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Whose City Is It Anyway?
Jerusalem, what a city to discuss. In `Arabic, it is called Al Quds or the The Holy. In Hebrew, it is called Yerushalayim or the City of Peace. So, we have a Holy and Peaceful city there! The holy part is doomed to argument, since it is a personal belief. On the other hand, peaceful? Jerusalem has not been peaceful as long as it was a city.In the Jewish culture, it is referred to as the City of David. Well, going back in David's time, the city suffered much of bloodshed, hate and injustice. Not by David, but by others. This happens to be so to this day. In the present time, there is a bloodshed between Jews and Palestinians. There is also hate between them. And Israel discriminates between Jews and Arabs, but then again, Israel is a Jewish State.
But this city is more than that. No one ever said holiness meant peacefulness. Please, everything associated with holy has a terrible ugly side to it that most people conveniently try to avoid. But lets get the basics of this city;
____________________________________________ Judaism,
To most Jews, the city is the eternal capital of Israel. It is the home to the site of the ancient Temple of Solomon. According to Judaism, it is the site where Abraham almost sacrificed his son, Isaac. More of this city is mentioned in the Bible than any other city in the World. No matter how many times the Jewish people have been exiled from this land, there is a famous prayer that can be summoned up as "Next Year In Jerusalem!" That should show how currently important this city is to Jews. Jerusalem is so important to Jews that they have a whole holiday for it, called Yom Yerushalayim or the Day of Jerusalem.
Christianity,
To most Christians, it was the city where the ministry and the crucifixion of Jesus had taken place. For this, it will always be holy to them. Every year, the crucifixion scene is relived in Israel. During the Crusaders, the whole world of Christendom had come together to free the city from the "infidel" Muslims. Christendom has never sacrificed as much as it did for Jerusalem. It is also the site where Jesus is to reappear in the end of times. The importance of this city to Christianity is now somewhat subtle and, unless you investigate, nothing apparent. However, a quick memory lane to history will show you how immensely important this city is to Christianity.
Islam,
To most Muslims, it was the site where Muhammad ascend to heaven. It is home to more prophets in Islam than any other city in the world. But, most importantly, it is where the Temple of Solomon stood, Islam's most sacred site at that time. Now, the city is home to Islam's third holy site, Masjid ul Aqsa. This city is also where Jesus will reappear in the end of times.
__________________________________________________________ As an unorthodox website, we have a different perspective on Jerusalem, and Israel altogether. In Islam, in the Quran, we are taught the following;
And when Moses said to his people: "O my people, remember the favor of God upon you when He raised prophets among you and made you kings and gave you what He had not given to any other among the nations. O my people, enter the Holy Land(i.e, Israel) which God has written unto you and turn not on your backs for then you will turn back losers. Surrat ul Ma'idah, 5:21-22.The Quran, as you can see above, says that the Holy Land(Israel) was written unto them(Israelites.) The 'Arabic words used; Kataba Allahu lakum say "written unto you" but most Muslims fall bias to the old Muslim claim of this city that they translate it in a way that suggests it was not a permanent thing. This is grossly unfair to the Israelites and disgustingly un-Islamic. Neither God nor Muhammad ever authorized the taking over of Jerusalem when Caliph Omar, the second Caliph, took over Jerusalem and built a mosque there(which is now "more" holy than other Mosques, apparently.) It was a human mistake which Muslims should've recognized along time ago.
After you tell them this, the Muslims will tell you; "Oh, no, the Israelites were then Muslims." Oh, really? Well, lets see the verses that follow the above verses;
They(Israelites) said: "O Moses, surely there is a strong race in it, and we will on no account enter it until they go out from it, so if they go out from it, then surely we will enter." Two men of those who feared, upon both of whom God had bestowed a favor, said: "Enter upon them by the gate, for when you have entered it you shall surely be victorious, and on God should you rely if you are believers." They said: "O Moses, we shall never enter it so long as they are in it; go therefore you and your LORD, then fight you both surely we will here sit down." He(Moses) said: "My LORD, Surely I have no control (upon any) but my own self and my brother; therefore make a separation between us and the nation of transgressors." He(God) said: "So it shall surely be forbidden to them for forty years, they shall wander about in the land, therefore do not grieve for the nation of transgressors." Surrat ul Ma'idah, 5:22-26.Does that sound like Muslims? Israelites were denied there not because they were Muslims or not, but because they couldn't trust the God who had given them freedom and took them out of bondage and gave them this city, as He promised it to their fathers, and followed their own human nature; fear.
Then the Muslims turn around and ask you about the Al Aqsa Mosque "mentioned" in 17.01. For one, there is no mosque there. The words Masjid ul Aqsa mean "the farthest place of prostration." Masjid is anywhere one prostrates. If the Temple of Solomon was the farthest Mosque, as most translators translate this verse to mean, then that means the Hindu faith was not Islamic one point. That spits on the face of Islam and History. The Hindu writings are full of Islamic references, including prophecies about Muhammad and the Quran(see our Quran section of this site; The Koran)
The conflict between Jews and Palestinians are always showed to be conflicts between Islam and Judaism. Nothing could be farther from the Truth. Islam has no problem with Judaism taking care of the place. Caliph Omar just later fell to prey for his own ego, but he originally just wanted to give the city back to Jews. But you know how human power can corrupt. Since Judaism does not have idolatry practices, Jews taking care of the Islamic sites there is perfectly fine with Islam. After all, Jews are believers. Therefore the conflict between Jews and Palestinians is a national one. Since this website is for Islam, we will not go into that.
Hopefully, we did not offend anyone. If we did, it is our beliefs. We are sorry they offend you, but they are our beliefs. You are welcome to disagree.
******************* Virtual Jerusalem: The place where Jews click (JEWISH)
Jesus 2000: Virtual Pilgrimage to the Holy Land (CHRISTIAN)
Noble Sanctuary: The Online Guide to Al-Haram Al-Sharif in Jerusalem (MUSLIM)
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