The Virtue of Prayer at Al-Aqsa Mosque
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) highlighted the significance of praying at Al-Aqsa Mosque by stating that a prayer in his mosque is superior to four prayers in other mosques, declaring, “It is indeed an excellent prayer place.” In comparison, prayer at the Prophet’s Mosque is said to be equivalent to one thousand prayers; thus, it can be inferred that a prayer at Al-Aqsa Mosque is equal to two hundred and fifty prayers in any other mosque.
Merits of Al-Aqsa Mosque
Al-Aqsa Mosque is endowed with numerous virtues, including but not limited to:
- Being mentioned in the Holy Quran, where it is described as blessed along with its surroundings. Allah (SWT) states: “Glory be to Him 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.”
- It is referred to as a sacred space in other verses of the Quran.
- It served as the point of ascension for Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) during the miraculous Night Journey (Isra and Mi’raj), alongside the Angel Gabriel (peace be upon him), before their ascent to the heavens.
- Al-Aqsa Mosque is regarded as the first qibla for Muslims, who prayed towards it before the direction was changed to the Kaaba in Mecca.
- It is the second mosque established for worship on Earth and is the third mosque to which journeys are made exclusively.
- Visiting it with the intention of praying is associated with the forgiveness of sins by Allah’s permission.
The Sanctity of Jerusalem
It is undeniable that locations designated as ‘haram’ in Islam possess unique rulings; these include the prohibition of fighting, hunting animals and birds, and uprooting vegetation within these areas. Mecca has been declared a haram, and the Prophet’s Mosque has also been designated as such. However, scholars agree that Jerusalem is not classified as a haram; rather, it is a sacred and blessed city known for its many merits, but it does not impose the same restrictions as a haram regarding the aforementioned actions. Sheikh al-Islam Ibn Taymiyyah (may Allah have mercy on him) clarified that there is no designated area in either Al-Quds or Hebron that can officially be declared a haram.