Al-Maqdis
Abu Sa’eed Al-Khudri said: “I heard the Messenger of Allah, PBUH, saying: “a man speaking of my Sunnah will emerge from my Ummah. Allah will make the sky rain for him and give him from the blessings of Earth. Equity and Justice will spread throughout the world, as it has been filled with injustice and oppression before. He manages the Ummah for 7 years and stays in Bayt Al-Maqdis’”.
The Virtue of Starting the Hajj or Umrah from Jerusalem
It is recommended to enter the state of Ihram for the hajj (pilgrimage) and Umrah starting from Bayt Al-Maqdis or the court of Al-Aqsa Mosque. There are Hadiths that urge Muslims on that. Um Salama said that she heard prophet Mohammed, PBUH, saying: “he who declares Ihram from Al-Aqsa Mosque to Al-Haram Mosque to perform Hajj or Umrah his sins, of the past and the future, are forgiven, or he will be granted paradise”. Therefore, several Companions and Followers adhered to start their Hajj or Umrah from Jerusalem. One of them is Ibn Omar, as it is said that he declared Ihram from Bayt Al-Maqdis. Also, Mo’ath bin Jabal, Ka’b Al-Khair, and Abdullah bin Abi Ammar declared Ihram for an Umrah from Jerusalem.
Ribat in Jerusalem
The Virtue of Ribat in Bayt Al-Maqdis
one of the virtues of living in the blessed Bayt Al-Maqdis is that the person is considered a Murabit and Mujahid in the path of Allah. This is because this land is always threatened with invasion, for its status and honor are great. Abu Ad-Darda’a said that the Messenger of Allah had said: “people of the Levant and their spouses, offspring, and male and female slaves, until the end of the island are Murabitun in the path of Allah. Therefore, anyone lives in any of the Levant’s cities is Murabit, and anyone on a border post is Mujahid
Having an Intention of Ribat Is Obligatory
Not all people living in the Levant, in general, and Bayt Al-Maqdis, in particular, are Murabitun; only those who have in their hearts the intention of being in Ribat. This is based on what the Messenger of Allah has said; “the reward of deeds depends upon the intentions, and every person will receive the rewards according to what he has intended…”.
Al-Isra’a and Al-Mi’raj Night Journey
The Event of Al-Isra’a and Al-Mi’raj
Allah says: “Exalted is He who took His Servant by night from Al-Masjid Al-Haram to Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Seeing”; Surat Al-Isra’a, verse (1). It’s a one-of-a-kind event and a miracle Allah the Almighty blessed Prophet Mohammed, PBUH, with. It coincided with the increase of the harm that Quraysh Polytheists did to him. He was moved from Mecca to Al-Aqsa Mosque, and then he ascended from above the Holy Rock in the mosque to the heavens on high
Leading the Prophets’ Prayer
Prophet Mohammed led the prayer of all the prophets in Al-Aqsa Mosque. Thus, Al-Aqsa Mosque is the only place where all the prophets have gathered in. This is an indication that the mission of the propagation of the religion has been turned to the Islamic Ummah
Connecting Al-Aqsa Mosque with Al-Haram Mosque
Al-Isra’a and Al-Mi’raj Night Journey has linked Al-Aqsa and Al-Haram mosques together, by moving the Prophet, PBUH, body and soul, to Al-Aqsa Mosque