Last year, prior to holding of
presidential elections in the USA, various peace-loving organizations,
institutions and numerous political figures had voiced their concerns over the
threat it poses to the world peace and security, should Trump be elected as the
President of United States. Following Trump’s winning of the US Presidential
election; numerous anti-Trump protests and demonstrations were staged even in
America having no precedent in the US history. In addition, the terrorist
attacks carried out in 2017 in America are a testimony to it. Since becoming the
US President on 20th January 2017 till now, the decisions taken by Trump have
been widely criticized in America as well as in other countries. This prompted
the US judiciary to suspend some of the decisions taken by Trump, which are a
source of humiliation to Trump.
Putting his extremism and anti-Muslim policies into practice, Trump on 06th
December 2017 announced to move the US embassy from Tel Aviv to the Palestinian
capital Baitul Maqdis (Jerusalem), disregarding all international laws,
resolutions and the international community’s unanimous pertinent decisions
taken on the matter. It is worth mentioning that about one century ago in
December 1917, the British government with its hostile and unjustifiable
policies had snatched this holy land from the Ottomans after a month-long battle
with them. According to Trump’s announcement from now onward the Israeli Capital
will be Baitul Maqdis (Jerusalem) instead of Tel Aviv, despite the fact that
Baitul Maqdis (Jerusalem) is still a Palestinian city on the world map, to which
Israel has no right, having unjustifiably occupying the city since 1967. Israel,
after announcing to make Baitul Maqdis (Jerusalem) the capital, out of its
stubbornness, moved all government offices including Parliament House, Supreme
Court, Prime Minister Office, and President House to Jerusalem. However, no
single country of the world has so far accepted Baitul Maqdis (Jerusalem) as
capital of Israel due to the oppressive actions of Israel, for a long period of
37 years since then. Accordingly, no country has its embassy in Baitul Maqdis
(Jerusalem), and all the embassies are located in Tel Aviv. Pursuant to the US
embassy in Baitul Maqdis (Jerusalem) Act of 1995, the US embassy in Israel was
to be moved to Baitul Maqdis (Jerusalem) by 31st May 1999. However,a long period
of 22 years elapsed without implementation of this act, and each time it was
postponed for six months. The last time it was postponed on 1st June 2017 by
Trump himself. On the 1st December 2017 instead of postponing it for another six
months, Trump, under Israeli pressure, has eventually announcedon 06th December
2017 to move the US embassy to Jerusalem. This decision has attracted worldwide
unrest. Besides Arab countries all Muslim leaders and international institutions
have criticized this decision, for such a decision is likely to worsen the world
law and order and trigger increasingevents of bloodshed, massacre and bloodbath.
This oppressive decision may trigger a world war causing tremendous loss
worldwide. Therefore, peace-loving people should raise their voices against this
decision. The United Nations Organization has already refused to endorse this
decision. Muslim rulers should also bury all their mutual differences and exert
their pressure on the US through international and regional agencies, to
withdraw its decision. I appeal all Muslims to pray to Almighty Allah to free
the Baitul Maqdis (Jerusalem) from the clutches of Jews. This is because though
the five daily prayers are performed in Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa, the city in which it
is located is under the control and management of Israel. A shrewd andclever
plan is being implemented carefully to decrease the Muslim population and to
increase the Jewish population in this city. Now, let us take a glance on the
historical facts of this holy land.
Palestine is among the most ancient cities of the world, currently bordering
with Jordan, Syria, Lebanon and Egypt. The whole region of (Syria, Lebanon,
Palestine and Jordan) collectively is called “Shaam or Syria” in history books.
The most famous city of Palestine is Al-Qudus which is also called Baitul Maqdis
and Israel calls it (Jerusalem). This is regarded as a holy city by Muslim, Jews
and Christians the three biggest nations having divine scriptures. It is the
same holy city where the first Qibla of Muslims is located, toward which Allah’s
Messenger (PBUH) and his companions faced while offering their Prayers for 16 or
18 months. The first Qibla (Direction to which Muslims turn in prayer) was built
40 years after the grand mosque (Makkah Mukarramah) was built. This is the third
holiest mosque after the grand mosque (Al-Masjid Al-Haram) at Makkah and the
Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah. Allah’s Messenger (PBUH) has encouraged the Muslim
to visit it. It is the same city that houses the Al-Masjid Al–Aqsa to which
Muhammad (PBUH) was taken in a night journey from the holy city of Makkah
Al-Mukarrama in which he (PBUH) led all the prophets in the prayer. Thereafter,
he (PBUH) was taken to heaven to the Almighty Allah. In this journey, the
Prophet (PBUH) saw various glimpses of Jannat (paradise) and Hell and met many
prophets at each heaven. All these happened during a portion of the night. The
journey from Al-Masjid Al-Haram to Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa is called “Isra” and the
journey to Allah the Almighty is called “Meraj”.
In the16th year of Hijrah (637 G) during the caliphate period of Umar Farooq
(May Allah be pleased with him), this holy city (Baitul Maqdis) was conquered
and an Islamic state was established. In the caliphate period of Abdul Malik, a
splendid Mosque named Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa (at the site of the ancient Al-Masjid
Al-Aqsa) and Qubbah Al-Sakhrah was built. In 1099, four hundred and sixty two
years after the conquest of Jerusalem, on the occasion of the first crusade, the
Christians conquered the city in which 70,000 Muslims were martyred. However,
within 88 years, in the year 1188, Salahuddin Ayyubi (May Allah have mercy on
him) freed Jerusalem from the clutches of Christians. During the period from
1238-1244 also this city was taken back from Muslims. This city has been in the
possession of Muslims from 637 till 1917 excluding a period of 100 years. The
majority of this city’s population has always been Muslim. However, after the
First World War with the decline of Ottoman caliphate, the British captured this
territory as well as Palestine. This was followed by the gradual process of
settling Jews from around the world and announcement of an illegitimate Jewish
state which has been posing a threat to the safety and security of the whole
region since then. When the Western powers exerted their pressure on the last
caliph of the Ottoman caliphate Abdul Hameed Thani to give the Palestine to Jews
or allowing them to settle there, he replied saying what has now become a
historical sentence: “I will not give even an inch of Palestine to Jews, because
the Palestine does not belong to me rather it belongs to the Muslim nation
(ummah), and the Muslim nation has sacrificed with its lives to safeguard this
land”. During the period from 1948 to 1967, Jerusalem has been a part of Jordan.
In 1967 after theIsrael-Arab war with the full support of western countries
Israel occupied Jerusalem also along with other Palestinian lands. In this way,
Muslim lost that holy city where Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa the first Qibla of Muslims is
located.
Just as the Muslims have aspecial reverencefor Al-Quds (Jerusalem), Jews and
Christians also revere it being the holy land for them. Ibrahim (AlaihisSalam)
and his nephew Lut (AlaihisSalam) had migrated from Iraq to Jerusalem. Out of
two sons of Ibrahim (AS), Is’haq (AlaihisSalam) and all the prophets after him
(Yaqoob, Sulaiman, Musa, Isa and others AlaihimAssalam) hailed to this land.
Christians believe that Isa (Alaihis Salam) was born in this city. According to
Jewish belief the place of worship built by Sulaiman (Solomon's Temple) is also
located in the same city. The last prophetMuhammad (PBUH), is from the progeny
of Ismail (AlaihisSalam), the second son of Ibrahim (Alaihis Salam), who
inhabited the city of Makkah. Prior to the Muslims’ conquest of the city of
Jerusalem during the caliphate period of Umar Farooq (May Allah be pleased with
him), this city had witnessed multiple wars between the Jews and Christians
killing thousands of souls.
We pray to Almighty Allah, to free the Palestine, and especially the Jerusalem
unlawfully occupied by Israel. Ameen.