When Sulayman (AS) was constructing Bayt Al-Maqdis, Allah (SWT) allowed him control over the jinn. Upon finishing construction, he made three du’as. This is a common theme upon completing the construction of masjids. When Ibrahim (AS) completed the construction of the Ka’bah with his son, he made du’a, and similarly, when Sulayman (AS) completed the construction of Bayt Al-Maqdis, he made three du’as.
The first was that he asked Allah (AWJ) to grant him the ability to make decisions and verdicts that were in line with the pleasure of Allah (SWT). So, whenever he passed judgement or a verdict, it was in perfect alignment with what Allah (SWT) wanted from him.
The second du’a was that Allah grant him a kingdom unlike any that would come after him. The Prophet (SAW) tells us that both of these du’as were accepted.
Then, Sulayman (AS) made a third du’a, asking:
“O Allah, anyone who leaves their house just to pray in this masjid, will You forgive all of his sins and have him come out of the masjid just as if he has come out of the womb of his mother, with no sins in his account?”
The Prophet (SAW) said:
“And I hope that Allah has accepted that du’a as well.”
So, people like Abdullah ibn ‘Umar would travel all the way to Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa, just to pray and return—without even drinking water. Why? Because Sulayman (AS) said that this reward was for those who come only with the intention of praying at Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa.
This is one of the most valuable and precious places in Islam. As was mentioned earlier, this was the second masjid to be built in the world. The first was Al-Masjid Al-Haram, and the second was Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa. According to the hadith in Sahih Bukhari, the time span between them was forty years.
“I said, ‘O Messenger of Allah, which mosque was built first on earth?’ He said, ‘Al-Masjid Al-Haram.’ I said, ‘Then which?’ He said, ‘Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa.’ I said, ‘How long between them?’ He said, ‘Forty years.’”
The one who laid down the foundations of it was Adam (AS)—most likely because it was Adam (AS) who laid down the foundations of the Ka’bah. Some narrations say that it was the angels, but in fact, it was the angels who showed him where to lay the foundations, and he did. Forty years later, he went to the land of Al-Quds, and the angels showed him where to lay down the foundation of Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa.
This is why, in the Qur’an, there is no mention of Ibrahim (AS) building the Ka’bah from scratch. Instead, the Qur’an talks about him raising it from its foundations:
“And [mention] when Ibrahim was raising the foundations of the House and [with him] Isma’eel…”
(Quran 2:127)
Thousands of years passed, and various people came and went in that area. No one truly settled there until around four thousand years before Isa (AS). At that time, some tribes from the Arabian Peninsula migrated to the area of Palestine and started living there.
For the first time, a permanent civilisation formed—towns, streets, and structures were created. Ibrahim (AS)’s life begins in Iraq, in the area of Mesopotamia, and after all that transpired between him and the Caledonians, he left and migrated towards Sham.
Sham is a general term that covers what we now know as Jordan, Palestine, Lebanon, and Syria. These have been politically and geographically divided today, but at the time, it was considered one general region.
When Ibrahim (AS) migrated, he settled in a place very close to Bayt Al-Maqdis, called Al-Khalil. Those of you who are of Palestinian origin will know what that is—and if you don’t, you should look into it. It is very close to Bayt Al-Maqdis.
Ibrahim (AS) settled there, and Lut (AS) settled on the other side, in the area that falls into Jordan—in the region of Sodom (Saddum). Allah (SWT) speaks of them while they were leaving:
“And We delivered him and Lut to the land which We had blessed for the worlds.”
(Quran 21:71)
That entire area is blessed, even though there was a distance between where Ibrahim (AS) and Lut (AS) settled.
When Musa (AS) was taking Bani Isra’il after being rescued from Fir‘awn, he said:
“O my people, enter the sacred land which Allah has assigned to you.”
(Quran 5:21)
The term used in this verse is “al-ard al-muqaddasa”, which means “the sacred land”. He was not only referring to where Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa is, but the entire blessed region.
Allah (SWT) also speaks about taking the Prophet (SAW) from Masjid Al-Haram to Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa, saying:
“Subhana allathee asraa bi ‘abdihi laylan minal-Masjidil-Harami ilal-Masjidil-Aqsa allathee baaraknaa hawlahu…”
“Exalted is He who took His servant by night from Al-Masjid Al-Haram to Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed…”
(Quran 17:1)
So, in numerous examples, Allah (SWT) speaks of how blessed that land is.
Our duty and responsibility as Muslims is, first, to familiarise ourselves with that land—but more importantly, to understand the history behind it that gives it its spiritual and religious significance.
It is the land of the prophethood of Islam. Allah (SWT) sent numerous prophets to it, and so many of the stories of the Qur’an are intertwined with that region.
It is a land that Allah (SWT) has made sacred and blessed. So much history has transpired there that Allah (SWT) took the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) from Al-Masjid Al-Haram to connect with it physically.
So, connecting with Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa and Bayt Al-Maqdis is not just connecting with history—it is connecting with a part of our identity, a part of what makes us who we are as Muslims.
In the next sessions, we will be going over some events that happened in the geographical area of Sham, up to the time of the Prophet (SAW).
As mentioned, the incident of Isra and Mi’raj happened in Rajab, so it makes sense for us to understand why Bayt Al-Maqdis is so special—why Allah (SWT) took His Prophet (SAW) there and assembled all of His prophets there, even though He could have assembled them at Masjid Al-Haram.
There are many lessons in that for us.
May Allah (SWT) give us tawfiq to understand our own heritage and allow that understanding to be reflected in our personalities, goals, and objectives.
