Dome of the Rock, Masjid al-Aqsa & al-Aqsa Masjid

What exactly constitutes the 'Masjid al-Aqsā'?

There has been a lot of confusion and even some controversy regarding the specific area demarcating the Masjid al-Aqsā. And every time someone posts a picture of the iconic 'Dome of the Rock', they get bombarded with well-intentioned commentators who say that this is a huge mistake, and that the 'Masjid al-Aqsā' is not the Dome of the Rock but rather the masjid south of it. This enthusiasm, while praiseworthy in its essence, is misplaced. 

The fact of the matter is that the term 'Masjid al-Aqsā' is actually the entirety of what is known as the 'Aqsa Complex' [or what is known in Jewish circles as the 'Temple Mount'], and includes many structures within it (see pictures). The Aqsā Complex is a large area that is roughly 37 acres - all of this comes under Masjid al-Aqsā.

In fact, the walls that demarcate the boundaries of the complex do not actually imply that the sacredness finishes beyond those wall - rather, the entirety of the area, and even city, is blessed and sacred. The Quran mentions that the land itself is blessed (الأرض التي باركنا فيها), and even the land around it (باركنا حوله). For logistical purposes, clearly a 'line' needs to be drawn where a masjid ends and residence areas begin - but that is for our own living purposes. In the Shariah, that region is holy, and the 'Masjid al-Aqsā' term, is not defined by what we humans have done by building a complex or a few structures.

All of the ḥadīth literature, and sīrah works, and early history books, refer to Masjid al-Aqsā as being in Jerusalem. In a Muttafaq `alayhī hadith, we are told that only three masjids can be traveled to: Masjid al-Ḥarām, the Prophet ﷺ's masjid, and Masjid al-Aqsā. It is explicitly mentioned that the Companions who entered Jerusalem thanked Allah for being allowed to pray in 'Masjid al-Aqsā'. 

When Umar (r) traveled to Jerusalem, according to all historical works, he himself prayed Jum'ah at the periphery of what is today the Complex, and demarcated a small masjid (which is known as Masjid Umar) that was the southernmost part of what the Christians considered the original location of the temple, and which they had abandoned, as they didn't consider it holy. This area was directly east of the remnants of Herod's Temple, now known as the Wailing Wall. Later, the Umayyads added to this masjid and constructed a larger masjid out of bricks - this is called the Marwānī Masjid, after the Caliph Marwān b. al-Ḥakam (d. 685 CE). This structure continued to expand, and some began calling it al-Aqsā Masjid, simply because it was and remains the largest, and first, masjid within the Aqsā Complex. It is also called Masjid al-Qibalī because it is the one that is on the qibla-side of the complex. 

The Caliph Abd al-Malik b. Marwān (d. 705 CE) was the one who built the magnificent structure of the Dome of the Rock behind the Marwānī masjid. Many parts of the current structure are original, and it is one of the oldest original structures of Islam still standing today. The Dome of the Rock houses the iconic small mountain that was a prominent feature of the Complex (and from which, according to folklore, the Prophet ﷺ was taken up - in actual fact we do not know the precise location from within the Complex where the ascension began). 

Throughout the course of history, many more structures and rooms were built within the Aqsā complex, and any video will show you the many dozens of constructions and trees and libraries. 

The claim that is held by some non-Sunnī groups that the Quranic term 'Masjid al-Aqsā' is a holy place in the heavens, and not on earth, is baseless and does not emanate from within the mainstream Sunnī tradition. Also there is clearly an element of animosity from these groups for Umar (r) and the Umayyads that fuels this eccentric belief. It is incontrovertible that the Companions and early Muslims all understood that Masjid al-Aqsā is in the city of Jerusalem. 

To summarize: the Quranic term 'Masjid al-Aqsā' does NOT apply only to one structure within the complex (including, confusingly enough, the structure commonly called al-Aqsa Masjid) and instead refers to the entirety of the complex, and even beyond. Hence, it's really not a mistake to show a picture of a part of the complex as Masjid al-Aqsa, we just need to teach the people that the entirety of the complex is sacred and a part of our history.

[Copied from Sh. Dr. Yasir Qadhi's Facebook post]

Sejarah: Kenapa UK & US Sokong Zionisme, dan Kenapa Negara Arab Senyap

Sebagaimana kita ketahui, konflik Palestin-Israel ada banyak kaitan dengan sejarah WWI & WWII.

[Bacaan 10 minit]

Isi Kandungan:

[I] Refreshing Memory: The Fall of Muslim Lands in WWI

[II] Tiga Perjanjian British Pasca-WWI [Figure Out: Kenapa Negara Arab Senyap di Abad Ke-21]

[III] Kenapa British dan Amerika Sokong Zionisme

[IV] Nota Tambahan: The After-Effects of WWI

Whose Footsteps Are You Following?

One of the most difficult matters for most of us is to praise our peers and colleagues, and find good in them. Shaytan whispers to us to inflate our egos, and to make us feel that *we* are better than others. And so, rather than looking at other people's praiseworthy characteristics, we look at their worst characteristics, and assume that we are better than them. Of course Shaytan would do this, for was he not the one who said, when Allah created Adam, "I am better than him!"?

Yet, look at the prophets of Allah. When Allah appointed Musa to go to the Israelites, and told him that He has preferred him over everyone else, Musa in his modesty and humility felt that his brother Harun (Aaron) was more eloquent than him, and asked Allah to make him a prophet as well, and to send him alongside Musa to the Pharaoh: "And my brother Harun - he is more eloquent than me, so send him as my helper and to confirm my truthfulness" [Qasas: 34]

So examine your own character: do you always see good in others, and assume they have qualities you do not have? If so, you are following in the footsteps of the prophets. Or do you always think you are better than others, and have qualities no one else has. If so, you are following in the footsteps of the enemy of the prophets.

Our Prophet (salla Allah alayhi wa sallam) said, "Whoever humbles himself for the sake of Allah, Allah will exalt him." May Allah make us of the humble.

[From: Shaykh Yasir Qadhi's FB Status]

Be Great, Anyway!

When you stand up and reach towards higher goals, those around you want you to sit back down, to lower your standards and to be average just like them. Greatness makes them uncomfortable.

But believers are not meant to be average, they are meant to stand out.

Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: “Islam began as something strange and will revert to being strange as it began, so give glad tidings to the strangers.”

Do not fear being a “stranger” in wanting to follow the footsteps of our pious predecessors. They were never average! They were people of action, people of determination, people of lifelong commitment.

From: Brother Muhammad Alshareef's Facebook Status

Ultimate Supplication

As you go for taraweeh, as you listening to the Qur'an being recited, many people are standing there in prayer and they don't know what the Imaam is saying.

There will be days when the Imaam will cry, there will be du'as where everybody is bawling and tearing, and you might be one of the people that's just standing there saying, "Man, I wish I could understand what's being said. Coz then I could cry too".



There was an old man in our community (an old African American man) who once came to me in a hallway (it was in Islamic school back in the day) and he said, "I want you to translate everything that the Imaam was saying in Salaah". So I said to myself, "You want me to translate EVERYTHING that the Imaam says??".

And that brother, he actually had paper and pen with him. He wanted me to translate it right then and there.

So before I was about to tell him that, "You know what. I can't translate this. This is going to take like a couple of days to translate", the man started crying.

And from behind his tears, he said to me that "We're Muslim too. And if we understood the Arabic, we would cry just like you guys cry".

From: Br. Muhammad Alshareef's Taraweeh Truffle, Day 1 Video.

_________________________________________

5 days later:

(Copypasting from Br. Muhammad Alshareef's Facebook status):

Remember the opening Taraweeh Truffle video where I spoke about the older uncle who wanted to know what was said in the Witr in Ramadan that made everyone cry, and he wanted to cry too? Well, our poet brother Ammar AlShukry has put it together, spoken word style. Ma sha Allah.

Enjoy and share:

Sh. Yasir Qadhi's comment: "A beautiful Ramadan du'a, based on a number of authentic supplications from the hadeeth and commonly recited in the du'a al-witrs of these nights, by a dear student of mine, Ammar AlShukry. Enjoy!"

Sh. Waleed Basyouni's comment: "Good job by Ammar with this du'a that has a lot of supplications from the sunnah for English speakers in ‪#‎Ramadan‬."

________________________________

Sebelum mengakhiri, izinkan saya kongsi satu status FB random Sh. Waleed Basyouni:

"Before Maghrib you empathize with the poor

and after Maghrib you empathize with pregnant women.

#Ramadan"

I loled hard. #SoTrue

ORANG YANG MEMERINTAHKAN ANAK-ANAKNYA AGAR MEMBAKARNYA SETELAH DIA MATI

KISAH-KISAH YANG MENUNJUKKAN KEUTAMAAN AMAL:

ORANG YANG MEMERINTAHKAN ANAK-ANAKNYA AGAR MEMBAKARNYA SETELAH DIA MATI

PENGANTAR

Ini adalah kisah seorang laki-laki yang tenggelam di dalam dosa-dosa sepanjang hidupnya. Dia baru tersadar ketika Malaikat maut mengetuk pintunya dan mengajaknya untuk menghadap Tuhannya. Dia sangat ketakutan terhadap siksa Allah. Dia sadar bahwa dia tidak akan selamat dari Tuhannya, pada saat dia berdiri di hadapan-Nya. Dosa-dosanya menumpuk, dan kebaikan-kebaikannya nihil. Dia ingin berlari dari adzab- Nya. Satu-satunya jalan, menurutnya, adalah dengan membakar jasadnya setelah mati lalu abunya ditebar di laut dan di darat. Sebuah ide aneh yang mengisyaratkan dua perkara yang kontradiktif. Ketakutannya yang besar terhadap adzab Allah, ini termasuk ibadah besar. Dan ketidaktahuannya terhadap kodrat Allah, ini termasuk dosa besar. Allah memaklumi kebodohannya dan mengampuninya karena besarnya rasa takut yang dimilikinya.

Dream Interpretation Based on Qur'an and Sunnah

Dream interpretation (pentakwilan mimpi) doesn't have an exact science (and we will never have one, because it is of the matters of ruh; and Allah SWT said regarding the matters of ruh, "They ask you [O Prophet] about ruh; say, 'Its nature is known only to my Lord, and you [O humanity] have been given but little knowledge'" [Quran, 17:85],) however, we do have 17 general guidelines from the Qur'an and Sunnah:

1. There are 3 types of dream that we common people (non-prophets) see, baik Muslim baik non-Muslim:

i. Dreams from Allah SWT - (1) these type of dreams are generally good and positive; (2) they come true; (3) they could be visions of the future (could be of tomorrow, next year, or 10 years down the line); and (4) they never terrify you

ii. Dreams from Shaytan - (1) they terrify you (nightmares); (2) they are never true - so don't act upon them; and (3) we should not tell anybody of the dream

iii. Dreams from our own imagination; (1) the sign of this dream is that it vanishes from our memory after a short while - after a few minutes or hours or days.

Sebagaimana sabda Nabi SAW, "Mimpi itu ada tiga macam: (1) Mimpi yang baik adalah khabar gembira (glad tidings) dari Allah. (2) Mimpi yang menakutkan atau menyedihkan datangnya dari syaitan. (3) Mimpi yang timbul kerana ilusi angan-angan, atau khayal seseorang. Maka kerana itu, jika kamu bermimpi yang tidak kamu senangi, bangunlah, kemudian solat, dan jangan menceritakannya kepada orang lain." [Sahih Muslim, Jilid 4, No.2111]

Atau dalam hadith lain, baginda SAW bersabda, "Mimpi yang baik itu dari Allah, sedang mimpi yang tak tentu itu dari syaitan. Kalau seseorang bermimpi dengan mimpi yang tak tentu, hendaklah ia berlindung (kepada Allah) dari mimpi itu (dengan berta'awudz) dan hendaklah meludah (meniup) ke sebelah kirinya, kerananya mimpi buruk itu tidak akan berbahaya kepadanya." [Sahih Bukhari, Jilid 4, No.1849]

As for the prophets, of course their dreams were all wahyu from Allah SWT.

And yes, even non-Muslims see true dreams. E.g. the dream of the Egyptian King during the time of Nabi Yusuf AS, the dreams of the two prisoners, both found in Surah Yusuf [12:36 & 12:43]; the dream of Atikah, the aunt of the Prophet SAW about the after-effects of the Battle of Badr (Perang Badar); and the dream of the grandfather of the Prophet SAW about the location of the Well of Zamzam; etc. They were all non-Muslims.

That's My Brother!

Copy-pasted from my brother's Facebook (perkongsian Julai lalu):

-Begin Quote-

[TRAGEDI SAHUR]

Pagi tadi saya dan zaujah meng'up'kan selera mengada-ngada untuk bersahur di Encik Kepci di pantai terkemuka Kuantan, Teluk Chempedak.

Seperti biasa sama ada Ramadhan atau tidak, TC dipenuhi golongan pelbagai usia majoritasnya anak muda, malah ramai juga pelajar-pelajar sekolah (without parents)...

Selesai sahur, berdating ambil angin pantai sekitar 5.40 pagi (dah masuk subuh), ternampak sekumpulan anak muda masih sedang 'bersahur' maggi cup & rokok elektronik. Ada lelaki, ada perempuan.

On the way lalu kali ke-2, jam 6 pagi, mereka masih lagi 'bersahur'. Saya dan zaujah dalam senyuman memberitahu, "Dik...Dah subuh dah"
Seorang adik lelaki jawab, "Eh, ye ke kak. Dah ni yang tengah makan ni macamana?"

Kami jawab, "Habiskan yang dalam mulut tu je :D"

"Eh, bbazzir la nanti", jawab adik tu gelak-gelak dan kawan-kawan yang lain hanya senyum.
Kami pun berlalu. Tegur sekadar mungkin mereka tidak perasan waktu subuh sudah masuk. Mungkin tak seorang pun antara mereka memakai jam.

Dan sekiranya mereka tahu sekalipun, mungkin pemahaman & pendidikan mereka tidak sama dengan sebahagian kita yang, alhamdulillah, menerima pendidikan agama yang baik daripada keluarga & guru.

Kami tidak ada rasa jijik & geli dengan golongan adik-adik tadi..kerana yang bermain dalam fikiran hanyalah...

"Adakah dakwah yang kita semua sama-sama sampaikan (semua jemaah, semua golongan) sentiasa canang & uar-uarkan benar-benar tercapai matlamatnya & targetnya."

Jika golongan ibu bapa yang sudah 'besar' dan sudah banyak makan asam garam hanya mendabik dada dengan ego yang tidak berkesudahan, maka sama-samalah kita mulakan dari rebung yang insyaAllah masih ada harapan tinggi untuk dilentur :D

Sentiasa terkesan dengan tagline Tuan Muhammad Rizal M, 'Fasilitator juga dai'e'. Ya, dakwah banyak cara & cabangnya :D

Jom!

-End Quote-

فَذَكِّرْ إِنَّما أَنْتَ مُذَكِّرٌ

Maka berilah peringatan, kerana sesungguhnya KAMU HANYALAH orang yang memberi peringatan. [Al-Qur'an, 88:21]



...فَإِنْ أَعْرَضُوا فَما أَرْسَلْناكَ عَلَيْهِمْ حَفيظاً إِنْ عَلَيْكَ إِلاَّ الْبَلاغُ
Oleh itu, jika mereka berpaling ingkar, MAKA KAMI TIDAK MENGUTUSMU (wahai Muhammad) SEBAGAI PENGAWAS TERHADAP MEREKA; tugasmu tidak lain hanyalah menyampaikan... [Al-Qur'an, 42:48]



قَدْ جاءَكُمْ بَصائِرُ مِنْ رَبِّكُمْ فَمَنْ أَبْصَرَ فَلِنَفْسِهِ وَ مَنْ عَمِيَ فَعَلَيْها وَ ما أَنَا عَلَيْكُمْ بِحَفيظٍ
(Katakanlah wahai Muhammad): Sesungguhnya telah datang kepada kamu keterangan-keterangan (dalil-dalil dan bukti) dari Tuhan kamu; oleh itu sesiapa melihat (kebenaran itu serta menerimanya) maka faedahnya terpulang kepada dirinya sendiri dan sesiapa buta (dan enggan menerimanya) maka bahayanya tertimpalah ke atas dirinya sendiri dan TIADALAH AKU BERKEWAJIPAN MENJAGA DAN MENGAWASI KAMU. [Al-Qur'an, 6:104]



وَ ما أَنَا عَلَيْكُمْ بِحَفيظٍ...
...DAN AKU BUKANLAH ORANG YANG MENJAGA DAN MENGAWAS PERBUATAN KAMU. [Al-Qur'an, 11:86]

P/S: Seperkara lagi. Dalam ayat Al-Qur'an [6:104] di atas, kalian dapat lihat bahawa: yang bertanggungjawab terhadap perbuatan dirinya adalah mereka yang TELAH DATANG KEPADANYA KETERANGAN DARI TUHAN. i.e. bukan golongan jahil.

Jadi tumpukan juga perhatian kepada ayat adik saya: "Mungkin pemahaman & pendidikan mereka tidak sama dengan sebahagian kita yang, alhamdulillah, menerima pendidikan agama yang baik". Jadi janganlah kita terlalu bersikap judgmental terhadap mereka yang jahil.

Bagi pendakwah yang judgmental, ini ayat untuk kalian:

وَ أَطيعُوا اللَّهَ وَ أَطيعُوا الرَّسُولَ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّيْتُمْ فَإِنَّما عَلى‏ رَسُولِنَا الْبَلاغُ الْمُبينُ

Dan ta'atlah kepada Allah dan ta'atlah kepada Rasul-Nya, jika kamu berpaling, sesungguhnya kewajiban Rasul Kami hanyalah menyampaikan (amanat Allah) DENGAN TERANG. [Qur’an. 64:12]

Emphasisnya adalah pada frasa "DENGAN TERANG", "AL-MUBEEN". Jadi sebelum kalian memarahi golongan jahil, fikirkanlah terlebih dahulu tanggungjawab kalian menyampaikan amanat Allah DENGAN TERANG.

Atau bak kata adik saya, "Adakah dakwah yang kita semua sama-sama sampaikan (semua jemaah, semua golongan) sentiasa canang & uar-uarkan benar-benar tercapai matlamatnya & targetnya."