A reminder of what's going on here...

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم  

I don't even want to contemplate on how long it has been since I updated this blog *blush*.  Since bemoaning the lack of updates will achieve nothing, I will focus on the positive- the fact that updates are coming soon inshaAllah!

As it really has been a long time, I thought I'd re-post part of an earlier entry as a reminder of where the blog is at currently:

 Now that I've covered some of the major references in the Quran and Sunnah which highlight the importance and blessings of Al Quds, I'm going to start moving onto the history of Al Quds (Jerusalem) and Palestine generally. I'm going to do this in two ways, inshaAllah.

First, I'll trace the history of Al Quds through people, namely some of the Prophets of Allah who lived in/travelled to Al Quds. So this will essentially be a series of posts tracing the history of Prophethood in Al Quds.

Second, I'll trace the history of Al Quds through events, such as the history of Banu Isra'il (the Children of Israel), Al Isra' and Al Mi'raj and events connected to the End of Time (eschatological events)

Allah willing, this is where we're heading.

N.B. As well as the entries dealing with the history of Palestine and Al Quds, the main page of the blog also highlights when entries have been added to other pages such as the Al Quds Today page.

God willing the next update will continue the Prophetic era by resuming the story of Eesa bin Maryam (Jesus, the son of Mary).

May Allah The Most High hasten peace, security and comfort to this blessed land and its people, Ameen.

British women imprisoned by Israel refuse food

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

May these courageous women be freed from captivity soon.  And may the world which is so deaf try to listen to their call.  In Al Quds Today now.

Eesa bin Maryam (Jesus, the son of Mary) Part I

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

The story of Prophet Eesa (as) is one full of miracles and blessings from before the moment this great prophet was born and will be until Eesa (as) returns to earth to live out the rest of his life and finally taste death, by Allah's decree.

The birth of Eesa (as) was miraculous as he had no father, only his mother Maryam (as).  Allah mentions in the Quran how Maryam (as) was shocked at the news when she was told by Angel Jibreel she was to have a son:

Mention in the Quran the story of Mary. She withdrew from her family to a place to the east and secluded herself away; We sent Our Spirit to appear before her in the form of a perfected man.  She said, ‘I seek the Lord of Mercy’s protection against you: if you have any fear of Him [do not approach]!’  But he said, ‘I am but a Messenger from your Lord, [come] to announce to you the gift of a pure son.’  She said, ‘How can I have a son when no man has touched me? I have not been unchaste,’ and he said, ‘This is what your Lord said: “It is easy for Me- We shall make him a sign to all people, a blessing from Us.” ’ (Surah Maryam: 16- 21)

Maryam (as) was the best woman of all creation, honoured by Allah to be the mother of Eesa (as).  The Quran says:

The angels said to Mary: ‘Mary, God has chosen you and made you pure: He has truly chosen you above all women.  Mary, be devout to your Lord, prostrate yourself in worship, bow down with those who pray.’ (Surah Al Imran: 42- 43)

  

The angels said, ‘Mary, God gives you news of a Word from Him, whose name will be the Messiah, Jesus, son of Mary, who will be held in honour in this world and the next, who will be one of those brought near to God (Surah Al Imran: 45)

So, by Allah's decree, she bore and gave birth to Eesa (as):

And so it was ordained: she conceived him. She withdrew to a distant place and, when the pains of childbirth drove her to [cling to] the trunk of a palm tree, she exclaimed, ‘I wish I had been dead and forgotten long before all this!’ but a voice cried to her from below, ‘Do not worry: your Lord has provided a stream at your feet and, if you shake the trunk of the palm tree towards you, it will deliver fresh ripe dates for you, so eat, drink, be glad, and say to anyone you may see: “I have vowed to the Lord of Mercy to abstain from conversation, and I will not talk to anyone today.” ’ (Surah Maryam: 22- 26)

As Eesa (as) has no father he is known as Eesa bin Maryam, Jesus the son of Mary, whereas a person's lineage is normally ascribed from the father's side. Ibn Katheer also relates that Eesa (as) and Prophet Yahya (as) were cousins on the maternal side, the stronger opinion amongst the scholars being that the wife of Prophet Zakariyyah (as) was the sister of Maryam (as). 

Prophet Eesa (as) was therefore born in the blessed land of Ash-Sham, where he grew up and preached the message of Islam to his people, Banu Isra'il.

We Will Never Forget

 بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

 

Israel does not care to remember those innocents she butchers, but all those who value human life do. 

In Audio/Video now. 

Israeli lobby manages to shut-down planned exhibition of Gaza children's drawings

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

In Al Quds Today now 

Zakariyyah and Yahya (Zachariah and John)

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Prophet Zakariyyah (as) lived in Al Quds and worshipped in Masjid Al Aqsa.  He was the guardian of Maryam (as), Mary, who would later (miraculously) become the mother of Prophet Eesa (as), Jesus.

Maryam (as) was given a special chamber in Masjid Al Aqsa where she could worship Allah in seclusion. Whenever Zakariyya (as) would visit Maryam (as) in her chamber to ensure her wellbeing, he would be greeted with a surprising sight: Maryam (as) always had fresh fruits with her, fruits which were completely out of season.  Zakariyya (as) asked Maryam (as) in wonder where such fruits came from:

...Whenever Zachariah went in to see her in her sanctuary, he found her supplied with provisions. He said, ‘Mary, how is it you have these provisions?’ and she said, ‘They are from God: God provides limitlessly for whoever He will.’ (Surah Al Imran: 37)

When Zakariyyah (as) saw the way in which Allah provided for Maryam (as) in ways beyond human comprehension, he supplicated to His Lord for something seemingly impossible.  Having reached old age and still childless, Zakariyyah nevertheless turned to Allah asking for good:

 There and then Zachariah prayed to his Lord, saying, ‘Lord, from Your grace grant me virtuous offspring: You hear every prayer.’ (Surah Al Imran: 38)

 
Allah answered the prayer of His noble Prophet Zakariyyah and granted him a son in old age, a son who was also chosen by Allah to be a prophet like his father before him:

The angels called out to him, while he stood praying in the sanctuary,‘God gives you news of John, confirming a Word from God. He will be noble and chaste, a prophet, one of the righteous.’ (Surah Maryam: 39)

Truly the mercies of Allah upon the blessed people of Al Quds were immense!

Rafah Border Crossing finally re-opens!

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

And the Egyptians are saying it is going to be a permanent move.  Cracks are appearing in the walls of the largest open-air prison in the world.  In Al Quds Today now.

I've just realised...

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

 ...that this blog is now a year old.  The first post was in March 2010 and here we are now coming towards the end of May 2011.

In that time the blog has had almost 6,000 hits, including readers from the UK, the States, India, Pakistan, Malaysia, Canada, the UAE, Indonesia, Australia, Africa, Germany, Russia, Egypt, the Palestinian Territories and Israel.  Of those, the overwhelming majority are from the UK and US.  I'm not sure why Blogger thinks I would be remotely interested in which operating system readers are using, but it was nice to see that Virtues of Al Quds has made it onto someone's ipad mashaAllah :).

I pray that those of you who are reading this blog- whoever and wherever you are, however many you are and whatever each of you believes- you are benefiting from it.  And I pray that your benefiting in turn leads to benefiting Al Quds, all of Palestine and its people.  May Allah bring peace to this land and its inhabitants. Aameen.

Sulayman continued: Rebuilding Masjid Al Aqsa

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

Sulayman (as) undertook a very important task during his lifetime; he rebuilt and expanded Masjid Al Aqsa.  Although the Jewish people claim that Sulayman (as) was the one to originally build the masjid, which they call ‘Solomon’s Temple’, Muslims believe he in fact rebuilt what was originally constructed before his time.

After rebuilding Masjid Al Aqsa Sulayman (as) made three special supplications to Allah.  A hadith of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) reveals what these supplications were:

“When Solomon completed the building of Bait ul Maqdis [i.e. Masjid Al Aqsa], he asked Allah for three favours, of which he was given only two, and we hope that the third favour will be for us.  Solomon asked for judgement that could correspond to the Judgement of Allah, and Allah accepted his prayer in this request.  He also asked for a kingdom which nobody could be given after him, and this prayer was also accepted.  He also asked Allah that anyone who leaves his home only for the purpose of prayer in his mosque, all his sins may be forgiven to become like the day he was born.  We hope that this one Allah may grant it to us.” (Ahmad)

While Sulayman (as) was personally granted the acceptance of the first two of his supplications, the third dua was made for all believers who would come after him.  This is why Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) said that we (Muslims) hope that this dua is fulfilled for us if we go to Masjid Al Aqsa sincerely for the purpose of praying there.

Show your Solidarity!

بسم الله الرحمن الرحيم

New page added- get shopping!!

N.B. I'm linking to a non-profit organisation so the purpose of this page is not for me to line my pockets.  Just saying :)