Muslims around the world commemorate the 27th of Rajab as the Al-Isra wa Mir’aj, the night journey (Al-Isra) made by the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) on Al-Buraq, the stead of the Angel Gabriel, from the Masjid ul Haram in Makkah to the al-Aqsa Masjid at the Bait ul-Maqdas in Jerusalem. And the following ascension (al-Mi’raj) of our Nabi (SAW) from there to the seven heavens. The Holy Quran and the hadiths of the Prophet (SAW) explain the importance of Bait ul-Maqdas and Masjid al-Aqsa.
Our Nabi (SAW) explains the value of Bait ul-Maqdas in this hadith: “Soon there will come a time when, if a man has a piece of land the size of a horse’s rope from which he can see Bayt al-Maqdas, that will be better for him than the whole world.” (al-Haakim, 4/509). This shows that every Muslim must have a love for and allegiance to Bait ul-Maqdas and thus, it becomes a Muslim issue, not just an Arab nationalism or Palestinian issue. As Muslims, we must have a love for the lands lived in by the prophets of Allah (SWT) and the first qibla of Islam.
Bait ul-Maqdas was the second masjid built upon this earth, as told by the Prophet when asked by a Sahaba: “O Messenger of Allah, which mosque was first built on the surface of the earth?” He said, “Al- Masjid-ul-Haram (in Mecca).” I said, “Which was built next?” He replied, “The mosque of Al-Aqsa (in Jerusalem).” I said, “What was the period of construction between the two?” He said, “Forty years.” He added, “Wherever (you may be, and) the prayer time becomes due, perform the prayer there, for the best thing is to do so (i.e., to offer the prayers in time)” (Sahih Bukhari 3366).
Visiting and praying in Masjid Al-Aqsa has significance for all Muslims. Our Nabi (SAW) tells us that we can travel to only three places for the sake of offering prayers in a specific masjid, Masjid al-Haram in Makkah, Masjid ul-Nabawi in Madinah, and Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem (Sahih Muslim 1397). The prayer in Masjid a-Aqsa has 500 times reward than anywhere else as stated in the following hadith: “A prayer in Makkah (Ka’bah) is worth 1,000,000 times (reward), a prayer in my Masjid (Madinah) is worth 1,000 times, and a prayer in Al-Aqsa Sanctuary is worth 500 times more reward than anywhere else” (Tabarani, Bayhaqi, Suyuti).
Undoubtedly, Makkah and Madinah are holy places but Bait ul-Maqdas has its honor since it was this site of the Prophet’s (SAW) ascension (Al-Mi’raj) to the seven heavens and Allah (SWT) showers barakah (blessings) around it as mentioned in the following ayat of the Quran: “Glory be to the One Who took His servant ˹Muḥammad˺ by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose surroundings We have blessed, so that We may show him some of Our signs. Indeed, He alone is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.” (Surah Al-Isra, Ayat 1).
We may be asking ourselves where is the barakah (blessings) today in Bait ul-Maqdas. Barakah doesn’t just mean blessings, but it too means hardship. If we say that the life of our Nabi (SAW) was full of barakah, we are stating that his (SAW) life had hardships. We must realize that every place/locality mentioned in the Quran with the word barakah attached to it signifies that it’s a place of isolation, desolation, and hardship. Likewise, the Prophet Ibrahim (AS) describes Makkah as infertile as nothing grows in it and there’s no water and life. But, Makkah is the most blessed land, and the Prophet (SAW) states, the most loved place for Allah (SWT). Even today, the city and people of Makkah are harsh. To provide water to Makkah, trucks deliver it, not pipelines.
Thus, Bait ul-Maqdas has experienced continuous destruction and reconstruction and has changed hands many times because of wars fought over it. We must understand that Bait ul-Maqdas is a part of us and our Nabi (SAW). Everyone prized Bait ul-Maqdas that during its siege of Bait ul-Maqdas under the Khalifah of Hazrat Umar (RA), the defeated party wouldn’t hand over its keys until they saw Khalifa Umar (RA) with their own eyes to assess if he (RA) was worthy enough to possess the keys. Khalifah Umar (RA) had to travel from Madinah to Jerusalem by camel with his servant and each taking turns to ride the camel. When Khalifah Umar (RA) reached Bait ul-Maqdas, he (RA) was walking while his servant was riding the camel and Hazrat Umar’s (RA) robe had 17 stitched patches. Various kinds of dishes for eating were presented to Umar (RA), seeing this, he (RA) wept and asked for only bread and oil. Observing all this, the defeated party gave Khalifa Umar (RA) the keys to Bait ul-Maqdas.
The above narration of Hazrat Umar (RA) and Bait ul-Maqdas provides us with a lesson that our Ummah has forgotten its roots. The Muslim Ummah has never been one of finding the easiest way to accomplish things or taking shortcuts or luxury. Our Nabi (SAW) feared that we would be attracted to the treasures of this Duniya and begin competing with each other over it: “By Allah! I see my Fount (Kauthar) just now and I have been given the keys of all the treasures of the earth (or the keys of the earth). By Allah! I am not afraid that you will worship others along with Allah after my death, but I am afraid that you will fight with one another for the worldly things.” (Sahih al-Bukhari 1344). This hadith teaches us that competing with one another in frivolousness will lead to our destruction, like with previous nations.
