Masjid Al-Aqsa

and its Significance in Islam

Applied Islam Task 4
Ahmed Nabeel | Ibrahim Rasool
What we are going to cover
Introduction
to the Masjid
A quick introduction to
what the Masjid al-Aqsa is,
and some of its virtues.
Relation to
Isra al-Miraj
We will go over the relation to
the Prophet’s Night Journey
and how it makes Masjid Al-
Aqsa important.
History
and Cultural Importance
We will briefly go over the history
of Masjid al-Aqsa, and then dive
deeper into the cultural
importance of the mosque,
particularly in reference to the
Palestinian cause.
Introduction to Masjid Al-Aqsa
Located in the heart of Jerusalem, Masjid Al-Aqsa is the third
holiest site in Islam. There are many ahadith that outline it’s
virtues and importance. Some its virtues include:
It was the original Qiblah of the Muslims
It was the second Mosque ever built on Earth
A single prayer in it is worth 500
it is the burial place of Musa AS
The place of the Isra’ al-Miraj
“Glory be to Him who carried His servant by night from Al Masjid
Al Haram to Al Masjid Al Aqsa; the environs of which We have
blessed, that We might show him some of Our signs. Indeed He is
the Hearing, the Seeing.”

Surah Isra (17:1)

Al-Isra Al-Miraj - The
Night Journey
Quick History of Masjid
Al-Aqsa
1. Walls Originally Laid about
40 years after the building
of Masjid Al-Haram
2. In the hands of Bani Israel for
most of the time during the time
of their Prophets
3. Conquered by Umar R.A’s
army, lead by Abu Obaida, in 637
4. Present-day Mosque built by
the fifth Umayyad caliph, Caliph
Abd al-Malik
5. Era of the Crusades - partly
ruled by the Christians
5. Era of the Crusades - partly
ruled by the Christians
6. Re-conquest of Jerusalem by
Salahuddin Al-Ayyubi
7. In the hands of the Muslims
until WW1
8. Conquest by the British
during WW1 and creation of the
British Mandate
9. Despite the creation of the
illegitamate terrorist state of
Israel in 1948, it remained in
Muslim hands until the 1967
Arab-Israeli war.
Cultural Significance of
Masjid Al-Aqsa
Cultural Significance of Masjid Al-Aqsa
As outlined earlier in this powerpoint, Masjid Al-Aqsa is
extremely important for Muslims and holds great spiritual and
historical significance.

It is globally considered a symbol for the Palestinian cause and

is often seen as imagery for resistance groups, international
solidarity etc.
References
https://www.visitmasjidalaqsa.com/islamic-history-of-al-masjid-al-aqsa/
https://www.britannica.com/topic/Al-Aqsa-Martyrs-Brigades
https://muslim.sg/articles/isra-mi-raj-the-miraculous-night-journey-of-the-
chosen-one
https://www.wionews.com/world/taliban-builds-its-own-al-aqsa-mosque-in-
kabul-in-hopes-of-liberating-jerusalem-652224
https://dannythedigger.com/al-aqsa-
mosque/#:~:text=History%20of%20Al%2DAqsa%20Mosque&text=The%20Al%20
Aqsa%20Mosque%20was,several%20times%20due%20to%20earthquakes.