City of Universality in Islam

The City of Prophets and Messengers y beginning of humankind on earth, God has sent prophets and messengers to convey his According to traditions of the prophet Muhammad, a house of worship was first established at the site of present-day Al-Aqsa in Jerusalem only forty years after an early version of the Ka‘ba was established in Mecca by the prophet Abraham. Since the three monotheistic religions (Islam, Christianity, and Judaism) share the same prophets until the crucifixion of Jesus and then the arrival of Muhammad–for centuries, their holy places and their places of worship were the same. .^[1] As the city of the jewish prophets and kings and the place where jesus preached and was, according to muslims, saved from crucifixion, Jerusalem maintained a unique position in the Islamic tradition. In fact, its significance was made clear to the early followers of Muhammad when they were still being prosecuted in Makkah and, before the Ka‘ba, was the direction towards which they prayed.^{[2] [3]}

Jerusalem in Quran: the Blessed City

In the chapter titled Al-Isra, the Quran recalls the night journey of Prophet Muhammad , to Jerusalem from Makkah and his ascension to heaven. ^[4] Muslim scholars argue that the trip to Jerusalem was important for multiple reasons–but no doubt the divine decision to send Muhammad there before allowing him to ascend to the heavens, and Muhammad’s leadership of the resurrected prophets and messengers in prayer^[5] made clear the centrality of the city and its historical religious value.^[6] The Quran mentions Jerusalem at various other points as well–particularly when recounting the story of Mary and Jesus.

When the qibla was redirected to Makkah, and Muslims no longer faced Jerusalem to pray, Al-Aqsa gained status as the the third holiest site in Islam, and Muslims believe that praying there is not only encouraged, but makes their prayers more blessed and loved by God^[7]

Jerusalem in the Sayings and Traditions of Prophet Muhammad

Prophet Muhammad spoke about Jerusalem’s importance as well the duty of Muslims to protect it, but he also told his followers that Jerusalem was going to be the site that marks the end of the war between truth and falsehood.^[8]

According to Muhammad, Jerusalem will be the last place on earth where humans are gathered for reckoning and from where they will be raised to the sky for the Day of Judgement. ^[9]

Jerusalem in Muslims’ Lives

After the death of Muhammad, the first Caliph, Abu Bakr began preparing for the conquest of Jerusalem. Omar bin Al-Khattab, who became the Caliph shortly after, conquered the city and accepted the surrender of the Patriarch Sophronius along with the keys to the city. ^[10] The caliphs who came after Omar took care to spend wealth on the construction of landmarks and restoration within the city.^[11].

The city gained further importance for Muslims as generations of companions of the Prophet and their descendents, scholars, saints, and righteous caliphs spent time in the city, died and were buried there..^[12] In fact, many Caliphs chose Jerusalem as the site where they would be inaugurated, and some, like the Umayyad Caliph Sulayman bin Abd Al-Malik considered transferring the capital of the Islamic dynasty from Damascus to Jerusalem.^[13]

Until the Israeli occupation of the city, many muslim caravans on their way to Hajj, encouraged by a statement of the prophet Muhammad, would visit Jerusalem and pray in the Al-Aqsa mosque on their way to Makkah.