Why is it called Masjid al Aqsa?

Various scholarly opinions are suggested for the Masjid being referred to as Aqsa (or the farthest mosque). These include:

Because of its distance from Makkah, as it was the farthest mosque of great significance on earth from Makkah

Because of its remoteness from impurities

Since Allah SWT knew that Masjid Nabawi SAW would be built, subsequent to this revelation, which would be a shorter distance the Haram in Makkah, and hence Bayt al Maqdis would become the farthest of the three

The name ‘Masjid al Aqsa’ has its direct origins in the Qur’aan as the site was not known as such by the Arabs prior to Islam.

A very Famous Question people ask?

Was Masjid Al Aqsa Built by Jinns?

As stated earlier, Masjid Al Aqsa was first constructed by Prophet Adam (AS), then by Prophet Ibrahim (AS) and stood firm until Prophet Ishaq (AS) passed away. Over time, the foundation of Masjid Al Aqsa weakened and started crumbling. Allah SWT commanded Dawood (AS) to renovate Masjid Al Aqsa once again. However, Dawood (AS) tragically passed away before completing the construction and the project was handed over to his son, Sulaiman (AS).

It is believed that Sulaiman (RA) instructed the Jinns to erect the stone pillars underneath Masjid Al Aqsa. In Surah Saba, Allah SWT says, “There were jinn that worked under his supervision by the leave of his Lord, and if any of them deviated from Our command, We made him taste of the Penalty of Blazing Fire.

They worked for him as he desired, (making) arches, statues, basins as large as reservoirs, and (cooking) cauldrons fixed (in their places): ‘Work, family of Dawud, with thanks! But few of My slaves are grateful!’” [Holy Quran, 34:12-13]

What is the ‘Temple Mount’?

Temple Mount is the name given to the Masjid al Aqsa Sanctuary by members of the Jewish faith.

It is considered to be the holiest site in Judaism and is the place Jews turn towards during prayer. Due to Judiac religious understanding, many Jews will not walk on this site, to avoid unintentionally entering the area they consider the Holy of Holies, which they believe to be the location where a High Priest communicated directly with God.

Jewish veneration to the site arguably stems from the claim that it contains the ‘Foundation Stone’ which, according to the rabbis of the Talmud, was the supposed spot from where the world was created and expanded into its current form.

According to Jewish tradition, two temples were established at the site – the first was said to built by Solomon the son of David in 957 BCE and destroyed by the Babylonians in 586 BCE. The second was constructed under the auspices of Zerubbabel in 516 BCE and destroyed by the Roman Empire in 70 CE. In

The Western/Buraq Wall of Masjid al Aqsa is known by Jews as the Wailing Wall and is claimed to be a remnant of the Temple, considered by some rabbinical authorities to currently be the holiest accessible site for Jews to pray at.

Jews texts predict that the ‘Temple’ will be rebuilt at the site, with the coming of the ‘Jewish Messiah’. A number of extremist Jewish groups now advocate building the Temple without delay in order to bring to pass God’s “end-time prophetic plans for Israel and the entire world.”

From a Muslim perspective, the entire area of what is considered the ‘Temple Mount’, forms part of the Masjid al Aqsa compound. Masjid al Aqsa is not restricted to structures such as the black-domed Qibli mosque, or the golden domed Dome of the Rock mosque. Rather it is the land of the entire area that Islam considers holy and not the bricks and mortar.

Other masjids in Palestine

Great Mosque of Gaza

Otherwise known as the Great Omari Mosque, the Great Mosque of Gaza is one of the oldest and largest Masjids in the Gaza Strip, Palestine. The site of the Great Mosque of Gaza was originally a Byzantine church. However, it was renovated by the Ottoman Empire. The Great Mosque of Gaza covers an area of 4100 square metres.

Al Siksik Mosque

Situated in the city of Jaffa, Israel, the Al Siksik Mosque was constructed by the prominent Siksik family in the 1880s. Hajj Abd al-Qadir al-Siksik was the founder of the mosque. Al Siksik Mosque is the second Masjid to be built outside the walls of Jaffa. In 1919, Al Siksik Mosque was no longer being used as a place of worship and was transformed into a café in 1948, which was later closed.

White Mosque

White Mosque is situated in Ramle, Israel/Palestine. Constructed in the 18th century during the reign of Caliph Suleiman bin Abd al-Malik, the White Mosque is an ancient Umayyad-era Masjid. The rectangular mosque was built using white marble and is 93 metres in length and 84 metres in width. However, the White Mosque was destroyed in an earthquake in 1034, and all that’s left is a large square minaret.