بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Here are five ahadith (sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be on him) specifically about the virtues of Al Quds.
Example 1
Abu Umamah (ra) reports that the Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) said, "Prophethood descended upon me from/in three places: Makkah, Madinah and Al Sham. Once it is brought out from any of them, it shall never return to it". (Sunan Abu Dawud)
Another version states that the Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) said:
"The Quran was revealed in three places: Makkah, Madinah and Al Sham". (Al Tabarani)
The great islamic scholar Ibn Kathir comments that in this hadith Al Sham is referring to Bayt Al Maqdis. It's clear from this hadith that Allah Almighty blessed Al Aqsa and therefore Al Quds (Jerusalem), as He chose it as only one of three places in the world where He sent His revelation to His final Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him.
Example 2
Abu Dharr (ra) reported that he asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be on him), "O Prophet of Allah, which Masjid was built first on earth?". The Prophet replied, "The Sacred Masjid of Makkah". Abu Dharr again asked, "Which was next?". The Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) said "The Masjid Al Aqsa". "How long was the period between them?" Abu Dharr asked. The Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) said "Forty years. Apart from these, offer your prayers anywhere when it is time to pray, although excellence is in praying in these Masajids". (Sahih al Bukhari)
To clarify RasulAllah (peace and blessings on him) was not referring to any contemporary buildings in this hadith, but to the original establishment of Makkah and Al Aqsa as places of worship on this earth (more about this in later posts, inshaAllah). The fact that Al Aqsa was the second masjid (house of Allah) on earth speaks volumes about the status of Al Quds (Jerusalem).
Example 3
Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated that the Messenger of Allah said: “Do not travel to visit any mosques except three: al-Masjid al-Haraam [in Makkah], this Masjid of mine [in Madeenah] and al-Masjid al-Aqsa [in Jerusalem]” (Bukhari and Muslim).
This hadith leaves room for no doubt. Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be on him) made it clear that an extended, special journey to visit any masjid is not allowed except for the three most blessed, which include Al Aqsa in Al Quds.
Examples 4 and 5
Abdullah Ibn Umar (ra) relates, I asked the Prophet (saw), "Apostle of Allah, tell us the legal injunction about (visiting) Bayt Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem)." The Apostle of Allah (saw) said, "Go and pray there. If you cannot visit it and pray there, then send some oil to be used in the lamps". (Al Bukhari)
Maymunah Bint Sa'd (ra) relates that she asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be on him), "O Prophet, inform us about Bayt Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem)". He said, "Visit it for prayer". She further asked, "If one of us cannot visit it, what should we do?" He said, "If you cannot go for prayer then send some oil to be used for its lamps, will be as if he has prayed in it". (Imam Ahmad, Ibn Majah, Sunan Abu Dawud and Al Tabarani)
The last two ahadith reveal something amazing. The blessings of Al Aqsa in Al Quds are so great, that RasulAllah (peace and blessings be on him) taught us that even if one cannot pray in Al Aqsa, they should still try to associate themselves with the masjid. In the hadith above he (peace and blessings be on him) explained that being involved in the maintenance of the masjid (sending oil for its lamps) is equal in reward to praying in the masjid, so blessed is it. The responsibilites of maintaining the masjid are not absolved for Muslims today, but how many of us are aware of this?
Tuesday 30 March 2010
Saturday 27 March 2010
Lessons from Ahadith
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
InshaAllah I'm going to include two types of ahadith (sayings of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be on him) in the next couple of posts. In this post I'm going to include the first type, which are about the area of Al Sham. As Palestine (and therefore Al Quds) was part of the area known as Al Sham in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), Al Quds was included in the areas the Prophet was talking about. This makes these ahadith relevant for us. For those who don't know, in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) reference to Al Sham included present-day Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, and Jordan from the Euphrates to Sinai.
The second type of ahadith I'll include in the next post, inshaAllah. They are specifically about the virtues of the Al Aqsa Sanctuary in Al Quds.
Six Ahadith about Al Sham:
1. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be on him) is reported to have said, "Allah has blessed what lies between Al Arish (in Egypt) and the Euphrates and has made Palestine particularly holy". (Kanz al Ummal)
2. Zayd ibn Thabit (ra) reports that the Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) said, "How blessed is Al Sham!" The Companions around asked: "Why is that?" The Messenger (peace and blessings be on him) replied, "I see the angels of Allah spread their wings over Al Sham". Ibn Abbas (ra) added, "and the Prophets lived in it. There is not a single inch in Al Quds (Jerusalem) where a Prophet has not prayed or an angel not stood". (Tirmidhi and Imam Ahmad)
3. Abdullah ibn Umar (ra) reports that the Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) said, "O Allah! Bestow Your blessings on our Sham! O Allah! Bestow Your blessings on our Yemen". The people said, "And also on our Najd". He said, "O Allah! Bestow Your blessings on our Sham! O Allah! Bestow Your blessings on our Yemen". The people said, "O Allah's Apostle! And also on our Najd". I think the third time the Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) said, "There (in Najd) is the place of earthquakes and afflictions and from there comes out the side of the head of Satan". (Sahih al Bukhari)
4. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be on him) prayed for the blessing of the people of Al Sham. Anas ibn Malik (ra) reports that the Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) looked towards Iraq, Al Sham and Yemen then said, "O Allah! Bring their hearts over to Your obedience and relieve them of their burdens". (Tirmidhi)
5. Once the Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) advised 'Abdullah ibn Hawalah (ra) to join the army in Al Sham, over any other. However, the Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) noticing Ibn Hawalah's indifference said, "Do you know what Allah says about Al Sham? Allah said 'Al Sham you are the quintessence of My lands (safwati min biladi) and I shall inhabit you with the chosen ones among My servants". (Al Tabarani)
6. Shurayh ibn 'Ubayd said that the people of Al Sham were mentioned in front of 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (ra) while he was in Iraq and someone said to him, "Curse them, Commander of the Believers". He replied, "No. I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) say, 'The Substitutes (al Abdal) are in Al Sham- forty men- every time one of them dies, Allah replaces another in his place. By means of them Allah brings down the rain, gives us victory over our enemies and averts punishment from the people of Al Sham' ". (Imam Ahmad)
InshaAllah I'm going to include two types of ahadith (sayings of Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be on him) in the next couple of posts. In this post I'm going to include the first type, which are about the area of Al Sham. As Palestine (and therefore Al Quds) was part of the area known as Al Sham in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), Al Quds was included in the areas the Prophet was talking about. This makes these ahadith relevant for us. For those who don't know, in the time of the Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) reference to Al Sham included present-day Syria, Palestine, Lebanon, and Jordan from the Euphrates to Sinai.
The second type of ahadith I'll include in the next post, inshaAllah. They are specifically about the virtues of the Al Aqsa Sanctuary in Al Quds.
Six Ahadith about Al Sham:
1. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be on him) is reported to have said, "Allah has blessed what lies between Al Arish (in Egypt) and the Euphrates and has made Palestine particularly holy". (Kanz al Ummal)
2. Zayd ibn Thabit (ra) reports that the Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) said, "How blessed is Al Sham!" The Companions around asked: "Why is that?" The Messenger (peace and blessings be on him) replied, "I see the angels of Allah spread their wings over Al Sham". Ibn Abbas (ra) added, "and the Prophets lived in it. There is not a single inch in Al Quds (Jerusalem) where a Prophet has not prayed or an angel not stood". (Tirmidhi and Imam Ahmad)
3. Abdullah ibn Umar (ra) reports that the Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) said, "O Allah! Bestow Your blessings on our Sham! O Allah! Bestow Your blessings on our Yemen". The people said, "And also on our Najd". He said, "O Allah! Bestow Your blessings on our Sham! O Allah! Bestow Your blessings on our Yemen". The people said, "O Allah's Apostle! And also on our Najd". I think the third time the Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) said, "There (in Najd) is the place of earthquakes and afflictions and from there comes out the side of the head of Satan". (Sahih al Bukhari)
4. The Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be on him) prayed for the blessing of the people of Al Sham. Anas ibn Malik (ra) reports that the Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) looked towards Iraq, Al Sham and Yemen then said, "O Allah! Bring their hearts over to Your obedience and relieve them of their burdens". (Tirmidhi)
5. Once the Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) advised 'Abdullah ibn Hawalah (ra) to join the army in Al Sham, over any other. However, the Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) noticing Ibn Hawalah's indifference said, "Do you know what Allah says about Al Sham? Allah said 'Al Sham you are the quintessence of My lands (safwati min biladi) and I shall inhabit you with the chosen ones among My servants". (Al Tabarani)
6. Shurayh ibn 'Ubayd said that the people of Al Sham were mentioned in front of 'Ali ibn Abi Talib (ra) while he was in Iraq and someone said to him, "Curse them, Commander of the Believers". He replied, "No. I heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) say, 'The Substitutes (al Abdal) are in Al Sham- forty men- every time one of them dies, Allah replaces another in his place. By means of them Allah brings down the rain, gives us victory over our enemies and averts punishment from the people of Al Sham' ". (Imam Ahmad)
Final Quranic example
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
I want to share one more example from Quran which shows that Al Quds is a land made sacred by Allah.
"We placed other prominent towns between them, the towns that We had blessed and had set well-measured stages between them. Move back and forth between them, night and day, in perfect security". (Surah Saba' 34: 18)
This ayah in Surah Saba' refers to the people of Saba' (in Yemen). They used to travel via Arabia to get to Syria and Egypt to trade. The part of the ayah mentioning towns that We had blessed refers to Al Quds and other cities of al-Sham.
It's clear from the ayaat that I've quoted in the last few posts that the land of Palestine, and Al Quds in particular, is uniquely blessed by Allah. Although we sometimes think of Al Quds as being a blessed land because of the events and people (especially Prophets) associated with it, these ayaat show that even without any events or people associated with it Al Quds would still be blessed. This is because Allah in His Wisdom chose this land for His blessings. As Muslims this is enough of a reason for us to love Al Quds. The events and prophets later associated with Al Quds should only increase that love even more.
In the next post I'll be putting up some ahadith (sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him) which also emphasise the importance of Al Quds, inshaAllah.
I want to share one more example from Quran which shows that Al Quds is a land made sacred by Allah.
"We placed other prominent towns between them, the towns that We had blessed and had set well-measured stages between them. Move back and forth between them, night and day, in perfect security". (Surah Saba' 34: 18)
This ayah in Surah Saba' refers to the people of Saba' (in Yemen). They used to travel via Arabia to get to Syria and Egypt to trade. The part of the ayah mentioning towns that We had blessed refers to Al Quds and other cities of al-Sham.
It's clear from the ayaat that I've quoted in the last few posts that the land of Palestine, and Al Quds in particular, is uniquely blessed by Allah. Although we sometimes think of Al Quds as being a blessed land because of the events and people (especially Prophets) associated with it, these ayaat show that even without any events or people associated with it Al Quds would still be blessed. This is because Allah in His Wisdom chose this land for His blessings. As Muslims this is enough of a reason for us to love Al Quds. The events and prophets later associated with Al Quds should only increase that love even more.
In the next post I'll be putting up some ahadith (sayings of the Prophet Muhammad, peace and blessings be upon him) which also emphasise the importance of Al Quds, inshaAllah.
Friday 26 March 2010
Blessed Land: Example Four
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
"And We subdued the strongly raging wind to Solomon which blew at his bidding towards the land We blessed. We know everything". (Surah Al-Anbiya 21: 81)
Sulayman (as) ruled over Palestine with Al Quds as his capital. Allah refers to the whole area which Sulayman (as) travelled in as the land which We had blessed. Therefore this ayah is yet another clear indication that Al Quds is a land blessed by Allah.
"And We subdued the strongly raging wind to Solomon which blew at his bidding towards the land We blessed. We know everything". (Surah Al-Anbiya 21: 81)
Sulayman (as) ruled over Palestine with Al Quds as his capital. Allah refers to the whole area which Sulayman (as) travelled in as the land which We had blessed. Therefore this ayah is yet another clear indication that Al Quds is a land blessed by Allah.
Thursday 25 March 2010
Blessed Land: Example Three
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
"And We made those who had been persecuted inherit the eastern and western lands which We had blessed. Thus your Lord's gracious promise was fulfilled to the Children of Israel, for they had endured with patience; and We destroyed all that Pharaoh and his people had wrought, and all that they had built". (Surah Al-A'raf 7: 137)
This ayah from Surah Al-A'raf tells us that the blessings Allah showered on Al Quds extend to Palestine in general, as Allah refers to blessing the land both east and west of Al Quds.
The ayah also refers to how Allah rewards those who believe and are patient and steadfast. The persecution mentioned in the ayah is the suffering of Banu Isra'il at the hands of the Egyptian Pharaoh, who also ruled over Palestine. But as he was a tyrant and a disbeliever in Allah, Allah took away this blessed land from him and made the true believers, Banu Isra'il at this time in history, inherit it. Allah also refers to how he destroyed the great buildings of Pharaoh and his people, showing that victory is for the believers.
"And We made those who had been persecuted inherit the eastern and western lands which We had blessed. Thus your Lord's gracious promise was fulfilled to the Children of Israel, for they had endured with patience; and We destroyed all that Pharaoh and his people had wrought, and all that they had built". (Surah Al-A'raf 7: 137)
This ayah from Surah Al-A'raf tells us that the blessings Allah showered on Al Quds extend to Palestine in general, as Allah refers to blessing the land both east and west of Al Quds.
The ayah also refers to how Allah rewards those who believe and are patient and steadfast. The persecution mentioned in the ayah is the suffering of Banu Isra'il at the hands of the Egyptian Pharaoh, who also ruled over Palestine. But as he was a tyrant and a disbeliever in Allah, Allah took away this blessed land from him and made the true believers, Banu Isra'il at this time in history, inherit it. Allah also refers to how he destroyed the great buildings of Pharaoh and his people, showing that victory is for the believers.
Holy Land NOT Promised Land
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
I'm now going to start presenting other ayaat (verses) of Quran in which Allah Almighty has said that He has made Al Quds a blessed land. The word 'blessed' is going to come up again and again in the verses, but what does it mean?
Barakah in arabic means blessings and when we say Allah has blessed Al Quds, we mean that Allah has showered spiritual and physical blessings on that place so all of mankind can benefit. As a result the people who live in Al Quds are also blessed, as long as they obey the comands of Allah i.e. live Islam.
Example Two (first was the ayah in the last post):
After Musa (as), by the Mercy of Allah, led Banu Isra'il (the Children of Israel) away from the oppression of Pharaoh in Egypt he told his followers to enter the Holy Land. This land is described in Quran as Palestine in general and Al Quds (Jerusalem) more specifically. The Quran reveals what Musa (as) instructed Banu Isra'il:
"My people! Enter the holy land which Allah has ordained for you; and do not turn back for then you will turn about losers". (Surah Al- Ma'idah 5: 21)
There’s a very significant word in the ayah above. Musa (as) referred to Al Quds as the holy land and not the promised land. So unlike the Jewish tradition, which considers Al Quds to be the promised land for Jews alone, Muslims accept Allah's decree that the blessings of Al Quds are not limited to any one group. In fact in Quran Allah says that the blessings of Al Quds are for " 'al Alameen"- which means for all creatures for all time. This makes it clear that whoever is true to Allah and His commands they are the rightful inheritors of Al Quds, in whichever time they live. No group has the right to Al Quds through claiming it is singularly promised to them. Instead, the obedient slaves of Allah are the ones who have the right to live in this blessed land. As the ones who believe in Allah's last messenger, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and His last scripture Al Quran, today these slaves of Allah are the Muslims.
The next post will share the next example, inshaAllah
I'm now going to start presenting other ayaat (verses) of Quran in which Allah Almighty has said that He has made Al Quds a blessed land. The word 'blessed' is going to come up again and again in the verses, but what does it mean?
Barakah in arabic means blessings and when we say Allah has blessed Al Quds, we mean that Allah has showered spiritual and physical blessings on that place so all of mankind can benefit. As a result the people who live in Al Quds are also blessed, as long as they obey the comands of Allah i.e. live Islam.
Example Two (first was the ayah in the last post):
After Musa (as), by the Mercy of Allah, led Banu Isra'il (the Children of Israel) away from the oppression of Pharaoh in Egypt he told his followers to enter the Holy Land. This land is described in Quran as Palestine in general and Al Quds (Jerusalem) more specifically. The Quran reveals what Musa (as) instructed Banu Isra'il:
"My people! Enter the holy land which Allah has ordained for you; and do not turn back for then you will turn about losers". (Surah Al- Ma'idah 5: 21)
There’s a very significant word in the ayah above. Musa (as) referred to Al Quds as the holy land and not the promised land. So unlike the Jewish tradition, which considers Al Quds to be the promised land for Jews alone, Muslims accept Allah's decree that the blessings of Al Quds are not limited to any one group. In fact in Quran Allah says that the blessings of Al Quds are for " 'al Alameen"- which means for all creatures for all time. This makes it clear that whoever is true to Allah and His commands they are the rightful inheritors of Al Quds, in whichever time they live. No group has the right to Al Quds through claiming it is singularly promised to them. Instead, the obedient slaves of Allah are the ones who have the right to live in this blessed land. As the ones who believe in Allah's last messenger, Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him), and His last scripture Al Quran, today these slaves of Allah are the Muslims.
The next post will share the next example, inshaAllah
Tuesday 23 March 2010
Only one besides Al Ka'bah
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
Where to start when discussing how important and blessed Al Aqsa Sanctuary is? Here's a good place: Masjid Al Aqsa (meaning the whole Sanctuary as discussed earlier) is the ONLY masjid along with the Holy Ka'bah in Makkah to be mentioned BY NAME by Allah in the Quran. This occurs in the verse which I quoted in an earlier post:
“Holy is He who carried His servant by night from the Holy Masjid (in Makkah) to the further Masjid (in Jerusalem) whose surroundings We have blessed that We might show him some of Our signs. Indeed He alone is All-Hearing, All-Seeing”. (Surah Al- Isra 17: 1)
The journey which this ayah is referring to is when the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) travelled miraculously from Makkah to Al Quds, and from Al Quds through the seven heavens to meet Allah. The journey itself will be covered in detail when we arrive to that point in history. There are two reasons for mentioning the ayah here.
Firstly, as I said at the beginning of this post, to show the great status of Al Quds as Masjid Al Aqsa was mentioned by name in the Quran. Secondly, when the disbelievers in Makkah heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) talking about his journey to Al Quds they mocked him and found the concept unbelievable. Even though the Prophet was able to answer questions of theirs which only someone who had been to Al Quds would have been able to answer, they simply refused to believe such a journey could be possible in the space of one night. For the Muslims though, both then and now, it is part of faith to believe that the Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) went on this journey by the qadr of Allah. Therefore Allah has connected Masjid Al Aqsa, and Al Quds with it, with a key tenet of Islamic belief; anyone who doesn’t believe the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) actually went to Al Quds is not a believer. For Allah to link a place with imaan (faith) in this way is a clear sign of its importance.
Where to start when discussing how important and blessed Al Aqsa Sanctuary is? Here's a good place: Masjid Al Aqsa (meaning the whole Sanctuary as discussed earlier) is the ONLY masjid along with the Holy Ka'bah in Makkah to be mentioned BY NAME by Allah in the Quran. This occurs in the verse which I quoted in an earlier post:
“Holy is He who carried His servant by night from the Holy Masjid (in Makkah) to the further Masjid (in Jerusalem) whose surroundings We have blessed that We might show him some of Our signs. Indeed He alone is All-Hearing, All-Seeing”. (Surah Al- Isra 17: 1)
The journey which this ayah is referring to is when the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) travelled miraculously from Makkah to Al Quds, and from Al Quds through the seven heavens to meet Allah. The journey itself will be covered in detail when we arrive to that point in history. There are two reasons for mentioning the ayah here.
Firstly, as I said at the beginning of this post, to show the great status of Al Quds as Masjid Al Aqsa was mentioned by name in the Quran. Secondly, when the disbelievers in Makkah heard the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) talking about his journey to Al Quds they mocked him and found the concept unbelievable. Even though the Prophet was able to answer questions of theirs which only someone who had been to Al Quds would have been able to answer, they simply refused to believe such a journey could be possible in the space of one night. For the Muslims though, both then and now, it is part of faith to believe that the Prophet (peace and blessings be on him) went on this journey by the qadr of Allah. Therefore Allah has connected Masjid Al Aqsa, and Al Quds with it, with a key tenet of Islamic belief; anyone who doesn’t believe the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) actually went to Al Quds is not a believer. For Allah to link a place with imaan (faith) in this way is a clear sign of its importance.
Symbols of Allah
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
“…Whoever holds in honour the Symbols of Allah, such honour is an indication of the piety of heart”. (Surah Al-Hajj 22: 32)
When we say we are Muslims we mean we have submitted ourselves to our Lord and Creator, Allah. Everything that Allah has made lawful (halaal) we accept for ourselves and whatever He, in His wisdom, has prohibited for us (haraam) we keep well away from. Every Muslim loves Allah, but loving Allah completely means loving every person and every place connected with Allah and His religion of Islam. That is why the most beloved person to us all, even before our relatives and friends, is the blessed Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). That is why we love Makkah and Madinah even if we have never been there, because the former has Allah’s House (al Ka’bah) and the latter is the city of Allah’s most beloved Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). And that is why we should all love Al Quds, because the blessed Al Aqsa Sanctuary is there.
The ayah (verse) I have started this blog post with tells us how important it is to love the symbols of Allah. It does not say symbol, as in singular, but uses the plural. We cannot call ourselves Muslims and then pick and choose which symbols of Allah we want to love. We cannot rave about Makkah and Madinah, for example, and then conveniently forget to attach importance to any other place associated with Islam. In the verse Allah tells us that if we honour all His symbols- and what is honouring if not loving?- that is a reflection that our hearts are sincere. Everyone knows that Makkah and Medinah are important and if you read the last post you know that the Al Aqsa Sanctuary is important, but with the latter do we know why? Where did Allah say it was important? What did He say about it?
In the next post we’ll start looking at the ayaat in Quran where Allah talks about Al Aqsa specifically, inshaAllah.
“…Whoever holds in honour the Symbols of Allah, such honour is an indication of the piety of heart”. (Surah Al-Hajj 22: 32)
When we say we are Muslims we mean we have submitted ourselves to our Lord and Creator, Allah. Everything that Allah has made lawful (halaal) we accept for ourselves and whatever He, in His wisdom, has prohibited for us (haraam) we keep well away from. Every Muslim loves Allah, but loving Allah completely means loving every person and every place connected with Allah and His religion of Islam. That is why the most beloved person to us all, even before our relatives and friends, is the blessed Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). That is why we love Makkah and Madinah even if we have never been there, because the former has Allah’s House (al Ka’bah) and the latter is the city of Allah’s most beloved Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). And that is why we should all love Al Quds, because the blessed Al Aqsa Sanctuary is there.
The ayah (verse) I have started this blog post with tells us how important it is to love the symbols of Allah. It does not say symbol, as in singular, but uses the plural. We cannot call ourselves Muslims and then pick and choose which symbols of Allah we want to love. We cannot rave about Makkah and Madinah, for example, and then conveniently forget to attach importance to any other place associated with Islam. In the verse Allah tells us that if we honour all His symbols- and what is honouring if not loving?- that is a reflection that our hearts are sincere. Everyone knows that Makkah and Medinah are important and if you read the last post you know that the Al Aqsa Sanctuary is important, but with the latter do we know why? Where did Allah say it was important? What did He say about it?
In the next post we’ll start looking at the ayaat in Quran where Allah talks about Al Aqsa specifically, inshaAllah.
Monday 22 March 2010
Which bit is blessed?
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
“Holy is He who carried His servant by night from the Holy Masjid (in Makkah) to the further Masjid (in Jerusalem) whose surroundings We have blessed that We might show him some of Our signs. Indeed He alone is All-Hearing, All-Seeing”. (Surah Al- Isra 17: 1)
When most people hear the words Masjid Al Aqsa they probably, wrongly, think of the central image at the top of this blog. This is in fact Masjid Qubbat al-Sakhra or the famous Dome of the Rock masjid which dominates the landscape of Al Quds (Jerusalem). Some might be the wiser and think of the black domed masjid, the building which we today refer to as Masjid Al Aqsa. Al Aqsa and Al Quds are mentioned directly or indirectly over 70 times in the Holy Quran, but neither of these two buildings existed during the time of the Quran’s revelation. So what was Allah referring to when He referred to Masjid Al Aqsa, which He has blessed and made pure?
The answer is the land itself and its surroundings where these two masaajid (mosques) are located. Within Al Quds (Jerusalem) there is an area referred to as the ‘old city’, where historical events occurred. The place which Allah refers to as Masjid Al Aqsa in the verse I have started this blog post with, is the land on the southeast corner of the old city. This land, which is approximately 35 acres in size, is al Haram al Sharif or al Aqsa Sanctuary. Both the black domed and gold domed masaajid are located in this sanctuary, along with 42 other monuments or buildings. While the masaajid are of great importance, the sanctuary itself- the land- is even greater as that is what Allah has made pure and blessed. When Al Quds was Islam’s first Qiblah (direction of prayer for the Muslims) it was towards this sanctuary that the Muslims prayed. When the Prophet Muhammad (may peace and blessings be upon him) was taken to Al Quds as part of the miraculous Journey of Al Isra and Al Mi’raj (to be covered by later posts inshaAllah), it was to this land that he was brought to lead all the Prophets in Salaah (prayer).
This distinction is really important to bear in mind. As Muslims we are not simply attached to the bricks and mortar of our masaajid in Al Quds but it is the Al Aqsa Sanctuary in its entirety, which Allah has blessed for all time, that we are most attached to. InshaAllah I will finally get on to talking about the blessings in the next blog post. Needed to get all that introduction out of the way so we all know what we’re talking about :)
“Holy is He who carried His servant by night from the Holy Masjid (in Makkah) to the further Masjid (in Jerusalem) whose surroundings We have blessed that We might show him some of Our signs. Indeed He alone is All-Hearing, All-Seeing”. (Surah Al- Isra 17: 1)
When most people hear the words Masjid Al Aqsa they probably, wrongly, think of the central image at the top of this blog. This is in fact Masjid Qubbat al-Sakhra or the famous Dome of the Rock masjid which dominates the landscape of Al Quds (Jerusalem). Some might be the wiser and think of the black domed masjid, the building which we today refer to as Masjid Al Aqsa. Al Aqsa and Al Quds are mentioned directly or indirectly over 70 times in the Holy Quran, but neither of these two buildings existed during the time of the Quran’s revelation. So what was Allah referring to when He referred to Masjid Al Aqsa, which He has blessed and made pure?
The answer is the land itself and its surroundings where these two masaajid (mosques) are located. Within Al Quds (Jerusalem) there is an area referred to as the ‘old city’, where historical events occurred. The place which Allah refers to as Masjid Al Aqsa in the verse I have started this blog post with, is the land on the southeast corner of the old city. This land, which is approximately 35 acres in size, is al Haram al Sharif or al Aqsa Sanctuary. Both the black domed and gold domed masaajid are located in this sanctuary, along with 42 other monuments or buildings. While the masaajid are of great importance, the sanctuary itself- the land- is even greater as that is what Allah has made pure and blessed. When Al Quds was Islam’s first Qiblah (direction of prayer for the Muslims) it was towards this sanctuary that the Muslims prayed. When the Prophet Muhammad (may peace and blessings be upon him) was taken to Al Quds as part of the miraculous Journey of Al Isra and Al Mi’raj (to be covered by later posts inshaAllah), it was to this land that he was brought to lead all the Prophets in Salaah (prayer).
This distinction is really important to bear in mind. As Muslims we are not simply attached to the bricks and mortar of our masaajid in Al Quds but it is the Al Aqsa Sanctuary in its entirety, which Allah has blessed for all time, that we are most attached to. InshaAllah I will finally get on to talking about the blessings in the next blog post. Needed to get all that introduction out of the way so we all know what we’re talking about :)
Saturday 20 March 2010
The House of Purification
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
As mentioned earlier, Bayt al Maqdis is a name which the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his companions used for Al Quds. Why did they refer to this place as the house of purity or purification? It is because of the rich links between Al Quds and the Messengers of Allah (may peace and blessings be upon them all). Al Quds is a land which was uniquely honoured by the presence of many Prophets, sent by Allah to purify mankind through their call (dawah) to true faith. Among the Prophets who either lived, visited or preached their message in this blessed land are:
- Ibrahim (Abraham)
- Ishaq (Isaac)
- Yaqoob (Jacob)
- Yusuf (Joseph)
- Musa (Moses)
- Dawood (David)
- Sulayman (Solomon)
- Zakariyyah (Zachariah)
- Yahya (John)
- Eesa (Jesus)
- Muhammad
May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon them all.
As well as these noble Prophets, another amazing personality resided in this blessed land. Sayyidatuna Maryam (as), the Mother of Isa (as) and named as the best woman amongst creation by Allah in the Quran, also lived and worshipped in Masjid al Aqsa.
InshaAllah I'll talk about the lives of the Prophets in Al Quds in more detail in later posts. Before that I'll cover why the land itself is specifically blessed, Allah willing.
As mentioned earlier, Bayt al Maqdis is a name which the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his companions used for Al Quds. Why did they refer to this place as the house of purity or purification? It is because of the rich links between Al Quds and the Messengers of Allah (may peace and blessings be upon them all). Al Quds is a land which was uniquely honoured by the presence of many Prophets, sent by Allah to purify mankind through their call (dawah) to true faith. Among the Prophets who either lived, visited or preached their message in this blessed land are:
- Ibrahim (Abraham)
- Ishaq (Isaac)
- Yaqoob (Jacob)
- Yusuf (Joseph)
- Musa (Moses)
- Dawood (David)
- Sulayman (Solomon)
- Zakariyyah (Zachariah)
- Yahya (John)
- Eesa (Jesus)
- Muhammad
May the peace and blessings of Allah be upon them all.
As well as these noble Prophets, another amazing personality resided in this blessed land. Sayyidatuna Maryam (as), the Mother of Isa (as) and named as the best woman amongst creation by Allah in the Quran, also lived and worshipped in Masjid al Aqsa.
InshaAllah I'll talk about the lives of the Prophets in Al Quds in more detail in later posts. Before that I'll cover why the land itself is specifically blessed, Allah willing.
Friday 19 March 2010
Names of Al Quds
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
The city of Jerusalem is known by several names by Muslims. The most common amongst arabs, both Muslim and Christian, is 'Al Quds', meaning 'the purest place'. Another name which is used for Jerusalem is 'Bayt al Maqdis', meaning 'the house of purity or purification'. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his Companions used this name. Another name which is also used is 'Madinat al Salam', which means 'the city of peace'.
It should be clear from all these names that Al Quds is an incredibly special place, which future posts will begin to start explaining, inshaAllah (God willing).
The city of Jerusalem is known by several names by Muslims. The most common amongst arabs, both Muslim and Christian, is 'Al Quds', meaning 'the purest place'. Another name which is used for Jerusalem is 'Bayt al Maqdis', meaning 'the house of purity or purification'. The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his Companions used this name. Another name which is also used is 'Madinat al Salam', which means 'the city of peace'.
It should be clear from all these names that Al Quds is an incredibly special place, which future posts will begin to start explaining, inshaAllah (God willing).
Thursday 18 March 2010
Intention, inshaAllah
بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم
The quote in this blog's description is how the great Muslim general Salahuddin described the importance of Al Quds (Jerusalem) to King Richard the Lionheart during the Third Crusade (1189-1192).
How many of us today know the importance of Al Quds in our faith, let alone would be able to explain it to others? In today's climate when it is no longer in the hands of the Muslims, it is more important than ever for us all, young or old, to learn the virtues of Al Quds. Masjid al Aqsa itself is under threat by fundamentalist Zionists who are openly and actively striving to demolish the masjid and build a new temple in its place (posts to come about this in future, inshaAllah).
If we don't know about Al Quds or have any attachment to it, how are we going to contribute to the movement to protect it? The first step towards building an attachment is to know exactly why Al Quds is such a big deal to Muslims. Knowledge builds love and attachment, and these are then a motivation to add our voices to the wider movement striving to keep Al Quds, its masaajid and its people safe.
This blog hopes to build such love and attachment in our hearts by educating ourselves about the importance and virtues of Al Quds. The blessed and final Prophet of Allah, Muhammad (peace be upon him), made it crystal clear that Al Quds is home to the third holiest site in Islam. As his companion Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated, the Messenger of Allah said: “Do not travel to visit any mosques except three: al-Masjid al-Haraam [in Makkah], this Masjid of mine [in Madeenah] and al-Masjid al-Aqsa [in Jerusalem]” (narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1189; Muslim, 1397).
By educating ourselves about why Al Quds is so sacred, we should then all be able to attach that same importance to it today, which Salahuddin preached to King Richard almost ten centuries ago.
~*~*~*~
For those who are interested to know, the main source I am using as reference for this blog is the brilliant book Virtues of Jerusalem, An Islamic Perspective by Ismail Adam Patel. You can buy the book here
The quote in this blog's description is how the great Muslim general Salahuddin described the importance of Al Quds (Jerusalem) to King Richard the Lionheart during the Third Crusade (1189-1192).
How many of us today know the importance of Al Quds in our faith, let alone would be able to explain it to others? In today's climate when it is no longer in the hands of the Muslims, it is more important than ever for us all, young or old, to learn the virtues of Al Quds. Masjid al Aqsa itself is under threat by fundamentalist Zionists who are openly and actively striving to demolish the masjid and build a new temple in its place (posts to come about this in future, inshaAllah).
If we don't know about Al Quds or have any attachment to it, how are we going to contribute to the movement to protect it? The first step towards building an attachment is to know exactly why Al Quds is such a big deal to Muslims. Knowledge builds love and attachment, and these are then a motivation to add our voices to the wider movement striving to keep Al Quds, its masaajid and its people safe.
This blog hopes to build such love and attachment in our hearts by educating ourselves about the importance and virtues of Al Quds. The blessed and final Prophet of Allah, Muhammad (peace be upon him), made it crystal clear that Al Quds is home to the third holiest site in Islam. As his companion Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrated, the Messenger of Allah said: “Do not travel to visit any mosques except three: al-Masjid al-Haraam [in Makkah], this Masjid of mine [in Madeenah] and al-Masjid al-Aqsa [in Jerusalem]” (narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1189; Muslim, 1397).
By educating ourselves about why Al Quds is so sacred, we should then all be able to attach that same importance to it today, which Salahuddin preached to King Richard almost ten centuries ago.
~*~*~*~
For those who are interested to know, the main source I am using as reference for this blog is the brilliant book Virtues of Jerusalem, An Islamic Perspective by Ismail Adam Patel. You can buy the book here
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