Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Temple Mount

24-9-2007 | IslamWeb

Question:

How many times is Al-Aqsa mentioned in the Quran and what is the story of Mount Temple related to it?

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Answer:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad is His slave and Messenger.

 

The Aqsa Mosque is mentioned once with this wording in the Quran at the beginning of chapter Israa' (chapter 17), Allaah Says (what means): {Exalted is He Who took His Servant [i.e. Prophet Muhammad () by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him of Our signs.} [Quran 17:1]. It is also mentioned with the wording 'Masjid' in the same chapter. Allaah Says (what means): {…and to enter the Masjid [i.e. the temple in Jerusalem], as they entered it the first time.}[Quran 17:7]. 'Masjid' here refers to Al-Aqsa Mosque as stated by the interpreters of the Quran .

As regards the story of Temple Mount, this is the Temple which the Jews consider as holy, and it is the Temple which was built by the Prophet Sulaymaan (Solomon) . This Temple was demolished twice, once by the Babylonians and another by the Romans.

The Jews want to build it now in order to establish their so called Great State which will be crowned by the anti-Christ whom they are waiting for. They believe that their Great State cannot be established unless the third temple is built on the debris of Al-Aqsa Mosque.

For more benefit on Al-Aqsa Mosque, please refer to Fataawa 82438 and 83441, and to Fataawa 86288 and 88852 on the history of Al-Aqsa Mosque and who was the first to build it.    

Allaah Knows best.