Masjid Al-Aqsa is a holy place in Islam and is situated in the old city of Jerusalem Palestine. The Al-Aqsa mosque is a silver-domed mosque that is located inside al-Haram al-Sharif, also called Noble Sanctuary, a 35-acre compound which has four minarets and seventeen gates. The Masjid Al-Aqsa stands of great importance in Islam because it testifies to the night journey of Prophet Muhammad from Mecca to Masjid Al-Aqsa before ascending to heaven.
Masjid Al-Aqsa holds great importance for the Islamic religion, as Muslims visit this holy place for prayers, and it is also a burial ground of many prophets in the past like Ubadah ibn Samir, Sulaiman, and many more. You can visit Al-Aqsa mosque safely, as Jerusalem is a very heavily guarded place, which reduces the chances of any mishaps. Muslims can visit the place at any time of the day, except from the Mughrabi gate and non-muslim visitors can visit only on Sunday between 7:30 AM to 10 AM and 1:30 PM to 2:30 PM.
One of the main confusion that is faced by many visitors is recognizing the actual Masjid Al-Aqsa, as the mosque has a silver dome and not the gold dome, which is actually called the “Dome of the Rock”. Hence, it is important to recognize the actual building, for it is a matter of historical and spiritual accuracy.
Masjid Al-Aqsa holds the position of the third holiest site in Islam after Mecca and Medinah. The name “Masjid Al-Aqsa” translates to The Farthest Mosque. Masjid Al-Aqsa is associated with Layatul Miraj, meaning the night of ascension, as it marks two significant events that took place, first Isra (Night Journey), where Prophet Muhammad travelled from Mecca to Masjid Al-Aqsa and prayed with other prophets. Second, Mi’raj (Ascension), when Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven and spoke to Allah. Masjid Al-Aqsa, also known as Qibil Mosque, was built in the 8th century AD. As per the Quran, Masjid Al-Aqsa was the first Qibla, which is the point of direction for praying, signifying its importance.
History of Masjid Al-Aqsa
Masjid Al-Aqsa at the time of construction was a small prayer house, which was later rebuilt by Umayyad Caliph Abd al-Malik and al-Wahid, his son, in 705 CE. After withstanding the rule of different dynasties and recovering from different natural calamities. In 1099, during the Crusade at Jerusalem, this place was used as a palace until 1187, when Saladin, the first sultan of Syria and Egypt, captured the place and turned it back into a mosque. Israel was occupied in 1967, and the site of the mosque has been one of the most aggressive territories since then. There has been a rivalry between the Jews and Muslims on the mosque compound, as the Jews believed that in the past, a Biblical Jewish temple once stood there, which was destroyed by the Romans. The western wall of the compound remains sacred to the Jewish community and is known as the Wailing Wall, which was the remnant of their second temple. On the other hand, Muslims refer to this place as the al-Buraq wall, which holds the myth of tying the animal upon which Prophet Muhammad ascended to the heavens.
Significance of Masjid Al-Aqsa in Islam
Masjid Al-Aqsa holds religious significance for Muslims across the globe. As per chapter 17 verse 1 of the Holy Quran, the surroundings of Al-Aqsa mosque have been blessed by Allah, elevating the spirituality and where one can manifest the signs of Allah’s greatness. Masjid Al-Aqsa is associated with the Layatul Miraj, which signifies the night when Prophet Muhammad travelled to Masjid Al-Aqsa from Mecca.
In Islamic traditions and customs, the Al-Aqsa mosque holds great significance not just as a physical structure but also as a symbol of faith, unity, and divinity for Muslims. As per old Islamic scriptures, there are three important mosques around the globe, where a Muslim must visit once in a lifetime, namely, Masjid Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem, Al Masjid An-Nabawi in Medinah, and Masjid Al-Haram in Mecca. Visiting these mosques will elevate your spiritual journey and bestow divine blessings upon the visitors.
It is believed that when Prophet Muhammad spoke to Allah on Mi’raj, Allah instructed him to guide Muslims to pray five times a day. It is also believed that Prophet Muhammad offered his prayers towards the direction of Masjid Al-Aqsa until Allah directed him to pray in the direction of Kaaba.
Current Scenario at Masjid Al-Aqsa
At present, Masjid Al-Aqsa has turned into a point of tension between the Arabs and Israel. Masjid Al-Aqsa is currently under the administration of Palestinian and Jordanian Islamic Waqf, which is a religious trust managing historical sites near the Temple Mount in Jerusalem. Israel denies access to most Palestinians at Masjid Al-Aqsa but allows them access on certain days for a specific time period. Hence, it can be seen that despite occupying a small area, Al-Aqsa mosque is the main reason for the conflict between Palestinians and Israelis. Due to the rising tensions, between the two religious communities, Israeli minister, Ben-Gvir, has assured of building a synagogue on the compound of Masjid Al-Aqsa
Read also: Duas for Travelling | Five Pillars of Islam | Types of Tawaf in Islam
