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Jerusalem is one of the
greatest and most honourable cities in the world particularly
because it is the home
of most of the Prophets (peace be upon them all).
Al-Qazweeny describes it
as follows: “It is a famous city, the home of most Prophets and
messengers, the kiblah
of all faiths, and the home of Revelation, as well as the fact that
the Prophets prayed
there and the Angels have been all over the city.
” Moreover, Ben Al-Jawzy
said that most of the scholars agreed that Allah made
Jerusalem the kiblah
because every Prophet or Messenger was sent there since the
days of Adam, and
Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) prayed toward
Jerusalem. Consequently,
it has become the home of hopes and expectations for all
Muslims, especially the
Moors, throughout the Islamic ages. The history of the Moors in
the city has been
connected with Jerusalem because they believe in Islam, and
they
have been attracted by
the same ties which tied them to Mecca and Medina.
Most of them used to pass by the
city on their way to Mecca for pilgrimage, and the
scholarships to study in
Jerusalem were most honoured by their recipients. Jerusalem
has been the most
important academic and educational Islamic institute since it
was
conquered by the
Muslims. The Moors also came to defend the city against the
Crusaders. Scholars and
students come to it for education and learning, especially
from Morocco.
Why Were the Moors Left a Legacy in
Jerusalem?
Some may want to know
when the legacy of Saidi Abu Madein was established in
Jerusalem. To answer
this question, we should refer to what was reported by the
great
Muslim traveler, Ben Jubeir, who visited both East and West between 578H and 581 H. He
said that many Moors
had volunteered in the army of Noureddin Zenky, and they fought
well.
In the process, they
captured several castles and forts. He added that when Noureddin was
sick, he vowed to free
most of the captive Moors when and if he recovered from his
illness.
He fulfiled his vow, and
the Moors were allowed to return to their home after Saladin
defeated the Crusaders.
However, most of the Moors preferred to stay in Jerusalem to
defend Palestine against
any emergency.
When King Al-Afdal
succeeded his father, Saladin, to the throne of Damascus and then
Jerusalem five years
later in 589 H, he appropriated Al-Baqa’a, the area where the Moors
used to stay, to both
males and females to live and use its facilities. He also
established a
school named after
himself—Al-Afdalia—but the Moors decided to own the estate
because they realized
the coming dangers against the city. The Moors went to Jerusalem
mainly for seeking
knowledge and defending the city.
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