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For Judaism: The holy land for Judaism is Israel (see Deuteronomy 11:11-12), and the holy city is Jerusalem.


Jerusalem is the center of Judaism. It is important to Jews because it was chosen by God (Zechariah 3:2). It was the site of the Akeidah (Binding of Isaac, in Genesis ch.22) and was later the seat of the Davidic Kings, when King David, Israel's greatest king, founded the dynasty that ruled Judah for much of its history, making Jerusalem the capital of the United Kingdom of Israel during his reign and that of his son, King Solomon.

Most importantly, it was the location of the First and Second Temples, where offerings were made to God and where His presence dwelt in the Holy of Holies (1 Kings ch.8) and was manifested in a number of miracles (Mishna, Avot ch.5).
Jerusalem is called the holy city by the prophets (Isaiah 52:1). It was where Jews would go three times a year to celebrate the holiest festivals (Deuteronomy ch.16). Even after the destruction of the Temple, the Temple Mount and adjacent Western ("Wailing") Wall, which still stands, is the holiest site in Judaism. It is hoped and prophesied (Ezekiel ch.40-44) that one day a third temple will be rebuilt in Jerusalem and that the Messiah will come to it.

Jerusalem has become representative of the connection with the Divine. Jerusalem is also seen as the source of Divine Law, as demonstrated in many Jewish prayers: "Ki miTziyon tetze Torah udvar Hashem miYerushalayim - From Zion comes the Torah and the Word of God from Jerusalem" (Isaiah 2:3). Jerusalem is also representative of the Redemption of the Jewish people from their physical and spiritual exile, because this exile causes the melancholy that the Jewish people experience by being apart from God's presence. The Redemption, which Jews believe will be brought by the Messiah, will result in the Jewish people returning to Jerusalem.

According to ancient Hebrew tradition, Jerusalem is the site where God took the very earth from which Adam, the first man, was formed (midrash Rabbah 14:8). Read Genesis carefully; Adam was not created in the garden of Eden; he was taken there. Jerusalem, because it is the first place on Earth where the spirit of God dwelt, is considered a direct link to God.

Judaism is the oldest monotheistic religion and Jerusalem has been its only holy site for over 3000 years. King Solomon's Temple in Jerusalem was destroyed by invading Babylonians, and rebuilt at the same site (known as the Temple Mount) about 2500 years ago. It was then destroyed again when the Romans conquered Judea about 2000 years ago, killing a million Jews. All Jews who value their heritage feel ties to Jerusalem and the holy land, where so many of their people struggled for the freedom to practice Judaism. At the same time, Jews believe that all people should be welcome there, regardless of faith.

Jerusalem is the eternal Jewish city, and a symbol of a future time of peace. Jerusalem is also the focal point of prayer of the Jews. When they pray, wherever they are, they face towards Jerusalem (Talmud, Berakhot 30a), with love and longing. The sentiment is aptly expressed in Psalm 137: "By the waters of Babylon, there we sat and wept as we remembered Zion....If I forget you, Jerusalem, let my right hand forget its wisdom." For thousands of years we remembered our exile and prayed for its end. Now at least we can do so from "up close."

See also the Related Links.

Link: The Promised Land

Link: The Western Wall

Link: Destruction and Diaspora

Link: Beauty of Jerusalem

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From Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jerusalem_in_Islam):

(It is where Muhammad rose to Paradise)apex

Jerusalem in Islam is considered a sacred city,[1] and has played a significant role in the faith. The al-Aqsa mosque of Jerusalem is considered the third holiest site in Islam, after the mosques of al-Haram and al-Nabawi. Also in particular:

  • It is strongly associated with people regarded as Prophets of Islam - in particular, David, Solomon, and Jesus;
  • It was the first qibla (direction of prayer) in Islam, before the Kaaba in Mecca;
  • Muhammad is believed to have been taken by the miraculous steed Buraq to visit Jerusalem, where he prayed, and then to visit heaven, in a single night in the year 620. The Qur'anic verse (17:1) is interpreted by all widely used tafsirs (commentaries) as referring to this journey, with the term "the farthest Mosque" (al-masjid al-Aqsa) referring to the Noble Sanctuary in Jerusalem, where the mosque stands:

سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَى بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلاً مِّنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الأَقْصَى الَّذِي بَارَكْنَا حَوْلَهُ

Subhana al-lazei asra b-abdihi laylan mmina al-masjidi al-haram ila al-masjidi al-aqsa al-lazei barakna haolah

" Glory to He (God) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless (Yusuf Ali's translation). "

They also like darthvader

-Qur'an, [Qur'an 17:1]


The Muslims believe in all the Prophets (May peace be upon them all). They also believe in all the holy books including Zaboor, Torah, The Bible, the Qur'an. Many of the holy Prophets are buried in Jerusalem. The last Prophet of Islam Hazrat Muhammad Mustafa (SAW) led the prayer offered by all the Prophets at Al-Aqsa Mosque. The Muslims had been offering prayer facing Al-Aqsa Mosque for many years. The holy Prophet (SAW) ascended on his Heavenly Journey (Mi'araj) from Al-Aqsa Mosque. Thus for these reasons Jerusalem is important and sacred for the Muslims. Jerusalem is important to Muslims because it is where Muhammad rose to paradise.

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Universal Answers

It is so important because it is where their faiths started and it contain holy lands. God also chose Jerusalem as His own. Three religions in the world have chosen Jerusalem to be there holy land these are Muslims, Jews and Christians. Many people go there every year and there are many riots and arguments about people's religions.

Jerusalem is very significant to all God's People and is considered Holy Land by the 3 major religions in the world, the Judaism, Islam and Christianity. These 3 religious groups came from one family, the family of Abraham.

Jewish Answers

Jerusalem has been the Jewish Capital since BCE 1500 when David Captured it from the Jebusites. It was destroyed in AD73 by the Romans who then expelled the Jews from the land.

The Jews when they pray, wherever they are on the surface of the earth face towards Jerusalem. Jerusalem is the focal point of prayer of the Jews. In Hebrew the focal point of prayer is called Misrach, where the Temple mentioned is the bible when one time as mentioned in the New Testament where Jesus preached.

Jerusalem was named Jerusalem by King David when he made it the capital. Jerusalem is the location of Judaism most sacred site, the Temple Mount which is where the two Temples were located and the city is the centre of Judaism.

Jerusalem is the eternal Jewish city, and a symbol of a future time of peace. It is a symbol of zionism, a hopeful yearning to be free in our own land. Jews believe that all people, Muslims, Jews, Christians, and everyone else should be welcome there, regardless of faith.

Jerusalem figures prominently in Jewish prayers, and feels the heart with hope and the soul with longing.

Exclusivist Jewish Answers

The Palestinians have no claim of it as their capital prior to 1967 with the formation of the P.L.O.

In addition, Islam makes clear that the Land of Israel (and by default, Jerusalem) belongs to the Jewish people. The clearest evidence for this comes in Surat al-Ma'ida Lines 5:20-21, where God gives the Jewish People Israel. Note that those who condemn Jewish presence in the Land of Israel use historical or hadith-based rationale where in Islamic Circles, Quranic teaching is always superior.

The referenced lines of the Qur'an state (Sahih International Translation):

And [mention, O Muhammad], when Moses said to his people, "O my people, remember the favor of Allah upon you when He appointed among you prophets and made you possessors and gave you that which He had not given anyone among the worlds. O my people, enter the Holy Land which Allah has assigned to you and do not turn back [from fighting in Allah 's cause] and [thus] become losers."

Christian Answers

Jesus said when the Jews and Gentiles come together one to another that will be the beginning signs of His return to earth - Gentiles meaning non-Jewish people and Muslims as well as Christians. As it will be Christians who will introduce the Jewish people to our LORD Jesus Christ as the MESSIAH and as their eyes are opened from spiritual blindness to reveal the Truth an the Light of GOD opens their hearts and minds, they shall come to know through the Gentiles that His Son JESUS CHRIST and GOD are one and the same. As the Jews come to believe, it is then the HOLY SPIRIT enters into their hearts, minds and souls. That is the beginning of Jesus' returning to the earth as He prepares His people & all living things on His earth. The World will never end and all God's children will be saved. Those who are not or have unbelief will perish from His sight and from earth.

Jerusalem is significant to Christians as this is the place where Jesus was crucified. Jesus went to Jerusalem as it was the Passover, and it was Jewish tradition to visit the temple there prior to Passover. Thus he was crucified close to the Passover.

The Christians also considered Jerusalem Holy Land because that is where Jesus was crucified.

Christian Prophecies

Isaiah 43:5-6 Fear not: for I [am] with thee: I will bring thy seed from the east (mizrach), and gather thee from the west (ma'arav). I will say to the north, Give up; and to the south, keep not back: bring my sons from far, and my daughters from the ends of the earth.

Explanation of Isaiah 43:5-6: Fear not: for I [am] with thee: I will bring thy seed (seed of Abraham, Jews, Muslims and Christians) from the Mizrach (those who considered Jerusalem their own i.e. Jews, Muslims and Christians) and gather thee from the sunset (the time when elder Jews, Muslims and Christians lie in the graveyard or have passed away). The Jews and the Muslims when they pray they face east towards Jerusalem. So their front is facing the east, their back is facing the west, their left shoulder is facing the north and their right shoulder is facing the south. Now, us, humans have 2 guardian angels. On our right shoulder resides the good angel and on our left shoulder reside the bad angel.

God will say to the north which is the left shoulder where the bad angel resides give up, go away and God will say to the south which is the right shoulder where the good angel resides keep not back: I will bring my sons and daughter from all over the surface of the earth from east to west, from north to south (ends of the earth) to the Place called Judgement Hall.

The Biblical Passage was written before the advent of Christianity. It is a prophecy, so it has a beginning but it is continuous up to the present and up to the future until it is fulfilled.

Moslem Answers

Jerusalem is significant to Muslims as it is where Mohammed (Blessing upon him) was taken to heaven, (same as Jesus) Hence the building of the Dome of the Rock.

The Muslims, at one time in history, made Jerusalem their focal point of prayer similar to the Jews. But later on, they decided to move their focal point of prayer to Mekka in Saudi Arabia, because of the power-base which began to reside in Mekka and the holiness of the Ka'aba. But still the Muslims considered Jerusalem their Holy Land, just like Mecca and Medina.

The Dome of the Rock is in Jerusalem and it is the greatest achievement in the history of architecture. The Dome of the Rock is on Temple Mount and it is decorated with a huge golden dome and with glass mosaics with pictures of trees and flowers meaning to be how paradise might look like. The reason why it is so important to Muslims is because the spent many years trying to build the temple and it has the footprint of Prophet Mohammed (pbuh).

The Rock inside the Dome is believed to have the footprint of the Prophet Mohammed (pbuh). The Muslims evidence id that when you go inside the Dome you can see the footprints and fingerprints, these imprints are believed to come from the Prophet (pbuh) before he ascended to the sky. The reason why this is important to Muslims is because it reminds them of the story of the 'Night Journey' and they want to feel closer to the Prophet (pbuh).

The 'The Night Journey' was situated in Jerusalem. The most detailed version of the story is in the Koran, it is about Prophet Mohammed (pbuh) told to go on a journey at night with a winged horse and an angel called Gabriel. The reason why this story is important to Muslims because that was where their blessing of five prayers a day came from, so they want to be closer to where the story came from.

Islam teaches that Muhammad visited the Temple Mount in a dream.

Exclusivist Moslem Answers

Firstly: with regard to the importance of Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem), you should know - may Allaah bless you -that the virtues of Bayt al-Maqdis are many:

- Allaah has described it in the Qur'aan as being blessed. He said (interpretation of the meaning): "Glorified (and Exalted) be He (Allaah) Who took His slave (Muhammad) for a journey by night from Al-Masjid Al-Haraam (at Makkah) to Al-Masjid Al-Aqsaa (in Jerusalem), the neighbourhood whereof We have blessed…" [al-Israa' 17:1]. Al-Quds is part of the neighbourhood surrounding the mosque and hence it is blessed.

- Allaah has described it as being holy, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): "[Moosa said:] O my people! Enter the holy land (Palestine) which Allaah has assigned to you…" [al-Maa'idah 5:21]

- In al-Quds there is al-Masjid al-Aqsaa, and one prayer there is equivalent to two hundred and fifty prayers elsewhere.

It was reported that Abu Dharr (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: we were discussing, in the presence of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), which of them was more virtuous, the mosque of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or Bayt al-Maqdis. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: One prayer in my mosque is better than four prayers there, but it is still a good place of prayer. Soon there will come a time when if a man has a spot of land as big as his horse's rope from which he can see Bayt al-Maqdis, that will be better for him than the whole world. (Narrated and classed as saheeh by al-Haakim, 4/509. Al-Dhahabi and al-Albaani agreed with him, as stated in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, at the end of the discussion of hadeeth no. 2902).

One prayer in al-Masjid al-Nabawi is equivalent to one thousand prayers elsewhere, so one prayer in al-Masjid al-Aqsaa is equivalent to two hundred and fifty prayers elsewhere.

With regard to the famous hadeeth which says that prayer in al-Masjid al-Aqsaa is equivalent to five hundred prayers elsewhere, this is da'eef (weak). (See Tamaam al-Minnah [?] by Shaykh al-Albaani - may Allaah have mercy on him - p. 292).

- The one-eyed Dajjaal ("Antichrist") will not enter it, because of the hadeeth, "He will prevail over all the earth, apart from al-Haram [in Makkah] and Bayt al-Maqdis." (Narrated by Ahmad, 19665. Classed as saheeh by Ibn Khuzaymah, 2/327, and Ibn Hibbaan, 7/102).

- The Dajjaal will be killed close to al-Quds. He will be killed by the Messiah 'Eesa ibn Maryam (peace be upon him), as was stated in the hadeeth: "The son of Maryam will kill the Dajjaal at the gates of Ludd." (Narrated by Muslim, 2937, from the hadeeth of al-Nawwaas ibn Sam'aan). Ludd (Lod) is a place near Bayt al-Maqdis.

- The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) was taken to Bayt al-Maqdis on his Night Journey (al-Israa') from al-Masjid al-Haraam to al-Masjid al-Aqsaa. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): "Glorified (and Exalted) be He (Allaah) Who took His slave (Muhammad) for a journey by night from Al-Masjid Al-Haraam (at Makkah) to Al-Masjid Al-Aqsaa (in Jerusalem)…" [al-Israa' 17:1].

- It (al-Quds) was the first qiblah of the Muslims, as was reported by al-Baraa' (may Allaah be pleased with him): the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) prayed in the direction of Bayt al-Maqdis for sixteen or seventeen months. (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 41 - this version was narrated by him - and by Muslim, 525).

- It is the place where Wahy (Revelation) came down, and it is the homeland of the Prophets. This is well known.

- It is one of the mosques to which people may travel.

Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: "No journey should be made except to three mosques, al-Masjid al-Haraam, Masjid al-Rasool (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and Masjid al-Aqsaa." (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1132. Also narrated by Muslim, 827, from the hadeeth of Abu Sa'eed al-Khudri, with the words, "Do not travel except to…").

- The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) led the Prophets in one prayer in al-Aqsaa, as reported in the lengthy hadeeth: "… Then the time for prayer came, and I led them in prayer." (Narrated by Muslim, 172, from the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah).

It is not permissible to travel to any spot on earth for the purpose of worshipping there, except these three mosques.

Secondly:

The fact that Ya'qoob (peace be upon him) built al-Masjid al-Aqsaa does not mean that the Jews have more right to the mosque than the Muslims, because Ya'qoob was a monotheist and the Jews are mushrikeen. The fact that their father Ya'qoob built the mosque does not mean that it belongs to them. He built it for the monotheists to worship in it, even if they were not his children, and he did not allow the mushrikeen to enter it, even if they are his children, because the call of the Prophets has nothing to do with race; it is based on taqwaa (piety, awareness of Allaah).

Thirdly:

Your saying that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) led the previous Prophets in prayer to signify the unity of the message and all divine revelations is correct from the point of view of the origin of the religion and 'aqeedah (belief) of the Prophets. All of the Prophets received their Message from one source, which was the Wahy (Revelation), and they all had the same 'aqeedah, which was the belief in Tawheed (absolute unity of Allaah) and the worship of Allaah Alone, even though there were differences in the details of their laws. This was confirmed by our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) when he said: "I am the closest of mankind to 'Eesaa ibn Maryam in this world and in the Hereafter. The Prophets are brothers although they have different mothers, and their religion is one." (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3259; Muslim, 2365).

The phrase "brothers although they have different mothers" means brothers who have the same father but different mothers, i.e., they are the children of co-wives.

Here we would caution readers against believing that the Jews, Christians and Muslims are following the same principles nowadays, because the Jews have changed the religion of their Prophet. Indeed, part of the religion of their Prophet is that they should follow our Prophet and not reject him, but they disbelieve in the Prophethood of Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and associate others in worship with Allaah.

Fourthly:

The Jews do not have any stake in al-Quds, because even though they may have lived in the land previously, that land now belongs to the Muslims from two points of view:

1. The Jews disbelieved and are no longer following the religion of the believers among the Children of Israel who followed and supported Moosa and 'Eesaa (peace be upon them).

2. We Muslims have more right to it than them, because land does not belong to the people who lived there first, but to those who establish the laws of Allaah therein. Allaah created the land, and He created people to worship Allaah in the land and to establish therein the religion, laws and rulings of Allaah. Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): "… Verily, the earth is Allaah's. He gives it as a heritage to whom He wills of His slaves; and the (blessed) end is for the Muttaqoon (the pious)." [al-A'raaf 7:128]

Hence if some Arabs came who were not followers of Islam and they ruled the land with kufr, they would have to be fought until they submitted to the rule of Islam or were killed.

It is not the matter of race or ethnicity; it is the matter of Tawheed and Islam.

Here it is useful to quote the words of one of the researchers:

"History tells us that the first people to settle in Palestine were the Canaanites, six thousand years BCE. They were an Arab tribe who came to Palestine from the Arabian Peninsula, and after their arrival, Palestine was named after them [i.e., Canaan]."

(al-Suhyooniyyah, Nash'atuhaa, Tanzeemaatuhaa, Inshitatuhaa, by Ahmad al-'Awadi, p. 7).

"As for the Jews, the first time they entered Palestine was approximately six hundred years after Ibraheem had entered the land, i.e., they entered it approximately 1400 years BCE. So the Canaanites entered Palestine and lived there approximately 4500 years before the Jews."

(Ibid., p. 8)

Hence it is clear that the Jews have no right to the land, whether according to religious law or in terms of who lived there first and possessed the land. They are aggressors who are seizing the land by force. We ask Allaah to rid Bayt al-Maqdis of them sooner rather than later, for He is Able to do that and He is Most Generous in answering. Praise be to Allaah, the Lord of the Worlds
It is holy to the Jews because it is the City that God established for them and where their temple was built. It is holy to the Christians because Christ was a Jew and it is where he preached and died.

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The city of Jerusalem is known in Arabic as Al-Quds or Baitul-Maqdis ("The Noble, Sacred Place"). Jerusalem is perhaps the only city in the world that is considered historically and spiritually significant to Jews, Christians, and Muslims alike. Perhaps you are wondering why Jerusalem is considered a holy city in Islam? Why is this place so important to Muslims?

Jerusalem is known as the land of many prophets, peace be upon them all. Muslims revere all of the "Biblical" prophets, such as Abraham, Moses, David, Solomon, and Jesus - peace be upon them all. They all taught the Oneness of God. Jerusalem was the first Qiblah for Muslims - the place toward which Muslims turn in prayer. It was many years into the Islamic mission (16 months after the Hijrah), that Muhammad (peace be upon him) was instructed to change the Qibla from Jerusalem to Mecca (Qur'an 2:142-144). It is reported that the Prophet Muhammad said, "There are only three mosques to which you should embark on a journey: the sacred mosque (Mecca, Saudi Arabia), this mosque of mine (Madinah, Saudi Arabia), and the mosque of Al-Aqsa (Jerusalem)." It is Jerusalem that Muhammad (peace be upon him) visited during his night journey and ascension (called Isra' and Mi'raj). In one evening, the angel Gabriel miraculously took the Prophet from the Sacred Mosque in Mecca to the Furthest Mosque (Al-Aqsa) in Jerusalem. He was then taken up to the heavens to be shown the signs of God. The Prophet met with previous prophets and led them in prayer. He was then taken back to Mecca. The whole experience (which Muslim commentators take literally and Muslims believe as a miracle) lasted a few hours of a night. The event of Isra' and Mi'raj is mentioned in the Qur'an, in the first verse of Chapter 17 entitled 'The Children of Israel.' "Glory to Allah, Who did take His servant for a journey by night, from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless - in order that We might show him some of Our signs. For He is the One who hears and knows all things." (Qur'an 17:1) This night journey further reinforced the link between Mecca and Jerusalem as holy cities, and serves as an example of every Muslim's deep devotion and spiritual connection with Jerusalem. It is the hope of every Muslim that the Holy Land will be restored to a land of peace. (http://islam.about.com/od/jerusalem/a/quds.htm)

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10y ago

Jerusalem's Importance for Muslims:

Answer 1

Islam; per Qur'an revelation by God to prophet Muhammad through the angel Gabriel; was started about 1400 years ago by Mohammed. However, Jerusalem is important to Muslims for two reasons:

  1. Islam in its universal meaning of full submission to God is the call of all prophets since Adam through Noah, Abraham; Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, David, Solomon,..., Jesus, and Mohammad (Peace be upon them). Many of those prophet who called for Islam (Submission to God) were raised up and started in Jerusalem vicinity.
  2. Prophet Muhammad in the miracle of "Israa and Miiraj" ascended to the Heaven from Jerusalem (where there is the Mosque of "Masjid Al-Aqsa" or Al Aqsa mosque). Accordingly, It is the third holiest site to Muslims. The other two sites are Mecca (or Makkah) and Medina. Jews believe that "Al Aqsa mosque" had been built on the Jewish temple ruins. Jerusalem is of course important to Christians, too.

Answer 2

For Muslims, there is the Dome of Rock, where Mohammed (PBUH), their prophet, made a nighttime journey to the heavens. It is the site where Muslims believe their prophet ascended into Heaven.

Also there is Masjid Al Aqsa, the Qibla where Muslims used to pray to before they had the order to pray to Kaaba.

Moreover, it is the place where most of the prophets existed and it is inhabited by Arabs long time ago, since the years of Prophet Moses.

It is where Muhammad (PBUH) rose to Paradise.

Answer 3

In the Name of Allah, the Most Beneficent, the Most Merciful

Glorified be He who took His servant, (Muhammed), for a journey by night from Al-Masjid Al Haram, (at Mecca), to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, (in Jerusalem), the neighborhood whereof We have blessed, in order that We might show him some of Our signs. Verily, He is the All-Hearing, the All-Seeing.

(The Holy Qur'an 17:1)

Jerusalem is one of the three holiest cities for Muslims, next to Mecca and Al-Madinah. It is the city where many of the prophets of Islam including Abraham and Jesus, preached and respected Jerusalem, Palestine, was the first "Qibla", (direction to which Muslims faced when praying), during the entire Meccan period and the first 16 months of the Madeenah period. Muslims consider prayers in Jerusalem's Masjid Al-Aqsa to be equivalent to 500 prayers in any other ordinary mosque.

With the eternal verses in the Holy Qur'an, God stated the never diminishing significance of Al-Aqsa Mosque, to where Prophet Muhammed, peace and blessings upon him, (pbuh), journeyed at night on the winged horse, Al-Buraq, from Mecca. At Al-Aqsa Mosque, Prophet Muhammed, (pbuh), led all of the prophets of God that came before him in the submission of prayer, then ascended to Heaven to receive God's command to the Muslims to pray 5 times a day. This miraculous journey is known as Al-Israa wal Mi'raaj.

Another point in the importance of Jerusalem or the greater Palestine to Muslims is that it also contains the Dome of the Rock to which the ascension to Heaven began and ended. Prophet Muhammed, (pbuh), said: "travel for pilgrimage and worship are restricted to three mosques: Al-Haram al-Sharif, in Mecca, my Mosque in Al-Madeenah, and Al-Aqsa Mosque, Jerusalem. The person who starts procedure for pilgrimage or umra from Al-Aqsa Mosque shall have all his/her sins forgiven. Jerusalem is the land of the ingathering…go to it and worship in it, for one act of worship therein is equivalent to 1,000 acts of worship elsewhere."

The teachings of the prophets of the three Abrahamic religions have branded Jerusalem in the hearts of the faithful. Jerusalem shall live forever in tangible existence and with love in the souls and minds of the followers of Islam.

Answer 4

Because it is the city, which is the third purest city, after makkah and madinah.

hazrat salman built the mosque of aqsa over here, which was the first qiblah.

Answer 5

From Wikipedia:

Jerusalem in Islam is considered a sacred city, and has played a significant role in the faith. The al-Aqsa mosque of Jerusalem is considered the third holiest site in Islam, after the mosques of al-Haram and al-Nabawi. Also in particular:

  • It is strongly associated with people regarded as Prophets of Islam - in particular, David, Solomon, and Jesus;
  • It was the first qibla (direction of prayer) in Islam, before the Kaaba in Mecca;
  • Muhammad is believed to have been taken by the miraculous steed Buraq to visit Jerusalem, where he prayed, and then to visit heaven, in a single night in the year 620. The Qur'anic verse (17:1) is interpreted by all widely used tafsirs (commentaries) as referring to this journey, with the term "the farthest Mosque" (al-masjid al-Aqsa) referring to the Noble Sanctuary in Jerusalem, where the mosque stands:

سُبْحَانَ الَّذِي أَسْرَى بِعَبْدِهِ لَيْلاً مِّنَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ إِلَى الْمَسْجِدِ الأَقْصَى الَّذِي بَارَكْنَا حَوْلَهُ

Subhana al-lazei asra b-abdihi laylan mmina al-masjidi al-haram ila al-masjidi al-aqsa al-lazei barakna haolah

" Glory to He (God) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque to the farthest Mosque, whose precincts We did bless (Yusuf Ali's translation). "

-Qur'an, [Qur'an 17:1]

Answer 6

Jerusalem is important to Islam for two major reasons that are tied to each other. The first is that Muslims claim that Mohammed came to Jerusalem astride a Buraq (a mystical flying horse, slightly different from a Pegasus) and in Jerusalem he ascended to Heaven and conversed with the other major Prophets of Islam. The second reason is that Jerusalem was a center of such holiness that it was the first Qibla (direction in which a Muslim should pray). The Qibla was eventually moved to the Ka'aba in Mecca, but Jerusalem still retains that holiness.

Answer 7

The Prophet Muhammad (p.b.u.h) was sent from Mecca to Jerusalem on the night journey by God. Where the Dome of the Rock now stands Muhammad was, he then went to heaven from that rock.

Answer 8

The Muslims believe in all the Prophets. Jerusalem has been a sacred place since the times of Hazrat Suleman (AS). Many of the prophets are buried here. The last prophet of Islam Hazrat Muhammad (May peace be upon him) ascended to his heavenly journey from here. This is the first Qibla of the Muslims. They had been offering their prayers facing Majid-i-Al Aqsa for many years. It is still a sacred city for the Muslims, the Jews and the Christians.
Jerusalem contains the Holy Mosque of Aqsa which is the second most sacred mosque of Islam ( after Makkah but before Madinah ). It was the also the first Qibla of Islam. Before Makkah, Muslims used to face towards Aqsa mosque to offer their five daily prayers. Also, the ascension of Prophet Muhammad to the heavens took place from here.

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10y ago

In fact Islam is the most advanced and latest form of the guidance provided to human race. Almost 1,24,000 Prophets (May peace be upon them all) preached Islam. Judaism is also divine religion followed by Christianity and Islam. The Muslims believe in all prophets. As Jerusalem was built by Hazrat David (AS) and Hazrat Solaiman (AS), it is sacred for the Muslims. The last Prophet of Islam (SAW) ascended to his heavenly journey from here, therefore it is sacred for the Muslims. The Muslims had been offering prayers in the beginning facing it. Masjid Al Aqsa is situated here. For these reasons it is sacred for the Muslims.

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6y ago

Answer 1

Jerusalem is the 3rd ranked holy city for Muslims for having many holy Islamic sites; the most important of them is AlAqsa Mosque (or Almasjid AlAqsa) which is the second God house on earth and from which prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was ascended to the Heavens during the prophet miracle of AlIsraa wa Elmi3raj.

Answer 2

As per saying of prophet Muhammad (pbuh) we can visit three places intentionally and one is among 3 is masjid al quds which is in Jerusalem and it was Muslims qibla (direction of prayer) before kabaa (in Makkah or Mecca) for that reason u can say that.

Answer 3

Muhammad was the last Prophet of God. Many of the Prophets before him lived and preached in Jerusalem. Since we Muslims follow all of those Prophets (because we must believe in all of them - from Adam, Noah, Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Jesus and all the others) then we also revere and love Jerusalem. The Qur'an mentions Jerusalem. The word, in Arabic, for Jerusalem is "Al-Quds" which means "The Holy".

Answer 4

Before Mecca was the direction of prayers, it was Jerusalem.

Answer 5

Muhammad visited heaven from that spot; Jerusalem is the place from which Muhammad is believed to have ascended into heaven.

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Q: Why is Jerusalem important to Muslims?
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What was the most important city in the holy land to the Muslims and christians?

It is Jerusalem


Why was Jerusalem so important to the Muslims in the crusades?

jerusalem was important to the Muslins because they wanted to expand their empire. it was the place where jesus was born, preached and where he died. this is called the holy land.


Why did the Muslims and crusaders fight?

They fought because the Muslims had control of Jerusalem, the most important city to the Holy Roman Empire. To get Jerusalem back under the control of it, the crusaders started the Crusades, or holy wars.


Are there any holy places in Jerusalem which are important to Christians and Muslims?

There are several Christian holy sites in Jerusalem. Probably the most important is the Church of the Holy Sepulchre, but there is also the Via Dolorossa, Golgotha, Mount Zion, Tomb of the Virgin, Grotto of Gethsemane, the Chapel of the Ascension, and the Armenian Patriarchate in Jerusalem at St. James Cathedral.There are two major important Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem, Masjid al-Aqsa and the Dome of the Rock Shrine.The Dome of the Rock Shrine covers the area of the Former Jewish Temple and therefore has tangential significance to Christianity, but Christians do not usually go there when they make pilgrimages to Jerusalem. Otherwise, the two religions share no holy sites in Jerusalem.


What city was conquered by Christians to remove Muslims?

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What did the christians gain from the Muslims in the crusades?

Land (primarily the holy land and Jerusalem); Money; It wasn't all economically and territorially motivated, Jerusalem is important in a religious context.


What are the holy cities of Christians and Muslims?

The "holy cities" of Judaism and Christianity is Jerusalem. Jerusalem is important to Christians because it is the city in which Jesus was born. Jerusalem is important to Jews because of the great temple that was built in Jerusalem. The "holy city" of Islam is Mecca, where the Islamic people do their "pilgrimage".


Why do Muslims worship the kabba?

Muslims don't worship the kabba but the kabba is the direction of prayer for Muslims after Jerusalem was the direction of prayer. first Jerusalem was the direction of prayer for Muslim then a verse in the quran ordered Muslims to switch their direction of prayer from Jerusalem to the kabba.


What holy city did Christian knights hope to recapture from the Muslims during the Crusades?

they hoped to steal Jerusalem from the Muslims.


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What was the holy city for the Muslims?

Mecca and Jerusalem are holy cities for Muslims.


What two cities are important to muslims?

Mecca and Yetrib (now commonly called Medina). Additionally, most Muslims also hold that Jerusalem is also a holy Muslim city.