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Due to its theological
and religious status, Jerusalem had a very important place in the
life
of the Prophet Mohammad
himself.
In the year 620 almost
one-and-a-half years before his Hijra (migration) from Makkah to
Madinah the famous event
of Isra and Miraj (Night Journey and Ascension) occurred. One
night, in a miraculous
way, the Prophet was taken on a momentous journey from Makkah to
Jerusalem and then from
there to the heavenly celestial abodes.
The Night Journey was a
great miracle that Muslims believe was given to Prophet
Mohammad as an honor and
as a confirmation of Makkah's spiritual link with Jerusalem.
Both of these events
took place on the same night. The angel Gabriel took the Prophet
from
Makkah to Jerusalem.
There it is reported that the Prophet stood at the Sacred Rock
(al-Sakhrah al-Musharrafah),
went to the heavens, returned to Jerusalem and met with many
Prophets and Messengers
who were gathered together for him on that occasion and he led
them in prayers.
After these experiences
the Prophet was taken back to Makkah. The story of Isra and Miraj
is full of wonderful
signs and symbols. Muslim thinkers, mystics and poets have
interpreted
it in deep an meaningful
ways. There is, however, one essential point and that is it serves
as an example of every
Muslim's deep devotion and spiritual connection with Jerusalem.
During the Miraj, the
Prophet is reported to have received from Allah the command of five
daily prayers (Salah)
that all Muslims must perform. Upon his return to Makkah, the
Prophet
instituted these
prayers. It is significant to note that he made Jerusalem the
direction
(al-Qiblah) which
Muslims must face while doing their prayers. Jerusalem is thus
called Ula
al-Qiblatain (the First
Qiblah).
The Prophet and the
early community of Islam worshipped towards the direction of
Jerusalem during their
stay in Makkah. After the Hijra (migration), Muslims in Madinah also
continued to pray facing
Jerusalem for almost seventeen months. Then came AllahÕs
command to change the
direction of prayer from Jerusalem to Makkah (2:142 - 150).
Muslim commentators of
the Quran and historians have explained the meaning and purpose
of this change.
It is a lengthy subject
that we cannot discuss in detail here. Suffice it to say that the
change
of the Qiblah in no way
diminished the status of Jerusalem in Islam.
The Kaba in Makkah was
meant to be the Qiblah from the beginning, because the Quran
said that it was the
First House (Awwal Bait 3:96) established for mankind to worship the
One God.
The Kaba, however, was
full of idols when the Prophet Mohammad began preaching his
message to Tawhid (the
Oneness and Transcendence of Allah).
A separation had to be
made between the people and the pagan worship that they used to
perform at the Kaba.
Jerusalem served that purpose very well by distancing the people
from their pagan and
idolatrous associations.
Once monotheism was
fully established in the minds and hearts of the believers and once
the Kaba's position with
Abraham and with monotheism was made clear, the way was open
to restore the Kaba as
the direction of prayers.
There are many instances
of this type of change or abrogation ("naskh") in Islamic
legislation. As one
example, visiting graves was forbidden in the beginning of Mohammad
(peace and blessings be
upon him's messenger ship.
Later it was permitted
because Muslims had learned the difference between a grave visit
and ancestor worship. At
first, the Prophet forbade his people to write down his words
except when he told them
that what he was saying was revelation - the Quran, the Word of
Allah.
Later when people
learned the difference between the Quran and Hadith (sayings and
deeds of the Prophet),
he gave them permission to write Hadith as well.
It is interesting to
note that the Kaba in Makkah was the original direction of prayers
for all
the Prophets of Allah.
According to a Hadith,
the Black Stone (al-Hajar al-Aswad) had been in Makkah at the
place of Kaba since the
time of Adam. It was the Prophets Abraham and Ishmael who built
the Kaba under Allah's
command and direction (2:125 - 127).
The city of Jerusalem
was established as a religious center for the Israelite people by
the
Prophets David and
Solomon around the year 900 BC.
This was almost 1,000
years after the time of Prophet Abraham and the building of the
Kaba. Thus one can say
that the Kaba had a historical primacy over Jerusalem.
Furthermore, it is
important to note that the Bible says that the early Israelites in
Jerusalem
used to turn to the
southern direction when making their most sacred prayers and
offerings
(Exodus 27:9; 40:24).
The Kaba is in the southern direction of Jerusalem. Thus we can say
that the Kaba was also a
Qiblah for the earlier Israelite communities as well.
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