Basement of Masjid Al Aqsa – Key Facts and Information

There are several historic mosques in the world. However, Masjid Al Aqsa has a great significance among them. In this article you will find information about the basement of Masjid Al Aqsa.

Different areas of Masjid e Aqsa have their own significance. When talking about the basement of Masjid Al Aqsa, there are several historic places. There are stone pillars that are believed to be prepared by Jins at the time of Hazrat Sulaiman (Blessings of Allah Be Upon Him). In Surah Saba, it is mentioned that “There were jinn that worked under his supervision by the leave of his Lord, and if any of them deviated from our command, We made him taste of the Penalty of Blazing Fire.”

Bibi Maymunah bint Sa’d narrated that she inquired Prophet Muhammad (Peace Be Upon Him) to inform about Bayt al-Maqdis. He (Peace Be Upon Him) said, “Visit it for prayer”. She further asked, “If one of us cannot visit it, what shall we do?” He (Peace Be Upon Him) said, “If you cannot go for prayer then send some oil to be used in its lamps; whosoever gives oil for its lamps, it will be as if he has prayed in it.”

As per the Jewish tradition, the site that upon which Masjid e Aqsa was built originally housed their holy Jerusalem’s Temple. The Temple of Solomon is known as the first temple that is linked to the Babylonians, and there are no physical remains related to its structure or presence. Some people believed that the development of the second temple was started during the era of Cyrus the Great, the Persian king. However, the temple was destructed by Titus, the Roman Emperor in 70 CE. They give high importance to the Western Wall that is believed to be the traces of this second temple’s platform.

In the basement, there is a huge library that is based on 130,000 books. On the other side, there are around 4,000 manuscripts, which were donated from the collection of family member. UNESCO revealed that the library is based on the “one of the world’s most important collections of Islamic manuscripts”.