Ep. 02: The Origin of Al Quds | The History of Al Quds

We have spoken about the virtues and significance of Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa and the region surrounding it. We have also spoken a little bit about what exactly we refer to when we say Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa, or Bayt Al-Maqdis, or Al-Quds, and the various implications of Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa, meaning that particular delineated walled compound and Bayt Al-Maqdis, also referring to, generally speaking, the walled compound, but it is often expanded to mean the city of Jerusalem and sometimes even the area around it and the same goes for Al-Quds. So, today Al-Quds is used for the city of Jerusalem or the region around it and sometimes it is used for the masjid itself. Another term that is used is Al-Bayt Al-Muqaddis, which is similar to Bayt Al-Maqdis. Let us talk a little about the origins. I mentioned a hadith from Abu Dharr (RA) in Sahih Bukhari where Abu Dharr (RA) asked the prophet (SAW) “Which place in the world was designated as a place of worship – as a mosque – first?” So, the prophet (SAW) said “Al-Masjid Al-Haram.” He asked, “What was the second place?” The prophet (SAW) responded that it was Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa. Abu Dharr (RA) asked how much time had passed in between, and the prophet (SAW) explained to him “40 years.”

Now, in order to understand the origin of Masjid Al-Aqsa, we need to look at the origins of the Kaaba, because they are so closely related in time. So, the origins of the Kaaba are, as we stated in ours series regarding Bayt-Allah, the angels, or Adam (AS) laid the foundation for the Kaaba, and what some Ulama have said is that the angels actually came and showed Adam (as) where to lay the foundation of Al-Masjid Al-Haram and he did so in Makkah. It is highly likely that it was Adam (AS), due to the short span of time in between the foundation of both masjids, it was also Adam (AS) who laid down the foundation of Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa, and some narrations mention that it was the angels. Again, there also, it is deduced that the angels showed Adam (AS) where to lay the foundation of Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa. Some Ulama have said that it was Shith, the son of Adam (AS), who went and laid the foundation of Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa; this is also possible, but it is not necessary. Then there are some who said it was Sam, the son of Nūh, who laid down the foundation of Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa; this is highly unlikely because he came well over a thousand years, probably maybe 15 hundred years or more after Adam (AS), so that would not fit the hadith that is describing the chronology and the timespan that transpired between both Masjids.

Now, Adam (AS) lays the foundation of Al-Masjid Al-Haram and he also lays the foundation of Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa. This could be in the form of some rudimentary structure; as we know, Ibrahim (AS) was not the first one to construct Al-Masjid Al-Haram or the Kaaba; rather, the Qur’an says that he raised the foundations – the foundations were already there – he raised the structure from its foundations. It is possible that Adam (?) also laid down some foundations and built some rough structure where Allah (SWT) commanded him to place the foundation of Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa. Now time passes. Thousands of years pass and there is no great mention of Masjid Al-Aqsa or Al-Quds or Al-Ardh Al-Muqaddasa, there isn’t any great mention, when we look to works of history we find that this region started becoming populated and visited by people probably somewhere around 8000 BC, before Isa (AS)’s time. There are remnants of visitors and people coming there even before that, but this is where civilizations began to form. There is evidence, for example, of a wall built around the city of Ariha, of Jericho, around that time and there was some form of structure and civilization. Most historians have said that it was not a consistent presence of people. People came and they left, nations came and they left, and it wasn’t until around 4000 BC that the area really started getting developed and more permanent settlements, cities and towns were constructed and this was primarily around the area of Jericho.

Now, we fast forward to the time of Ibrahim (AS). We mention that Allah (SWT) sent him – rescued him – to the land that he had blessed [“But We delivered him and (his nephew) Lut (and directed them) to the land which We have blessed for the nations.” Surah Al-Anbiya: 71]. Lut (AS) settles in Sodom, but Ibrahim (AS) settles a little bit further away. Where exactly did he go? Some narrations mention that he first settled in what was called Shechem, or in Arabic, Shakheem, which is referred to today as the city of Nablus in Palestine. He settled there and, after some time, due to some reasons, it could be because of a scarcity of food, it could be for some other purpose, he traveled to Egypt. This is where Ibrahim (AS) had his first encounter with the tyrant king, the pharaoh of that time. Some say it was not the pharaoh himself, rather, it was some of his relatives who were ruling over parts of Egypt for him. Ibrahim (AS) has married Sara, who, according to some narrations, was in fact his cousin, so, as he is traveling with her, it is rumored that this ruler takes any beautiful woman, and women that he finds attractive, he takes and kills her husband. So, his people tell him that there is a woman who is extremely beautiful and attractive and that “She should belong to only you, no one else should have her.” Ibrahim (AS) tells Sara, “When you speak to him, tell him that you are my sister.”, and when the ruler speaks to Ibrahim (AS) he also says, “She’s my sister.” Now what was the need for this? In some narrations of hadith it’s mentioned that he told Sara at this time that “Look, in this land,” meaning where they were caught or arrested, “There are no believers other than you or me. So, in terms of faith, you are my sister, although in relation you are my wife, so I will say this.” And why did Ibrahim (AS) have to say this? Ulama have mentioned that in the event that it was the husband that was traveling with this woman (she was a married woman) the king would normally kill the husband and take the woman. In the event that she was travelling with another relative and she was unmarried, it was highly likely that he would propose to her and ask to take her, so Ibrahim (AS) thought “I have some room to make negotiations and somehow save her from this predicament, but if I say that I am her husband and she is my wife, then he will immediately kill me and take her against her will.”

Now, after this happened, Ibrahim (AS) stood up in Salah and began praying to Allah (SWT). Meanwhile, this ruler comes and takes Sara (AS), and he tries to get close to her. Now, there are various narrations that depict what happened at that time; some narrations mention that his hand became immobile, that he couldn’t move his hand and that he basically lost all movement to his hand, and it was like that hand became paralyzed; and other narrations mention that he fainted and was not able to get up. So, when he saw that this was happening, he turned to her and asked her that “Please pray that I am released from this, I won’t touch you again.” In the meantime, Sara (AS) is making du’a Allah “O Allah, I have always been true to you, I’ve always believed in you, and I’ve always been loyal to my husband, so do not put me in this situation. Save me from this.” So, when this happened with that ruler, that all of a sudden he became immobile and he lost consciousness, she understood this was a sign from Allah (SWT), so she made du’a for Allah (SWT) to make him better so that he could fulfill his promise and release her. However, he lied. He approached her once again and the same thing happened again, and the same thing happened a third time. After that, he said “We cannot keep this woman.” He rebuked those that brought her to him and he gave her many gifts and so on and so forth in exchange. Amongst those gifts, as the narrations say, was Hajar, the mother of Isma’il (AS).

Now, Sara (AS) gave Hajar to Ibrahim (AS) as a gift so he could free her and marry her as his wife and have children because at this time, she was unable to have children. So now they go back towards Sham. This time, narrations mention that Ibrahim (AS) chose the place that is called Al-Khalil, or Hebron. He chose that to be his place of residence, and there he resided. About a year or so later, his wife has Isma’il (AS) and so he takes them back to Makkah as the story is well known and understood. From this point onwards he only goes back to Makkah to visit once a year. His primary residence is there in Hebron. He grows old in this process and still does not have any children from Sara. One day, angels come to visit him, and the Qur’an narrates this incident in a few places. [“There came Our messengers to Abraham with glad tidings. They said, ‘Peace!’ He answered, ‘Peace!’ and hastened to entertain them with a roasted calf.” Surah Hud: 69] The angels came, and some hadith mention that there were three angels that came to Ibrahim (AS) to bring him good news. Good news of what? That comes just a few verses later.

They said salaam, he replied with salaam, and quickly he went off and slaughtered a healthy, plump calf, he roasted it, and he presented it to his guests. And he is waiting for them to eat, but they were not eating. When he saw that they are not extending their hands to eat this food right away, he felt that something is wrong with them, and started feeling a little bit uncomfortable. They said, “Look, do not be afraid. We have not come to do anything bad here.” He understood that these are angels, and they were probably angels bringing the Adhab of Allah (SWT), which is why he is feeling so nervous and so uncomfortable around them. They understood this and they said “You have nothing to be worried about, nothing to be afraid of. We have been sent to the people of Lut to deliver Allah (SWT)’s wrath and punishment to them.” Meanwhile, his wife Sara, who was helping him serve the food, was standing near and she began to laugh. Mufassireen have mentioned two reasons why she might have laughed; one was that she thought “Here we are, running around to serve these guests, and they’re not even eating our food”, and people like Ibn Kathir (RA) have mentioned that she laughed because she was happy that, finally, those people were going to get what they deserved. Then, while she was standing there, they gave her a glad tiding. [“And his wife was standing (there), and she laughed: But we gave her glad tidings of Isaac, and after him, of Jacob.” Surah Hud: 71] Two glad tidings; one is that you are about to have a son whose name will be Ishaq, and he, in turn, will have a son by the name of Ya’qub. She was astonished and shocked and she slapped her forehead and said “How is this possible?” [“She said: ‘Alas for me! Shall I bear a child, seeing I am an old woman, and my husband here is an old man? That would indeed be a wonderful thing!’” Surah Hud: 72] “I am an old woman and look at my husband. He is also very old.” And in the verses of Surah Adh-Dhariat, “I am an old woman who is barren. Not only have I passed the age of delivering or conceiving a child but I’ve always been barren. I’ve never been able to have children.” So some narrations mention that at that time Ibrahim (AS) had reached the age of 99 and she was at the age of 75, but they said “Are you surprised at the command of Allah? Are you amazed at the command of Allah (SWT)? Allah’s mercy is upon you, Allah’s blessings are upon you, O people of this family, and Allah (AWJ) is worthy of all praise and Allah (SWT) deserves all glory.”

So, after this incident, the angels who were on their way to bring doom and destruction to the nation Lut (AS), set off, but before they went, Ibrahim (AS) pleaded with them, that “Please don’t go.” He started begging Allah (SWT) that “Don’t punish them, do not destroy the people of Lut.” So Allah (SWT) said, [“O Abraham! Seek not this. The decree of thy Lord hath gone forth: for them there cometh a penalty that cannot be turned back!” Surah Hud: 76] “The command of your Lord has passed, so leave this alone.” But then Allah (SWT) praises Ibrahim (AS). That he was Haleem, Awwah, and Muneeb. He was Haleem, he was patient, he was tolerant, he waited for the angels to finish whatever it was that they had come to say and then he started pleading, and he was so earnestly seeking to call upon Allah (SWT) and he was always turning towards Allah (SWT), Allah (AWJ) praises him for these characteristics and these qualities. Now, Ibrahim (AS) does have his son Ishaq (AS) who was born and raised there, Ishaq (AS) has his son Ya’qub (AS), in fact, he has two sons, Ishaq and Esau. Now, these two brothers, they went off in their different ways, the story is very lengthy, but we will come back to it where Ya’qub (AS) comes back to Sham, Al-Ardh Al-Muqaddasa and settles there and as historians and Mufassireen have mentioned, the place where he chose to settle was once again Shecham, or Shakheem, Nablus, the place where Ibrahim (AS) had originally settled. So a small distance from where his grandfather Ibrahim (AS) had passed away, and where Ishaq (AS) had passed away right next to him, that same place, and Ya’qub (AS) establishes himself and has his family there; this general area, what is referred to as Sham or what is referred to as Palestine, this area at that time was referred to as Canaan. The people who resided there were known as the Canaananites, or the Canaaniyeen, and from here, the story takes a very interesting turn.