Saturday, December 18, 2010

The Islamic Perspective of Jerusalem by Dr. Muzammil H. Siddiqi President, Islamic Society of North America (ISNA), this was a talk presented at the

The city of Jerusalem is very sacred to Muslims. It is one of the three most sacred cities in Islam. Jerusalem is called al-Quds al-Sharif (the Noble Sacred Place). In order to understand the sacredness of this city in Islam, one has to understand the faith structure of Islam. There are three basic principles of faith in Islam:

1. Belief in the oneness of Allah (Tawhid).
2. Belief in the divine guidance through His chosen Prophets and Messengers (Risalah).
3. Belief in the life after death, divine judgment and heaven and hell (Akhirah).

It is the second principle of faith in Islam in Islam that is directly related to our love and devotion to Jerusalem.


Jerusalem in the early history of Islam

Jerusalem came under Islamic rule during the reign of the second Caliph Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) in the year 638. It was a peaceful conquest. The ruling patriarch of the city, whose name was Sophronius, offered the keys of the city to the Caliph himself.


Upon entering the blessed city, the Caliph asked about the location of the mosque of David (al-Masjid al-Aqsa) and the blessed Rock from where the Prophet went in Miraj.

The site was a desolate place at that time. Romans had destroyed the so-called Second Temple in the year 70 CE and no non-Christian or Christian ruler of that city after that ever tried to build any place of worship there.

According to historians, it was a garbage dump, a dunghill for the people of Jerusalem. Umar, upon learning this was the site of the Masjid of Jerusalem and the place from where the Miraj took place, cleaned the place with his own hands and put his forehead in payer on that ground.

The Masjid al-Aqsa was later built in that area.

In 691 CE the Dome of Rock and a more elaborate mosque were constructed. Those were, perhaps, the first most expensive and expansive sacred monuments built in the history of Islam.

Jerusalem was always held in great esteem by Muslims. The Prophet said, "Journeys should not be taken (with the intention of worship) except to three mosques: the Sacred Mosque in Makkah, my Mosque in Madinah and Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem."

On the basis of this Hadith, Muslims always considered it as a religious deed to visit the city of Jerusalem, its mosque and its sacred and blessed precincts. Often pilgrims made it a point to visit Jerusalem on their way to Makkah and Madinah.

Muslim rulers and philanthropists built many hospitals, schools, and religious centers in and around the city. They purchased land in and around the city and dedicated it as a Waqf (endowment) for religious purposes. The whole city is virtually Waqf land that is non-salable and nontransferable.

Many Muslim scholars also migrated and settled in the city. The Al-Aqsa Masjid was a great seat of learning. Thousands of pious people and scholars included provisions in their wills to be buried in Jerusalem. There are thousands, perhaps millions of Muslims' graves in the city of Jerusalem.

Muslims also recognized the rights of Christians and Jews who hold the city dear to their hearts and sacred in their faiths.

Under Islamic rule they were given permission to settle there. When the Caliph Umar made the treaty with the Christian Patriarch Sophronius it was agreed, at the request of the Christian patriarch, that "No Jews will live with them in Aelia (Jerusalem)."

But later, due to Muslim tolerance, this rule was relaxed and Jews were allowed to come and settle in the city.

After the re-conquest of Jerusalem by Salahuddin in the time of the Crusades, Jews were again permitted by Muslims to come back and live in the city. The Crusaders during their 90-year rule (1099 - 1187) had banned both Jews and Muslims from that city.

Conclusion

The city of Jerusalem is very important to Muslims. Muslims have a right to this city religiously, historically and legally. I have mentioned only the religious aspects in this paper. There are three important points to remember about Islam and the city of Jerusalem:

1. In the whole history of Jerusalem, form the time of Prophet David until now, the longest rule of this city belonged to Muslims.

2. Muslims maintained the sacredness of this city in the full sense of the word.

3. Muslims established and practiced the most tolerant multi-religious and multi-faith character of Jerusalem.

Islam The Way of Life

Every Muslim must believe in what the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) has told us, and not doubt a single word of it, because what the Prophet says is wahy (revelation) revealed to him by Allaah: Whoever doubts what the Prophet (Peace & Blessings of Allaah be upon Him) said or doubts that it is wahy is a kaafir who has left Islam

SubhanAllah

"حضرت عمر کی فضیلت"
رسول الله (صلی الله علیه وسلم) نے فرمایا.
"بےشک اگلی امتوں میں محدثون(جنھیں الہام وکشف حاصل تھا)ہوتے تھے اوراگر اس امت میں سے کوئی محدث ہوتاتو عمربن الخطاب ہوتے_"
(بخاری، 3468)

SubhanAllah

*Ruling on kissing the cover of the Ka’bah, the Mus-haf and the Black Stone*

Q. What is the ruling on kissing the cover of the Ka’bah, the Black Stone and the Mus-haf?

Answer.
Praise be to Allaah.

Kissing any place on earth is bid’ah (an innovation), apart from the Black Stone. Were it not that this is following the example of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), kissing the Black Stone would be bid’ah too. ‘Umar (may Allaah be pleased with him) used to say: “I know that you are only a stone and can neither cause harm nor bring benefit. Were it not for the fact that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) kissed you, I would not have kissed you.” Hence it is not permissible to kiss the covers of the Ka’bah or its stones, or the Yemeni Corner, or the Mus-haf, or to touch them with the intent of seeking blessing from them .

Shaykh Muhammad ibn Saalih al-Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him).

Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) mentioned together three important characteristics to be found in the good, righteous wife.

Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) mentioned together three important characteristics to be found in the good, righteous wife. They are:

(i) When he looks at her, he is happy with her religious commitment, attitude, behaviour and appearance.

(ii) When he is away from her, she protects his honour and his wealth.

(iii) If he tells her to do something, she obeys him, so long as he does not tell her to commit sin.

3. Helping her husband in his faith and religious commitment, telling him to do acts of obedience and stopping him from doing haraam things.
It was narrated that Thawbaan said: When there was revealed about silver and gold what was revealed, they said: So what kind of wealth should we acquire? 'Umar said: I will find out about that for you. So he mounted his camel and caught up with the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and I was right behind him. He said: O Messenger of Allaah, what kind of wealth should we acquire? He said: "Let one of you acquire a thankful heart, a tongue that remembersAllaah and a believing wife who will help him with regard to the Hereafter."

Narrated and classed as hasan by al-Tirmidhi (3094). In another version it says: "who will help him with his faith." Ibn Maajah (1856). Classed as saheeh by al-Albaaniin Saheeh al-Tirmidhi.

Al-Mubaarakfoori (may Allah have mercy on him) said:
"A believing wife who will help him with his faith" means, with his religious commitment, by reminding him to pray, fast and do other acts of worship, and will keep him from committing zina and all other haraamdeeds.
Tuhfat al-Ahwadhi (8/390).

4. She should be a righteous woman, and among the attributes of the righteous woman is that she is obedient to her Lord and fulfils her husband's rights with regard to his wealth and herself, even when her husband is absent.
Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):
"Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient (to Allah and to their husbands), and guard in the husband's absence what Allaah
 orders them to guard (e.g. their chastity and their husband's property)"
[al-Nisa' 4:34].

Shaykh 'Abd al-Rahmaan al-Sa'di (may Allaah have mercy on him) said:
"Therefore the righteous women are devoutly obedient" means: obedient to Allaah, may He be exalted.


Hadith 2:5

Narrated Abu Said:

I testify that Allah's Apostle said, "The taking of a bath on Friday is compulsory for every male Muslim who has attained the age of puberty and (also) the cleaning of his teeth with Siwak, and the using of perfume if it is available." Amr (a sub-narrator) said, "I confirm that the taking of a bath is compulsory, but as for the Siwak and the using of perfume, Allah knows better whether it is obligatory or not, but according to the Hadith it is as above.")