Could you please explain when did Israel occupy Bait Al-Muqaddis and why is it important for Muslims?
Bait Al-Muqaddis is the Islamic name of the sacred city of Jerusalem, which is also called in Arabic, Al-Quds. Both names derive from the root 'qadasa' which signifies sanctity or sacredness. There is no doubt that the city is sacred, because it has been associated with God's prophets and messengers ever since the time of Prophet Ibrahim. It was his grandson, Prophet Yaqoob, who first built the Aqsa Mosque in the city. Jerusalem was also the capital of the Jewish state which was at one period headed by Prophet Dawood or Yaqoob and later by his son, Prophet Suleman or Prophet Yousuf. Part of their history is recorded in the Qur'an. The city is also sacred to Christianity as they have there several holy shrines.
However, to Muslims it is a very sacred city, although it comes after Makkah and Madinah. For one thing, the Muslims are the heirs to the divine message preached by all prophets and messengers. The Muslims are indeed the heirs to the heritage of Ibrahim and his offspring of prophets, including Dawood and Suleman. This is because that divine message took its final form in the Qur'an. Moreover, Prophet Muhammad was taken on his famous night journey to Jerusalem where he met all past prophets and led them all in a prayer of devotion which signified the unity of the message and all divine revelations.
Technically speaking, Jerusalem belongs to the Muslims ever since the keys of its gates were handed over to Umar ibn Al-Khattab, the second caliph in the seventh century of the Gregorian calendar, and in the year 15 of the Islamic calendar. Earlier this century, the League of Nations, the predecessor of the United Nations, sent a commission to Palestine, which established that even the Wailing Wall, the most sacred place to the Jews, also belongs to the Muslims.
Before we speak of the occupation of Jerusalem, we should remind ourselves that prior to May 15, 1948, there was no state called Israel. The land of Palestine which was part of the Arab land that constituted part of the Ottoman Empire, was given to Britain under a mandate given by the League of Nations.
The Jews had their designs to establish a Jewish state here, and Britain had given them a promise of help in what is known as the Balfour Declaration of 1917. But this was a promise given by someone who had no authority to give something he did not own to someone who had no right to it. While holding its mandate Britain allowed Jewish emigration to swell the number of Jews in Palestine. The Jews launched a war against the Arab population and managed to drive many of them out by spreading the fear of more massacres like the ones they committed in Deir Yassin and other places where defenseless men, women and children were killed. Thus the State of Israel was established through bloodshed, broken pledges by the great powers and a great deal of pressure exercised by the United States and the Soviet Union, as well as Britain and France.
In 1967 there was a third war between the Arabs and Israel, which the Arabs approached in a highly theatrical manner. They lost much of their land, including Sinai of Egypt, the Golan Heights of Syria as well as the West Bank of the Gaza Strip, the last parts of the land of Palestine which were still in Arabs hands. Jerusalem was occupied along with the rest of the West Bank. Subsequently, peace agreements were signed between Israel and Egypt. Jordan and the Palestine Liberation Organization, which lead to the handing back of some Arab lands, but Jerusalem remains with the Jews. The negotiations have not tackled this issue, which is the most difficult one. It seems unlikely that, in the present position of Arab weakness, Israel will be willing even to discuss the question of Jerusalem.
• Jews — Rejection of the Jews or the Jewish
Someone told me that billiards is a Jewish game and Muslims should not play it. Please comment.
It is the first time I hear that billiards is a Jewish game. Even if it is, there is no harm in playing it. That applies to everything people may invent or make. Unless something is intended to undermine Islam, or ridicule it, or reflect badly on Muslims or their faith, and unless it is meant to glorify something that is contrary to Islamic teachings, there is no harm in making use of it. Nothing of this applies to the game of billiards. Perhaps you should reflect a little on your question. You must not forget that Islam is a universal message which addresses all mankind. As such, it has something to say to every human being. Therefore, it does not hold anyone in disregard unless that person chooses to take a hostile attitude to Islam. If you combine this with the fact that it is permissible for Muslims to marry Jewish women, you will appreciate that we do not reject anything simply for being Jewish. We do not take a hostile attitude towards any person, race or faith unless they begin by taking hostile attitude towards us or towards our faith. Perhaps I should add that to brand any activity as being Jewish is wrong in the first place.
Jihad could be a simple action, such as standing firm in defense of the cause of Islam. This may require speaking out in public, against ignoring Islamic principles, and writing articles or publishing books. It may also take the form of reminding people of their Islamic duties and motivating them to conduct their lives according to Islam. Its top and most noble form is to fight the enemies of Islam in battle in order to foil their attempts to smother the call of Islam.
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