Sheikh Ra'ed Salah, the leader of the Islamic movement in the occupied Palestinian lands, strongly criticised Israel’s plans to divide Al-Aqsa Mosque between Muslims and Jews in order to build a temple on the ruins of Islam’s third holiest sites.
Salah turned to Arab kings and leaders urging them to prevent Israel from dividing the Al-Aqsa Mosque, which commonly refers to the southern congregational mosque that is part of the complex of religious buildings in Jerusalem known as Al-Haram al-Qudsi al-Sharif to Muslims, although the whole area of the Noble Sanctuary is considered Al-Aqsa Mosque.
Its congregation building can accommodate about 5,000 people worshipping inside it, while the whole Al-Aqsa Mosque compound area may accommodate hundreds of thousands.
Al-Aqsa is considered one of the holiest sites in Islam for many reasons among which is the fact that it is the site where Prophet Mohammed (PBUH) ascended to heaven during Isra and Mi'raj in addition to the fact that it was the first qibla and basically the second house of Allah (SWT) after the Kaaba in the holy city of Makkah.
In a letter to Arab kings and leaders, Sheikh Salah urged all Muslims to torpedo "Israel's plan that aims at dividing the Al-Aqsa Mosque between Muslims and Jews whereas in the Jewish part it plans to build its imaginary temple."
"It was essential to write you this letter after it became clear to me and to all our people in occupied Jerusalem and its environs that the IOA persistently seeks to impose by armed force the division of the Aqsa Mosque between Muslims and Jews as a fait accompli policy, without declaring it", Sheikh Salah wrote.
He also said that some Jewish groups enter Al-Aqsa Mosque daily, and perform their religious rituals inside it, adding that whoever opposes this daily violation against the Mosque is either arrested or is banned from entering the holy site for days or months, even if he is one of the guards or employees of the Islamic endowment.
Sheikh Salah also cited many other Israeli violations against the holy mosque, such as allowing many tourists, some of them wearing indecent clothes, to enter the Mosque escorted by Israeli tourist guides as well as how Israeli occupation forces prevent Palestinian citizens from praying inside the complex.
He even said that Israeli officials summoned some of his colleagues and told them openly: "We defeated you in 1967 and we have begun to divide the Aqsa Mosque as we have previously divided the Ibrahimi Mosque in Al-Khalil; we believe that the Haram Al-Sharif is only the Aqsa Mosque's building, Dome of the Rock and Marwani mosque (Old Aqsa Mosque), whereas the rest of the buildings, squares and internal areas are public places and will stay under our control."
For years, the Temple Mount was a conflicting area between Jews and Muslims.
While the Jews claim that the Temple Mount is one of the sites that was legally purchased by their ancestors and therefore remains the legitimate property of the Jewish people only, Sheikh Raed Salah clarified that Al-Aqsa Mosque, including all of its area and alleys above the ground and under it, is exclusive and absolute Muslim property, and no one else has any rights to even one grain of earth in it.
However, Muslims never deny that that the Temple Mount is holy to Jews as well, which is probably attributed to the fact that Islam asked all Muslims to respect all prophets and their holy places.
What Sheikh Salah is demanding is that Israel keeps at least part of the holy sites’ remains to Muslims and respects Islam as much as the holy faith respects other religions.
Source:turkishweekly