Do you Know.. Masjid al-Aqsa (Bayt al-Maqdis).. The station of al-Isra and al-Mi’raj

‘Masjid al-Aqsa’, usually translated as ‘the farthest mosque’, is the third most holy place in Islam. It was at this mosque that Prophet Muhammed (peace and blessings be upon him) arrived on the Buraq on the night journey and where he led all the other messengers and prophets in prayer. Masjid al-Aqsa was also the qibla (direction of prayer) which the Prophet and Muslims turned to face when they performed prayers.

Masjid al-Aqsa is no ordinary mosque. The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) dedicated a great deal of his life to exhorting his Companions to appreciate its superiority and uniqueness.

Some of the reasons why Masjid al-Aqsa should form an important aspect of a believer’s dedication is that it is:

• The first qiblah (prayer direction) for Muslims;

• The station of al-Isra and al-Mi’raj (The Night Journey & Ascension)

• The second house of God built on earth;

• The place where many of the messengers of God (peace and blessings be upon them) are buried;

• The place where many of the companions are buried;

• A place where miracles were shown by God’s will;

• A place which God Almighty Himself calls a ‘blessed place’;

• Referred to directly and indirectly around 70 times in the Quran;

• The place where angels have descended with God’s message;

• The only place on earth where all the Messengers of God prayed at the same time with Prophet Muhammed (peace and blessings be upon him) as their imam;

• The only Masjid mentioned by name in the Quran apart from the Ka’bah;

• There are ten open gates leading in and out of Masjid al-Aqsa. Nine of these can be used by Muslims, with the exception of the Moroccan Gate (Bab al-Magharib) which is solely for non-Muslims.

Abu Huraira (may God be pleased with him) reported directly from the Messenger of God (peace and blessings be upon him) who said; “Do not travel to visit any mosque but three: this mosque of mine, the mosque of al-Haram and al-Aqsa mosque (Bait al-Maqdis).”

God Almighty says in the Quran;

“Exalted is He who took His Servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Seeing” (Quran 17: 1).