Ramadan asserts Muslim attachment to Jerusalem
By Khalid Amayreh • Sep 17th, 2009 at 11:38 • Category: Analysis, Culture and Heritage, Features, Khalid Amayreh, Newswire, Our Authors, Palestine, Religion, Resistance
WRITTEN BY KHALID AMAYREH in Jerusalem
As the month of Ramadan draws to a close, many Palestinians are devoting the last ten days of the holy month to gaining more spiritual enrichment through I’tikaf or uninterrupted spiritual engagement.
Many people are going for I’tikaf this year, motivated by a desire to gain Allah’s blessing and also encouraged by a relative relaxation of the normally harsh Israeli restrictions on the entry of Palestinians to al-Quds.
The Israeli occupation authorities this year allowed men over 50 and women over 45 to enter Jerusalem on Fridays. However, worshippers are still subjected to meticulous and often humiliating searches.
Palestinian worshippers on their way to Jerusalem at a checkpoint near Bethlehem
This, however, seems to have little bearing on the number of Muslims wanting to access the Haram al Sharif, or Noble Sanctuary, of Jerusalem.
Wakf officials estimate that an average of 200,000-250-000 Muslims prayed at the al-Aqsa esplanade every Friday. The number is expected to rise significantly on the last Friday of Ramadan, known in local folklore as “al Juma’a al Yatima” (the lone Friday)
According to Muslim traditions, reward for a single raka’a (a ritual posturing) at the Aqsa Mosque is multiplied 500 times. In Ramadan, the heavenly reward is multiplied 70 times.
Worshippers, withdrawing from worldly preoccupations, spend many hours reading the Quran, the literal words of God, making ritual prayers, and beseeching the Almighty for spiritual grace and blessing.
Islamic charities catering for the Mosque and the worshipers provide thousands of meals for the sunset meals marking the end of the day’s fast.
The charities also bring in worshippers who can’t afford the expenses of the trip.
Prior to sunset, the faithful sit down awaiting the Athan or call for prayer, marking the end of another fast’s day.
Allah is the most great,
I bear witness that there is no god but Allah.
I bear witness that Muhammed is the Messenger of God.
Come to prayer
Come to Prosperity
Allah is the Most Great.
There is only one God
Preparing for the evening meal at the Aqsa Mosque
As the timeless words, which include Islam’s articles of faith, are chanted through loudspeakers, the fasters take a few dates and a glass of water before performing the Maghrib (sunset) prayer in congregation. The prayers lasts for only 5-7 minutes, and each part begins with the recitation of Suratul Fatiha, or Opening chapter of the Quran:
In the name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.
Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the universe;
Most Gracious, Most Merciful;
Master of the Day of Judgment;
Thee do we worship, and Thy aid we seek;
Show us the straight way;
The way of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace;
Not those targeted by thy wrath, nor those who go astray.
Following the usually delicious meal, many people rest for an hour or so, awaiting the Tarawih prayers, which last for an hour during which a portion of the Quran’s 30 portions is recited. The entire Quran is recited in Tarawih prayer during the holy month.
Laylatul Qadr
The Ramadan spiritual season reaches its climax with Laylatul Qadr, translated as “the Night of Power,” or “Night of Destiny.”
This is the night during which the Almighty sent down the Quran to the lower heaven, before revealing it to the Prophet Muhammed verse-by-verse through the archangel Gabriel.
In the Quran, Laylatul Qadr is accentuated as an occasion of unmatched spiritual importance.
We have indeed revealed this (the Quran) in the Night of Power:
And what will explain to thee what the night of power is?
The Night of Power is better than a thousand months.
Therein come down the angels and the Spirit, by Allah’s permission, on every errand:
Peace!…This until the rise of dawn!
It is generally assumed it occurs on the 27th night of the holy month and Muslims are strongly recommended to spend the night in prayer, contemplation and supplication.
This is exactly what tens of thousands of Palestinians do. And as always, it is expected that many more thousands of people will be heading for al-Masjidul Aqsa to spend the night there in prayer and reflection.
Catering for the hundreds of thousands of worshippers are several organizations, including al-Aqsa Association for Waqf and Islamic Heritage, headed by Sheikh Ra’ed Salah, the prominent Palestinian Islamic leader and founder of the Islamic movement in Israel.
According to the organization’s spokesperson, Mahmoud Abu Atta, more than 100,000 meals have been donated through the charitable group by donors, mostly from the 1.5 million-strong Arab community across the Green Line ( Israel ).
Other donors, including the government of the United Arab Emirates, have also donated money covering hundreds of thousands of meals at al Masjidul Aqsa.
In addition, thousands of people are bussed to Jerusalem from all over occupied Palestine nearly free of charge in order to keep the place occupied.
Sheikh Ikrema Sabri, one of the chief khatibs (preachers) at the Aqsa Mosque lauded the “impressive influx” of Muslims to Islam’s third holiest place.
“Al hamdulillah (praise be to Allah), this is an important message to the Zionist occupiers of our country, that Muslims will never ever abandon this place of paramount sanctity, and that they will never allow those coveting this place and conspiring to destroy it to attain their sick goals.”
Sabri’s words are not only received well by the huge multitude but are also internalized as is evidenced by the obviously unmitigated attachment of Palestinians to the place.
One young man from a village near al-Khalil (Hebron) remarked that without al-Masjidul Aqsa and al-Quds, the entire Palestinian issue loses relevance.
“Al-Quds is the heart of Palestine, and the Aqsa Mosque is the heart of Jerusalem. Which means that the Mosque is the heart of the heart of Palestine. Hence, I can’t even imagine that Muslims would even contemplate letting it down.
“I am not speaking about stones and ancient buildings, I am speaking about the essence of the Islamic Umma’s religious and spiritual existence. Hence, I can’t even imagine how the Muslim Umma can live without al-Quds and al-Masjidul Aqsa.
“Can a person live without his heart?”
source: www.xpis.ps; Palestinian Information Center
Khalid Amayreh is a journalist based in the Occupied Palestinian town of Dura.
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Muslim attachment to Jerusalem is a fairy tale.
The world Jerusalem appears in the Bible over 800 times.
How many times does it appear in the Qur'an!? Eh, none!!!
But what is mentioned in the Qur'an is that Jerusalem as well as the Land of Israel belongs to the Jewish nation! Why do you deny what is said in your holy book!?
Is the word Jerusalem etymologically derived from Arabic or Hebrew!?
Robert, your argument is actually very stupid. To the Muslims of Palestine and the world, Jerusalem is an important site. To the Palestinians, it is the most important and holiest place, and that should have nothing to to with the fact that it is considered holy as well for Christians and Jews. It is the third holiest place in Islam, and as thus, should not be in any way desacrated by anyone nor should it be forbidden for Muslims, especially the Muslims of the Land of Palestine (from the river to the sea) to worship in their sacred place. No one has ever prohibted Jews from worshipping at the Kotel. Why would any human who dares to talk in religious terms want to deny the same to others who seek to worship at their holy places?
"Land of Palestine", what a joke
So you want to destroy a nation and a country, and establish a new one, empty of Jews, as is the Gaza strip.
How are you going to destroy Israel!? Oh, sorry, I forgot the Iranians, with nuclear weapons!
Now I have full understanding of the Israelis, and what they have to do to defend themselves.
As a Palestinian you're nothing but a Muslim genocider!
Hey, Mary,
I am told by a Jewish friend that "No one has ever prohibted Jews from worshipping at the Kotel" is completely untrue. And that Jews could not access the Kotel between the years 1948-1967, that the Kotel was desecrated, neglected and littered in the course of centuries of Muslim rule. Update your knowledge!
it seems obvious that mary is disinterested in responding to an ignorant retard who quotes a 'jewish' friend. you have never read the quran, and quote your 'jewish' friend and 'jewish' 'source', most probably.
hey..i have a jewish friend. clever guy, unlike yours or you for that matter. t
this clever jew goes by the name of gilad atzmon.
Gino and Robert, I can't be on line all the time. I am indeed not going to counter the ignorance of Robert who quotes a Jewish friend, however, it is untrue that Jews have been prohibited access to the Kotel especially between the years of 48 and 67! That would mean it was Israeli Jews prohibiting them from doing so, as it was under (and still is) the rule of Israel, and not anyone else. What about that famous picture of soldiers crying at the Kotel during the 6 day war?
Your "Jewish" source is more than a little ignorant, he or she is particularly blind.
Hey, ginosz
Name calling does not make you right. It only proves that you can't disprove what I have said!
You say: hey..i have a jewish friend.
As far as I know this Jewish friend of yours is not Jewish at all, at least not according to his views. And if you call him a friend of yours, you should respect his views.
“Right and wrong are the same in Palestine as anywhere else. What is peculiar about the Palestine conflict is that the world has listened to the party that has committed the offence and has turned a deaf ear to the victims." —Arnold Toynbee;
"The Israeli state is the aggressor and the occupier. The Palestinians are the victims. So who should recognize whom?" Khaled Meshal