Allah Almighty made Al-Aqsa Mosque(1st qibla of muslim) a special place in the hearts of Muslims. It is the first muslim qibla in the first prophetic era, and it is the place that Allah Almighty honored by making it the end of the journey of His Noble Prophet,our Master Muhammad, may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him and his family, and the beginning of his ascension to the highest heavens.
In this blessed place(mosque al quds), Allah gathered all the prophets, led by our master, the Messenger of Allah, may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him and his family, and led them in prayer as an imam. This would be an announcement of the complete caliphate for him.
May Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him and his family, and the completion of the Prophet’s House with the Seal of the Messengers. Through our article, we will learn about a quick historical overview regarding the 1st qibla of muslim.
The first qibla for Muslims
Our Master Muhammad – may Allah bless him and grant him peace – was praying towards mosque al quds since he was sent as a prophet, and he continued to do so throughout the period he spent in Mecca.
When he – may Allah bless him and grant him peace – was praying facing the two qiblahs; The Holy House/mosque al quds and the Holy Kaaba, and he used to pray between them to the south, heading to the north.
But after his migration to Medina, he was unable to pray as he used to do in Mecca, so he ordered the Muslims to face their prayers towards the Holy House mosque al quds.
They continued this for approximately seventeen months; That is, from their arrival in Medina until a short period before the Battle of Badr, and this is according to scholarly agreement, then Allah Almighty revealed the command to turn to the Kaaba.
The qibla of our master Abraham – peace and blessings be upon him. The Holy House mosque al quds is considered one of the symbols of Islam, and one of its rituals, and Muslims must protect and defend it. About him from the defiled
Where is the first qibla for Muslims located?
1st qibla of muslim is located in the southeastern part of the Old City of Jerusalem, which is located almost in the center of Palestine. It is located on a high plateau called the Moriah Plateau. mosque al quds includes everything within the wall of the Old City of Jerusalem, and includes all of the Dome of the Rock.
With its golden dome that It is pleasing to the beholder, and it is located in the heart of the wall, and the Al-Qibli Mosque with its leaden dome, located at its southernmost point in the direction of the Qiblah, in addition to about two hundred other landmarks, between mosques, terraces, corridors, buildings, terraces, and courtyards.
Convert the Qibla
After approximately seventeen months had passed since the migration to Medina, Allah Almighty commanded that the muslim qibla be turned towards the Holy Kaaba. He, may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him, liked to turn to the Holy Kaaba the islamic qibla in prayer.
So that the Jews would not agree with their Qiblah, and because the Holy Kaaba is The muslim qibla of our Master Ibrahim – peace and blessings be upon him – in addition to his desire to change the islamic qibla to it in order to attract the hearts of the Arabs so that they would enter Islam.
The first to stand up and pray facing the Holy Kaaba was Abu Saeed bin Al-Mu’alla and his companion, after they heard the Messenger of Allah – may Allah bless him and grant him peace – addressing the people about changing the direction of the islamic qibla, and thus they were the first to pray towards it. Then the Messenger of Allah stood up and prayed the noon prayer with the people.
The majority of scholars have unanimously agreed that turning the islamic qibla was in the middle of the month of Rajab, and there are some weak opinions that it was in the middle of Shaban. As for the first prayer performed facing the Kaaba, there is disagreement over it.
It was said that it was the noon prayer, and it was said that it was the afternoon prayer. Where he – may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him – was praying with his companions, and after he prayed two rak’ahs among them.
Gabriel descended upon him with a command from Allah to turn the qiblah away, so he – may Allah’s prayers and peace be upon him – turned towards the Kaaba and his companions followed him, and thus the qiblah was turned.
What is the wisdom behind turning the qiblah?
Some scholars mentioned the wisdom of turning the 1st qibla of muslim towards the Holy Kaaba, and they evidenced it through the noble verse: (قد نرى تقلُّب وجهك في السماء فلنولِّينَّك قبلة ترضاها). Because the Messenger – may Allah bless him and grant him peace – liked to pray facing the Kaaba, so Allah Almighty revealed this verse and ordered people to face towards it.
Some scholars, including Mujahid, Al-Dahhak, Al-Suddi, and Qatada, also mentioned that turning to the Kaaba was in order to put an end to the words of the Jews about the fact that the Messenger – peace and blessings be upon him – just as he shared with them in the Qiblah.
Might also share with them in religion, and that turning the muslim qibla is an indication of the transfer of the Imamate. From the children of Israel who lived in the Levant and Jerusalem to the Arabs in the Hijaz, and because Hajj is linked to the Holy Kaaba, it was appropriate to face the Kaaba in prayer as well.
Allah – Glory be to Him – has made it clear in His Noble Book that turning the 1st qibla of muslim was a test in order to distinguish the true believer from the hypocrite. Allah Almighty says: (وَما جَعَلْنَا الْقِبْلَةَ الَّتِي كُنْتَ عَلَيْها إِلَّا لِنَعْلَمَ مَنْ يَتَّبِعُ الرَّسُولَ مِمَّنْ يَنْقَلِبُ عَلى عَقِبَيْهِ وَإِنْ كانَتْ لَكَبِيرَةً إِلَّا عَلَى الَّذِينَ هَدَى اللَّهُ وَما كانَ اللَّهُ لِيُضِيعَ إِيمانَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِالنَّاسِ لَرَؤُفٌ رَحِيمٌ) As for the believers, they said: (آمَنَّا بِهِ كُلٌّ مِنْ عِنْدِ رَبِّنَا) and it was not big or difficult for them.
As for those in whose hearts there is doubt, uncertainty, and hypocrisy, they said that if the 1st qibla of muslim in Islam was the correct one, then he abandoned it, and thus he was abandoning the correct thing. But if the second islamic qibla was the correct one, then this indicates that the 1st qibla of muslim was invalid, and that is to cast doubt on the commands of Allah- Glory be to Him – and His wisdom.
What is the importance of Al-Aqsa Mosque in Islam?
In addition to the great historical status that mosque al quds enjoys, there is great importance to mosque al quds in Islam, for the following reasons:
The oldest mosques on earth
mosque al quds is the oldest mosque ever built on Earth is the Grand Mosque. It was reported that the first one to build mosque al quds was Adam – peace be upon him – and it was said that it was Solomon – peace be upon him.
And it was said that the angels built it forty years after they had finished building the Grand Mosque, and all narrations are permissible and bear aspects of validity. It is possible that the angels laid the foundation of the mosque al quds, and both Adam and Solomon – peace be upon them – built the mosque on the foundation laid by the angels.
The first of the two Qiblahs, the third of the two Holy Mosques, and the Prophet’s place of pilgrimage
mosque al quds is located in Jerusalem, and it was called Al-Aqsa because of the distance that separates it from the Sacred Mosque in Mecca. Allah Almighty honored mosque al quds and honored it with several virtues, as follows:
- mosque al quds is the 1st qibla of muslim. As Muslims used to direct their qiblah towards mosque al quds when they prayed, until the qiblah was changed in the second year of the Hijra and became towards the Sacred House in Mecca.
- mosque al quds is the third of the Two Holy Mosques after the Grand Mosque and the Prophet’s Mosque. mosque al quds is explicitly mentioned in the Holy Quran; He is the Messenger of His Messenger – may Allah bless him and grant him peace.
Blessing Al-Aqsa Mosque and its surroundings
Allah Almighty described mosque al quds in His saying: (الَّذي بارَكنا حَولَهُ); Because of several things, as follows:
- Allah has permitted blessing within the sanctuary of the mosque al quds due to the abundance of Muslims worshiping there and their going to it to perform prayers and acts of worship.
- Jerusalem is distinguished by the fact that it was the cradle of many of the messages of previous prophets.
- The mosque al quds is the landing place of angels and revelation.
- That the creation will be gathered there on the Day of Resurrection.
- The blessing is inherent in the nature of Jerusalem, as it has good means of living due to its proximity to rivers and sources of fruits. Its residents enjoy a pleasant living by providing their food and growing their businesses.
- The blessing that mosque al quds enjoys is the blessing of this world and the hereafter.
The Sect of Truth is present in it and it is an endowment for Muslims
It is mentioned in the narrations that there is a group that remains true and righteous and never changes and nothing harms them because of their adherence to Islam, the religion of truth.
They are steadfast, fighting the enemies of the religion and preserving the sanctities from enemies and lurkers. It has been said that this group is among those who live in Jerusalem, and the surrounding areas of the Levant, it was said that Damascus.
With the occurrence of the Isra Journey and the arrival of the Seal of the Prophets Muhammad – may Allah bless him and grant him peace – and his descent in mosque al quds and his prayers as an imam following the previous prophets, mosque al quds gained a great place for Muslims, and after Omar bin Al-Khattab – may Allah be pleased with him.
Conquered Jerusalem during his caliphate and he and a number of companions of the Messenger of Allah prayed in mosque al quds. Allah – peace be upon him – like Abu Ubaidah and others, assumed the mosque al quds an important role in the life of every Muslim, and its importance increased and it was considered a general endowment for all Muslims.
Conclusion
The mosque al quds has a great and important status among Muslims, as it is the 1st qibla of muslim and the second mosque placed on earth after the Grand Mosque, and it is the first of the two muslim qibla and the third of the two Holy Mosques, and it is the resting place of the Messenger – peace be upon him.
