Jerusalem In Quran; Chapter-3; Book by Sheikh Imran N. Hosein

JERUSALEM IN THE QUR’AN

By Imran N. Hosein

PART ONE

Chapter 3

THE BEGINNING OF THE STORY OF JERUSALEM IN THE QUR’AN: JERUSALEM AND THE

PROPHETS

“But We delivered him (Abraham) and (his nephew) Lot (and directed them) to the land in

which We had placed blessings for all of mankind.”

(Qur’an, al-Anbiyah, 21:71)

Abraham (‘alaihi al-Salam)

The true Qur’anic story about Jerusalem and the Holy Land begins with Abraham

(‘alaihi al-Salam), the Prophet of Allah, Most High. He broke up the idols in the temple

of his people (in Ur - modern Iraq) but left the biggest idol standing to impress upon

the idolatrous people the falsehood of the worship of idols (Qur’an, al-Anbiyah,

21:57-63). If Abraham (‘alaihi al-Salam) were to return today and repeat such an act it

would be denounced by secular governments and so-called Islamic scholars as an act

of terrorism and destruction of the cultural heritage of Babylon. The UN would impose

sanctions on any government that harboured him. Prophet Muhammad (‘alaihi al-Salam)

would be treated no differently were he to return and repeat his destruction of the idols

in the Ka’aba.

Ur responded with fury to the destruction of their idols, and the

ridicule to which idolatry was subjected. They punished Abraham (‘alaihi al-Salam),

building a fire and throwing him into it. But Allah Most High intervened and

commanded the fire to be “cool for him” and to “keep him safe from harm” (Qur’an,

al-Anbiyah, 21:68-9). Thereupon Allah Most High declared that He delivered him and

Lot (‘alaihi al-Salam) to a Land in which He had placed blessings for all of mankind.

That was the Holy Land:

“But We delivered him (Abraham) and (his nephew) Lot (and directed them) to the

land in which We had placed blessings for all of mankind.”

(Qur’an, al-Anbiyah, 21:71)

It was with this verse that the concept of a Holy Land, or a Blessed Land, was

introduced in the Qur’an for the first time. What is its significance? Why should Allah,

Most Wise, choose one land in all the earth and make of it a Holy Blessed Land? And

why should He guide Abraham (‘alaihi al-Salam) and Lot (‘alaihi al-Salam). His Prophets

and Messengers, to migrate to that Holy Land? There can be only one answer to these

questions.

Of all of mankind Allah, Most Wise, chose Abraham (‘alaihi al-Salam) as His ‘friend’

or ‘dearly beloved’ (khalil) (Qur’an, al-Nisa, 4:125). He tested Abraham (‘alaihi al-

Salam) with the greatest of tests and trials that Abraham passed. Allah Most High then

appointed him as the religious head (Imam) of all of mankind (Qur’an, al-Baqarah,

2:124). It followed therefrom that there could be only ‘one’ Truth, and from it would

emerge ‘one’ religion for all of mankind – the religion of Abraham (‘alaihi al-Salam).

There is thus only one true religion, all others being false. It is the religion of the Imam

of mankind, i.e., the religion of Abraham (‘alaihi al-Salam). No Priest or Rabbi could

possibly challenge that! And yet, when we assert such, the Rabbi accuses us of

chauvinism!

When Allah Most High chose one land and made of it a Holy Blessed Land and then

guided Abraham (‘alaihi al-Salam) to migrate to that Land, the Divine purpose or plan

was that the Holy Land should function as the ‘litmus test’ of Truth. Only the religion

of Abraham (‘alaihi al-Salam) could survive in the Holy Land. All others would be

expelled. In other words, herein, Truth would always visibly triumph over falsehood

and history could not end before the final triumph of Truth over falsehood in that

Land! Piety, godliness, righteousness and submission to Allah Most High represented

the very essence of Truth and hence the religion of Abraham (‘alaihi al-Salam). Is

Christianity, Judaism, or Islam, Truth? Jerusalem is already answering that question!

It is the destiny of Jerusalem to validate Truth. And that is most certainly one of the

main points being made in this book.

Since Abraham (‘alaihi al-Salam) and Lot (‘alaihi al-Salam) were directed by Allah, Most

Wise, to migrate to that Holy Land and to reside there, the implication was that unless

Allah Most High were to direct them to again migrate elsewhere, they and their

progeny would reside in that land. It was, therefore, their land.

The question that must be posed is whether the invitation to reside in the Holy Land

was unconditional? Would the invitation still be valid if their progeny were to

abandon the religion of Abraham (‘alaihi al-Salam) and become atheists, or were to

engage in prostitution or oppression? Would it still be valid if the Jews were to

establish in the Holy Land a secular State that declared that ‘supreme authority’

belonged to the State rather than the God of Abraham, and that the highest law was the

law of the State rather than Allah’s Law? Would it still be valid if that State were to

declare to be Halal (i.e., legal) that which Allah Most High had declared to be Haram

(prohibited)? We should note that the God of Abraham (‘alaihi al-Salam) prohibited the

borrowing and lending of money on interest (Riba). The Jews changed the Torah to

legalize the lending of money on interest to those who were not Jews. Not only is Riba

legal in the Holy Land today, but so are also many other things that were prohibited by

Allah, Most High.

Secondly, and importantly, is the question: If Allah Most High blessed that Land for

all of mankind, would it not imply that any and all of mankind who faithfully follow

the religion of Abraham would also have access to those blessings? Is this not a

universal statement? Whence then, comes the claim of the Jews to exclusive title to the

Holy Land?

As we attempt in this book to answer these important questions it would be of great

help to reflect over the following conversation between Abraham (‘alaihi al-Salam) and

His Lord:

“And remember that Abraham was tried by his Lord with certain commands, which he

fulfilled: He (the Lord) said: “I hereby appoint you as the Imam (religious and

spiritual leader) of all mankind.” He (Abraham) enquired: “And also from my

offspring?” (Will they also share of this status?) He answered: “My Covenant (or

Promise) will not reach (i.e., include) those who commit acts of Dhulm (i.e., injustice,

oppression, tyranny, repression, suppression).”

(Qur’an, al-Baqarah, 2:124)

Among those acts which the Qur’an recognizes as acts of Dhulm would be “driving

a people out of their homes and out of the land in which they lived” and doing so “for

no just cause (indeed for no cause other than) their belief in Allah, Most High”:

“To those against whom war is made, permission is given (to fight), because they are

wronged; and verily, Allah is Most Powerful for their aid; (They are) those who have

been expelled from their homes in defiance of right, (for no cause) except that they

say, ‘Our Lord is Allah’…”

(Qur’an, al-Hajj, 22:39-40)

This was precisely the way that the Jewish State of Israel was established.

The Qur’an reserved its greatest condemnation, however, for that act of Dhulm

which occurs when the Word of Allah is changed and a lie is told against Allah. That

was exactly what the Jews did when they rewrote the Torah and corrupted it by

changing the Word of Allah, Most High:

“Who commits greater act of Dhulm (injustice) than he who tells a lie against Allah or

rejects His Signs? But verily the wrongdoers never shall prosper.”

(Qur’an, al-An’am, 6:21)

Moses (‘alaihi al-Salam)

The next mention of the Holy Land in the Qur’an occurred some 500 years later

when Moses (‘alaihi al-Salam) implored the Israelite people to fight to take control of the

Holy Land. He had led them out of slavery in Egypt, and the divine miracle had

occurred in which the sea parted for them but drowned their enemies. Then the

struggle was to be launched from Sinai to liberate the Holy Land:

“O my people! Enter the Holy Land which Allah gave to you, and turn not back

ignominiously, for then you will be overthrown and will lose (among other things your

right to live in the Land).”

(Qur’an, al-Maidah, 5:21)

This verse of the Qur’an confirmed what was implicit in Surah al-Anbiyah, 21:71

quoted above. The Israelites were the progeny of Abraham (‘alaihi al-Salam), and were

still following the religion of Abraham (‘alaihi al-Salam) under the guidance of the

Prophet of Allah, Moses (‘alaihi al-Salam), thus they were entitled to live in the Holy

Land. It was their land!

Some time after the death of Moses (‘alaihi al-Salam) the Israelites succeeded in

entering the Holy Land. But hostile tribes constantly harassed them. Sometimes they

were even forced to flee to save their lives. The Qur’an made reference to this, and to

their desire for a King who would lead them into battle as they struggled to gain

complete control over the Holy Land:

“Are you not aware of those who fled from their homes (in the Holy Land) though

they were thousands (in number) for fear of death? Allah said to them: Die. Then He

restored them to life. For Allah is full of bounties to mankind, but most of them are

ungrateful.”

“Then fight in the cause of Allah and know that Allah hears and knows all things

(Allah, Most Wise, wants you to fight and resist oppressors who drive you out of the

land in which you live and out of your homes).

“Who is he that will loan to Allah a beautiful loan which Allah will (return with) much

more than was borrowed? It is Allah Who restricts what He gives, or increases what

He gives and to Him shall be your return.

“Are you not aware of those elders of the Israelites, after (the time of) Moses, how

they said to a Prophet (that was) among them: Appoint for us a king that we may fight

in the cause of Allah He said: Is it not possible if you were commanded to fight that ye

would not fight? They said: How could we refuse to fight in the cause of Allah seeing

that our families and us have been driven out of our home? But when they were

commanded to fight they turned back except a small band among them. But Allah has

full knowledge of those who do wrong.”

(Qur’an, al-Baqarah, 2:243-6)

That Prophet who spoke to them (above) was Samuel (‘alaihi al-Salam). Their response

to him was:

“How could we refuse to fight in the cause of Allah seeing that we and our families

have been driven out of our home?”

(Qur’an, al:Baqarah, 2:246)

This response established in their own words, in their own tongue, the principle that

a people were entitled to wage war against an oppressor who drove them out of their

homes and the land in which they lived. While true of all territories, it was especially

true for the Holy Land. How then, was it possible for the State of Israel to be

established on the basis of a policy of driving out of their homes and out of the Land, a

people who worshipped the God of Abraham, and then obstinately denying them for

more than fifty years the right to return?

Joshua (‘alaihi al-Salam)

After the Israelite people were delivered out of Egypt they were blessed (once more)

with a divinely ordained inheritance of the Holy Land. The Bible informs us that

Joshua led them into the Holy Land. The Qur’an neither denies nor confirms that

Biblical statement regarding the name of Joshua:

“Whereas unto a people who (in the past) had been deemed utterly low (and of no

account), We gave as their heritage the Eastern and Western parts of the (Holy) Land

that We had blessed. And (thus) the fair promise of thy Lord was fulfilled for the

Children of Israel, because they had patience and constancy in adversity, whereas We

utterly destroyed all that Pharaoh and his people had wrought and all that they had

built (with such pride).”

(Qur’an, al-‘Araf, 7:137)

Earlier, when Moses (‘alaihi al-Salam) had ordered them to do so, the Jews had refused

to fight to enter the Holy Land. At that time two amongst them had urged them to

fight to enter the Holy Land. The commentators of the Qur’an identify Joshua as one

of the two:

“(But) among (their) God-fearing men were two on whom Allah had bestowed His

grace: they said: "Assault them at the (proper) Gate (i.e., make a frontal assault):

when once ye are in, victory will be yours; but on Allah put your trust if ye have faith."

(Qur’an, al-Maidah, 5:23)

Solomon (‘alaihi al-Salam)

Then, a further 500 years later, the Qur’an made a fourth reference to the Holy Land

when Allah, Most Wise, spoke of the Kingdom of Solomon (‘alaihi al-Salam) as follows:

“(It was Our power that made) the violent (unruly) wind flow (tamely) for Solomon, to

his order, to the land which We had blessed: for We do know all things.”

(Qur’an, al-Anbiyah, 21-81)

It was in consequence of all these divine blessings that the (Islamic) State of Israel

over which Solomon (‘alaihi al-Salam) ruled became not only the Ruling State in the

world but, also, the most magnificent State ever witnessed. With Solomon’s Israel the

Israelite people experienced the Golden Age.

Muhammad (sallalahu ‘alaihi wa sallam)

Finally the Qur’an made a fifth reference to the Holy or Blessed Land when it

described the miraculous night-time journey of Prophet Muhammad (‘alaihi al-Salam)

from Makkah to Jerusalem and then into the heavens:

“Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred

Masjid to the Farthest Masjid, whose surrounding (territory) We did bless, in order

that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who Hears and Sees

(all things).”

(Qur’an, Banu Israil, 17:1)

That farthest Masjid (Temple) was identified by Prophet Muhammad (‘alaihi al-Salam)

as Masjid al-Aqsa, the Masjid that was built by Prophet Solomon (‘alaihi al-Salam) in

Jerusalem:

“Narrated Jabir bin Abdullah who heard Allah’s Apostle saying: When the people of Quraish

did not believe me (i.e. the story of my Night Journey), I stood up in al-Hijr and Allah

displayed Jerusalem in front of me, and I began describing it to them while I was looking at it.”

(Sahih Bukhari)

The Prophet (‘alaihi al-Salam) went on to restrict Muslims from undertaking any

sacred journey other than to three places:

“Narrated Abu Hurairah: The Prophet (‘alaihi al-Salam) said: Do not set out on a journey except

for three Masajid (plural of Masjid) i.e. al-Masjid al-Haram (in Makkah), the Masjid of Allah’s

Messenger (in Madina), and Masjid al-Aqsa (in Jerusalem).”

(Bukhari)

“Narrated Maimunah ibn Sa’ad: I said: Apostle of Allah, tell us the legal injunction about

(visiting) Bait al-Muqaddas (Jerusalem). The Apostle of Allah said: Go and pray there. (But) all

the cities at that time were affected by war. (So he added) If you cannot visit it and pray there,

then send some oil to be used in the lamps (i.e. send support).”

(Sunan Abu Dawud)

The Roman army under General Titus destroyed Masjid al-Aqsa (the Temple built

by Solomon (‘alaihi al-Salam) in 70 AC. It was still lying in ruins when the Muslim army

conquered Jerusalem during the rule of Caliph Umar (ra). It was he who ordered that

the present Masjid al-Aqsa be built on the site of the ruins of the original Temple

(Masjid) built by Solomon (‘alaihi al-Salam).

(This book can be ordered from Islamic Book Trust at ibtkl@pd.jaring.my)

Sheikh Imran has talked on the subject extensively and here is one video. The reader may find many related video by Sheikh Imran on You Tube.