Al-Aqsa: A Sacred Site Under Attack
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"Glorified is He who took His servant by night from Al-Masjid Al-Haram to Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed..."
(Qur'an 17:1)
Every year, during Ramadan, the Israeli occupation escalates its aggression, storming Al-Aqsa, attacking worshipers, and restricting access. Scenes of armed soldiers destroying the prayer halls, and brutalizing men, women, and even children, have become tragically familiar.
A Legacy of Protection: Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn
"(...) In exchange for a ransom (ten dinars per man, five per woman, and two per child), Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn promised to let every Frank leave with their belongings, except for their horses and weapons. (...) To the astonishment of all—even the Latin chroniclers present—Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn personally ransomed some of them who had fallen into the hands of his soldiers, allowing them to return to Europe.
As for the Christians of the East (...) and the Jews of the region, they were all invited to reclaim their former quarters and synagogues. (...) The Latin Patriarch of Jerusalem was seen leaving the Holy City, his caravan loaded with the treasures of the Church of the Holy Sepulcher, under the watchful eyes of Muslim soldiers. This sacred Christian site had, of course, been preserved, and Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn even allowed a dozen Hospitallers to remain in their quarters to care for the sick. (...)
In Jerusalem, (...) churches and convents were immediately converted into mosques—most of which had been mosques before the arrival of the Crusaders—and Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn ordered (...) the restoration of al-Aqsa. Transformed into a lodging for Templars, beasts of burden had taken up residence there, and its mihrab had been used as latrines. (...)"
A Legacy Of Protection: Jews In Palestine
When Caliph 'Umar Ibn al-Khaṭṭāb defeated the Romans in the Middle East in the 7th century CE, the entire region of Palestine opened up to the Muslims. At the time, while Christians were the majority, there were also numerous Jews present. Oppressed in their religious practices by the Romans, they were forbidden from approaching the remnants of the Temple. The site had been banned for them and was even used as a public dump. Once cleansed by the Muslims, it was chosen as the location for the construction of the famous Dome of the Rock. The third holiest site in Islam was immediately reopened to all, allowing Jews to return at last.
Palestine Although (Filasṭīn) gradually Islamized under successive caliphs, the region also witnessed the flourishing of Judaism. As the Islamic Empire stretched from Western Europe to India, local rabbis were finally able to connect directly with their counterparts in Baghdad, Kairouan, and later, Cordoba. This led to a great intellectual exchange, attracting some of the most renowned Jewish scholars to Palestine, including Nahmanides and Maimonides.
In finance—where they served as bankers to emirs—medicine (Maimonides himself was a physician at Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn's court), commerce, and translation, the Jews of Palestine became deeply Arabized. They wore turbans, studied al-Ghazālī, and even defended the region against external attacks. This perceived affinity with Islam was something the Crusaders would not forgive. When they captured Jerusalem in 492H (1099 CE), they massacred the Jewish population and expelled the survivors. Ṣalāḥ al-Dīn later restored them to the city when he reconquered it nearly a century later.
With each expulsion suffered in Europe, Jews sought refuge in Palestine. Thousands arrived after the fall of Granada in 897H (1492 CE) and the onset of the Spanish Inquisition. Under Ottoman rule, Jewish migration increased, and Turkish sultans frequently appointed Jewish officials to their courts.
At the turn of the thousands of the 20th century, more Jews arrived in Palestine, fleeing European anti-Semitism. The first conflicts between Jewish migrants and the local population emerged. Eventually, the British and the UN intervened, granting European Jews a state in the region. Palestine was partitioned, thousands of Arabs were exiled, and Israel was born.
In Recent Years - Al-Aqsa during Ramadan
Israeli Occupation Forces frequently raid the Al-Aqsa Mosque compound during the holy month of Ramadan, disrupting the worship of thousands of Palestinian Muslims. One of the most notable instances occurred in 2021, when a raid left at least 170 Palestinians injured, sparking widespread protests across Palestinian cities. These tensions quickly escalated into further violence, with Israeli airstrikes targeting the Gaza Strip in response to rockets fired at them.
Dozens of heavily armed Israeli officers entered the Qibli prayer hall using stun grenades and tear gas, and beat worshipers with batons and riot guns, injuring dozens before arresting several hundred.
In 2022, Jewish settlers stormed into the flashpoint Al-Aqsa Mosque complex in occupied East Jerusalem, around 1,180 settlers stormed the site and stayed there for more than three hours.
One of the many points of contention is the Israeli authorities' restriction on Itikaf , a religious practice where Muslims remain inside mosques overnight to focus on 'Ibaadat (acts of worship). The Israeli Occupation put regulations that limit Itikaf to the last ten days of Ramadan only.
The Duty of the Ummah
Al-Aqsa is not just a Palestinian issue—it is an ummah issue. The Prophet (ﷺ) said:
A believer to another believer is like a building whose different parts support each other.
(Bukhari, 2446; Muslim, 2585)
We cannot remain silent as our brothers and sisters are oppressed. Allah warns us:
And do not think that Allah is unaware of what the wrongdoers do. He only delays them until a Day when eyes will stare in horror.
(Quran 14:42)
This is not a time for passivity. Al-Aqsa belongs to the ummah, and its defense is our collective responsibility. May Allah grant victory to the oppressed and free Al-Quds from occupation.
References
Books & Blog Sources:
Renaud, K. (nd). Salah al-Din . Sarrazins Editions.
Renaud, K. (nd). Sarrazins Éditions [Blog].
Web Sources:
Al Jazeera. (2024, February 19). Israel to restrict access to Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan . https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2024/2/19/israel-to-restrict-access-to-jerusalems-al-aqsa-mosque-during-ramadan .
Daily Sabah. (nd). Hundreds of Israeli settlers storm Jerusalem's Al-Aqsa amid tensions . https://www.dailysabah.com/world/mid-cast/hundreds-of-israeli-settlers-storm-jerusalems-al-aqsa-amid-tensions .
Amnesty International. (2023, April). Israel/OPT: Second night of horror at Al-Aqsa Mosque . https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2023/04/israel-opt-second-night-of-horror-at-al-aqsa-mosque/ .
Middle East Eye. (nd). Why did Israel attack Al-Aqsa? Palestinian worshipers under siege during Ramadan . https://www.middleeasteye.net/news/why-did-israel-attack-al-aqsa-palestine-worshippers-ramadan .