Jerusalem the third holy city of Islam

Al-Aqsa mosque status as the third holy place of Islam extremely well established in the primary Islamic sources. Although Muslim do not claim exclusive spiritual right to the holy city. Jerusalem is dear to all three religions; Jew, Christian, and Islam. And battled for period of centuries by those religions.
The holy city in Jews always venerated as the holy temple, but the pagan Romans had given alteration to the Jews before the city came under the Muslim rule in 638 C.E. when the Roman Emperor Constantine embraced Christianity, the city was covered in Christian monuments. Although, Constantine did not allow Jew to built their monument but he permits them for visiting the city one a year on the payment of fee, so that, the monuments destruction could be recovered.
The Persian captured Jerusalem in 614 C.E. and massacring a dozen of Christians, but the Roman Emperor Heraclius later on, able to drive out the invaders and as the result many Jews are executed for having coalition with the invader, so, once again the city captured by the Christian.
With the massive expansion of Islamic Empire after the death of prophet, in the reign of the third Caliph, Umar bin Khattab, the Byzantines conceded Jerusalem to Muslim in 638 C.E. the Caliph it self accept it directly from the Christian patriarch, Sophronius. Umar did providing the safety for the Christian and allow them to perform their religious activities, but he did not accept the midday praying of Christian shrine, and give the reason that it would bring the in-Islamic way of teaching, and rather turning it into a place of Islamic worship.
Umar identified the explanation of Jerusalem as the significance religious place of Muslims. As it is mentioned in the Qur'an, to which the prophet had traveled in a night journey and in which he had assembled with all previous prophets, leading them in prayer, it was here that al-Aqsa mosque was built. The prophet than reported to have extending journey to the heavens, where the five daily prayers were obligated upon him and his followers by Allah. His ascension was from a large rock, which was discovered under a dung heap, indicating that the area of the sanctuary was of no significance to the other religious communities at that time. Umar ordered the area to be cleaned and performed the prayers there, building of the structure known as the Dome of the Rock commenced round about 688 C.E. on the order of Abd Malik ibn Al-Marwan, the fifth Caliph after Mu'awwiya.

The city of Jerusalem become known to Muslim as Bayt al-Maqdis or al-Quds (the holy city), it was there after the maintain of sacred site by the all Muslim Caliphs and rulers, from Abbasid right up to the Ottoman, where finally it was conquered by the British in the twentieth century. The city was under Muslim rule for thirteen centuries, with the exception crusader invaders, the crusaders captured the city and put no tolerance to the Muslims, Jews and even Christians it self who are the inhabitant of the place, the people were massacred in the name of Christ, but after ninety years the city was recaptured by Sultan Salahuddin al-Ayyubi in 1187 C.E. Saladin displayed remarkable tolerance not only to the Jews, but the Christians as well. And under his rule, the Jewish community once again thrived in the city, finding the safety from the persecution there. It is important to note that there is no adequate rule for the Muslim and Jews for their prayer during the conquest time of Arab rule, the Wailing Wall is placed only after the Saladin's reconquest. This wall was identified as the Western wall of the al-Aqsa compound; Jews from there on frequented the place to pray. This act of devotion was tolerated by the Muslim ruler of Jerusalem, even after the establishment of Jewish state of Israel in occupied Palestine. What was initially a gesture of tolerance came to be held by some faithful Jews as an absolute right, not merely of access but ultimately of possession.
United Nations attempts to accord the city of Jerusalem international status, with equal access for all there faith groups, has up until now been unsuccessful. What Jerusalem need today is the tolerance and foresight of a modern day "Umar or Saladin"; a leader with the temperament to show equal respect to all three faiths and uphold the sanctity of Jerusalem to the benefit of all.

Written By Romi Adetio S

Graduate Student of Aligarh Muslim University, India.