If you have a Muslim colleague at your work or, maybe, a friend or a neighbor who practices Islam, then, I think, you could often notice how quietly they slip away at certain times in order to perform one of the pillars of Islam – to read salah. Remembering that one has to pray in the direction of the Kaaba, we can often see a person turning around trying to find the right direction.
However, that was not always the case. Muslims and Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and the blessing of God) used to pray in the direction of the Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem. This place for worship is described in the Quran as a blessed place. Thus, we can safely attribute Al-Aqsa to the third Muslim shrine (after the mosques in Mecca and Medina). If we refer to history and immerse ourselves in the biography of such Prophets as Ibrahim, Suleiman, Musa and Isa (peace be upon them), we will find out that Jerusalem has always been of great importance in the history of humanity. Muslims believe that once Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and the blessing of God) flew to Jerusalem on a winged creature. It was that place where all the Prophets who had ever walked on our land greeted him and where they were reading salah in jamaat after Muhammad (peace be upon him and the blessing of God). In this regard, it is not surprising that the mosque, built on the Suleiman (peace be upon him) Mountain and immortalizing the memory of all Prophets and Abrahamic religions, is important for Muslims around the world.
Later, during Muhammad’s life (peace be upon him and the blessing of God) the direction of prayer was changed to Mecca. But then why did Muslims not pray towards the Kaaba from the very beginning? Firstly, the initial direction was a symbolic representation of the common beliefs and heritage of Muslims, Jews and Christians. Muhammad (peace be upon him and the blessing of God) considered all previous Prophets to be his brothers, and it was through prayer towards Jerusalem that he was able to express his respect for the heritage left behind. The direction of prayer later was changed so that Islam could make the unique contribution to that prophetic heritage. However, pay your attention to the fact that throughout history, Jerusalem and its sanctuaries will continue to be revered by Muslims for the value they had for all God's messengers.
Meaning for the religion
Muhammad (peace be upon him and the blessing of God) inspired and encouraged his companions and followers to share his love for Jerusalem and the holy Al-Aqsa Mosque: the Prophet (peace be upon him and the blessing of God) said that one prayer read in the Al-Aqsa was as valuable as 500 prayers. He instructed the companions: “If you are going to travel anywhere in the world, let the mosque in Jerusalem be your priority”. Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and the blessing of God) also noted that if a person’s intentions were pure and sincere, the Almighty would forgive all his or her sins. However, it is worth mentioning another statement of the Prophet (peace be upon him and the blessing of God): “If you cannot visit the Al-Aqsa Mosque, then, at least, send some oil to light the lamps in it”. In other words, do everything possible in order to support the mosque and its congregation regardless of your geographic location.
Historical milestones
In a few years after the Prophet’s death (peace be upon him and the blessing of God), Umar ibn Al-Khattab became the Caliph. It was during his reign when Jerusalem was conquered by Muslims. When Umar went to his new lands, the Patriarch invited the Caliph to pray in the Temple of the Holy Sepulchre. Umar refused because he was afraid that if salah was performed in the church, Muslims would want to turn it into a mosque. Out of respect for the Christian sanctuary Umar preferred to perform salah nearby. And as he had predicted, later Muslims eventually built a mosque named after him, which still stands in the same place where he read salah.
It was during that visit when Umar concluded a contract with the residents of Jerusalem, promising them physical well-being and security of their property, churches and community in general, assuring that nobody would be injured and would not be forced to abandon their religion, as well that the holy places would not be desecrated. Those agreements existed throughout much of the historical Muslim rule in Jerusalem. For instance, Salah ad-Din, despite the years of bloodshed during the Crusades preceding his takeover of Jerusalem, was kind to thousands of civilians and left almost all religious sanctuaries unharmed and untouched. Similarly, during the rule of Ottoman Sultan Suleiman, the western wall was significantly expanded and improved, eventually becoming a place of worship for many Jews in Jerusalem. The materials of the Ottoman courtroom also show the participation of Jews in Islamic courts as plaintiffs and witnesses, as well as their occupation of administrative positions.
Muslims in Jerusalem
Throughout the history, Muslims respected Prophet Muhammad’s (peace be upon him and the blessing of God) love for Jerusalem and everything it symbolized. It was a tradition that began with the sanctuaries, which it guarded, and ended with the experiences of countless Prophets who visited its holy places. We, Muslims, believe that Jerusalem is sacred not only because it is revered by all the religions, but also because we actively seek to protect its status as the symbol of brotherhood between the messengers and peoples. Above all, we love Jerusalem because our Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him and the blessing of God) cherished its divine heritage, which has passed through all joys and tribulations.
Ilmira Gafiyatullina
Photo: Walkerssk / Pixabay