Ebrahim Bham – The importance of Jerusalem in Islam- Palestinian Expo

			Salam aleikum wa rahmatullah wa barakato. Peace and blessings be upon all of you, and good afternoon
to each and every one, beginning by praising the almighty for the favor that the Almighty has
bestowed upon us and salutations be upon the messengers of the Almighty and those who follow them in
righteousness.
		

			The title, of course, is with regard to Jewish Jerusalem being extremely important spiritually to
all three Abrahamic faiths. It goes without saying that this is a reality that all the three major
Abrahamic faiths, regard Jerusalem to be blessed.
		

			And spiritually, they have a great attachment to Jerusalem. Now, I'm not an expert, to speak about
the sacredness of Jerusalem, from the Jewish or the Christian perspective.
		

			And I own venture to quote from the sources, because unfortunately, I've come to realize in the
United Kingdom, by quoting someone you get can get into unfavorable
		

			Nevertheless, I will just stick to speaking about the Islamic perspective with regard to Jerusalem,
its sacredness, and also speak about
		

			instances in history where there has been a great amount of peace in Jerusalem and freedom for all
three major Abrahamic faiths. Let me start off by speaking about some aspects with regard to the
sacredness of Jerusalem from an Islamic and Muslim perspective. We all know that Majid XL, the
mosque that is in Jerusalem has been made mentioned in the Holy Quran. In chapter 17 verse one, the
Almighty says Masjid accidentally Baraka hola Whoa, the masjid in Jerusalem with the Prophet
Muhammad peace be upon him said Allah Allah wa sallam travelled from Mecca to Jerusalem and then in
the presence of the Almighty. It was part and parcel of his historical and great epic journey known
		

			as Mirage, and coming into the presence of the Almighty.
		

			In the Holy Quran, it is also said out of del Makkah de the blessing land and of course, according
to the famous commentator of the Holy Quran, Abdullah Nia buzz, the cousin of the Beloved Prophet
Muhammad peace be upon him, it refers to Jerusalem, and Palestine, the surroundings of Jerusalem. We
are also aware that from the traditions of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him. We have been told
that Jerusalem and the masjid in Jerusalem was the second mosque
		

			or shrine that was established on this earth after the one in Mecca. So the second one, and of
course, this tradition is in the compile ation of Sahih, Muslim of the sayings of the Prophet
Muhammad peace be upon him, in which he said that the second most to be established on this earth,
after the one in Makkah, was the one in Jerusalem. And of course, part of making mention of this is
to show the Muslims attachment to Jerusalem and to measure the Aqsa is as old as time and I will
continue giving some examples with regard to that. We are also aware that the Prophet Muhammad said
that to perform prayers in the masjid in the mosque in Jerusalem, is 500 times more superior, or in
		

			one operation 1000 times more superior or more blessed than performing prayers in your local mosque.
And there is a reason why Muslims throughout the world would like the opportunity to perform prayers
in Nigeria except it gives me great pleasure that part of my congregation in Johannesburg, one of
the prime
		

			persons who organize the seclusion, which Muslims do at the end of Ramadan, the last 10 days of
Ramadan. He has for the past several years arranged for Muslims in South Africa to spend the time of
seclusion the last 10 days of Ramadan, in Nigeria. And this year, there were 150 Muslims from South
Africa, who had spent this last 10 days of seclusion in the holy mosque in Jerusalem. We are also
aware that this particular type of attachment to the masjid and the mosque in Jerusalem and
Jerusalem in particular is always remained not only at that time, but throughout history. So 4000
companions of the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, a buried in the proximity of Jerusalem and its
		

			surroundings. That shows that there's always been
		

			That type of relationship of Muslims with Jerusalem and its surroundings.
		

			And together with that, you know, 50 years later after the demise and the passing on of the
companions of the Prophet, he's remained to the Great Leader Abdul Malik bin Marwan to construct one
of the most beautiful shrines in religious architecture, the Dome of the Rock, which still stands
today, as a tribute, and a memorial for the Muslims love and attachment to Jerusalem. So this is one
side the sacredness and the attachment of Muslims, spiritually to Jerusalem and its surroundings.
And therefore it is very surprisingly sometimes to hear people saying that Muslims don't have any
much attachment to Jerusalem in its surroundings. Although I can quote almost 70 different
		

			references in the Holy Quran, which speaks about the blessedness of Majid, Aqsa Jerusalem and its
surroundings. The second reason why Jerusalem is so important to Muslims is because it has always
been the place in the center for Muslim and the messengers of the Almighty whether it be messengers
who are supposedly attached to Judaism or Christianity. Now, anyone who knows and have read about
Islam will know that it is an article of our faith, to believe in revere and to respect every divine
messenger. The Quran says learn for Rick obey now I hadn't morosely we do not differentiate between
any of the messengers of the Almighty. It is an article of our faith that just says we are supposed
		

			to believe and respect and revere the Prophet Mohammed, we have to respect and revere every prophet
and messenger, whether it be Moses, whether it be Jesus, whether it be David, whether it be Joseph,
whether it be Yusuf and giving the both the biblical and the Arabic names, and every messenger, it
is important for us to to speak about them highly and to review them. In fact, not only that, a
person would cease to be a Muslim if he does not revere and does not regard them as messengers of
the Almighty. The Quran sympathetically relates many of the great incidents of the messengers of the
Almighty and speaks very highly about them. It will be surprising to many to hear that the incident
		

			of Moses has been repeated more in the Holy Quran.
		

			compared to any other Prophet, even Muhammad, out of the 50 parts of the Holy Quran.
		

			Out of the 50 parts of the Holy Quran Moses incident has been made mentioned in 28 parts of the Holy
Quran out of the 30 parts.
		

			One of the most emotionally charged and to me one of the most emotionally charged verses of the Holy
Quran relates to the miraculous birth of Jesus. And of course, that portion, and these are sort of
in a chapter in the Holy Quran, which refers to marry, known as sort of Miriam. And in this
particular verse.
		

			The Quran vividly describes this time when Mary brings Jesus in her lap to the people of Jerusalem.
And look at how beautifully the Quran puts it to the Harun makan Abu Kimora, so mechanical mokuba
Oh, Mary, how do you bring a child out of wedlock? Your mother was not given to any wrong ways. And
your family was a noble family. How is it that you bring a child out of wedlock to the people of
Jerusalem? for shelter heroin makan Abu Kimura. So Omar can have fashola tell him and she indicates
to Jesus for sure. And the people of Jerusalem say Mark Kevin Kelley moment can I film this, Amir?
How do you expect us to speak to a just newly born child but this was not a newly born child, an
		

			ordinary newly born child. Its birth was miraculous. And it speaks miraculously from the cradle. And
it said, What does it say? Oh you
		

			do not cast aspersions of my mother.
		

			She is an upright woman. I'm a servant of the Almighty. I have been born miraculously is one of the
manifestations and a showing of the greatness and the power of the Almighty.
		

			You know, it is also amazing that Muslims find it very honorable to speak about a name they children
under the names of the devil divine messengers.
		

			Ibrahim is smart use of doubt is a very common names in the Muslim community and society. I like to
quote my
		

			Example, that in my situation, you know, for the past five generations, although we know Ibrahim,
you know, Abraham had two children, Isaac, and Ishmael, Isaac, the father of Judaism, and Ishmael
the father of the Arabs, and that is why they say Jews and Arabs are cousins and to one another. And
surprisingly, they say many times many of the disputes are most intense between people who are very
close family relatives. Because it may, you know, and you have O'Brien being the father Ishmael
being the son, but in my situation in my family, for the past five generations, the name has
interchange between Abraham and his smile. So my great grandfather's name was his smile. My
		

			grandfather's name was Abraham, my father's name was his smile. My name is Ibrahim, my son's name is
Ishmael. And I always tell him, you have to keep up the tradition. So when my eldest son gave, you
know, my eldest son became a father of a child. So he said, am I supposed to keep the name is my
associate No, that is my Unix and Unix.
		

			So anyway, this just shows the importance and how we relate to the messengers, the Almighty, and
that is a reason why
		

			we have this great amount of attachment and we believe, I believe near buzz, the cover cousin of the
Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him, it said, There is not a piece of land in Jerusalem, in which a
messenger of the Almighty did not pray to the Almighty. And because of the fact that Islam does not
cut itself off from the previous prophets. It regards Islam regards itself as a continuation of the
teachings of Moses and Jesus. Nasrallah, Allah clickatell, will help Musa de Colima Bay, the Quran
had come with the intention of continuation of the teachings of Moses and Jesus. That's how we
believe we do agree that there might be some differences with regard to that. But that is our belief
		

			that Islam is a continuation of the teachings of Jesus and Moses, and keeping this in mind, Muslims
whenever they have been in control, and and I can't speak on every epoch of Islamic history, because
we all know that, while we tend to glorify certain aspects of our history, which are, which are
good, which are romantic, sometimes they have been aspects of history, both from Islam,
Christianity, Judaism, which have not always been covered in glory. But of course, part of the
glorious situations has been the incident of Homer. When Omar conquered Jerusalem, he struck a very
friendly relationship with a bishop of sufferance, who was Archbishop of Jerusalem to such an extent
		

			that the Archbishop even offered to wash the clothes of Kumar. And of course, one of the very famous
incident that time was Omar was at the time of the prayer at the Holy Sepulcher. And it was a time
of the prayers and he was I asked for prayers. And the bishop told him that why don't you pray in
the church. And Omar refused and declined saying that if I pray in the church, my followers and the
Muslims will take it as a means of taking over the church which I do not want. And there was an
agreement which was signed between the bishop sufferance of Jerusalem in which Homer gave the
Christians the right to worship freely, without any hindrance. And even given them the opportunity
		

			to have within the lives apply the the social law, the personal law upon themselves, something which
Muslims in many parts of the world, even today don't have, and is always looked upon with suspicion,
but was granted by Muslims to people of other faiths. And this particular aspect came to the fore
when Sultan Selim the Ottoman Empire, when he conquered and he came in to Jerusalem in 1517, he met
a Christian delegation who presented to him the agreement between Omar and the Christians at that
time where they were allowed freedom of worship in Jerusalem. And Sultan Selim took that particular
agreement of the very greatly revered halifa of Islam, Allah upon his eyes and said, I will see to
		

			it that is upheld the way Omar upheld it. And of course, we all know with regard to what happened
between the crusades, and then of course, you compare the Crusades with Salahuddin and of course,
many even the western writers have spoken highly about how Salahuddin had been such a chivalrous
person and so kind and kept with kindness, with your reading, if you want to read with regard to
that is to read rider haggard, in which he has spoken so highly about Sarah codina up, I won't go
into that particular aspect. So now, after saying this, we can give many examples with regard to
this. And I can speak not only not on behalf of presently Muslim rulers or for example, rulers in
		

			the past, I'll speak directly from the theological aspect.
		

			And we'll come to the conclusion of the scope. The Quran in in speaks about the existence of people
of different faiths. When we share our Bukola Jelena samata wahida Luna macula Illa Mara Mara book
		

			you know, I do apologize if I
		

			I have not been able to give a reference, because I know the Quran by heart. So sometimes I just
quote the Arabic text. But if anyone requires the text, I can make it. The reference I can make it
very clearly available in the Quran says that Quran except that there will be people of different
faiths. So this gives rise to coexistence because of the fact that the Quran says that there are
going to be people of different faiths, you have to mutually coexist. And there is a very clear cut
principle of the Holy Quran like Rafi Dean, there is no compulsion in religion, you cannot impose
religion upon anyone. It's a fundamental principle of the Holy Quran, that quote that religion
		

			cannot be forcefully applied upon each and every year in any any person. The Prophet Muhammad peace
be upon him is also known to have done agreements with regard to multiculturalism, in which, for
example, the mythical Medina in which there are 47 claws, that when the Prophet Muhammad came into
Madina, munawwara, the blessing city of Medina, there were 47 clauses, in which the Prophet Muhammad
peace be upon him, had agreed with the citizens of Medina, which include the local indigenous
citizens, and the Jews of Medina, in which they said how we are going to live as a United Community.
In many ways we could say, that was one of the first multicultural societies. And of course, for
		

			Muslims, there is evidence with regard to the aspect that the Prophet Muhammad had created such a
system in which people of different faiths could live together. And of course, we have the example
of Salah Houdini up, we have the example of Homer, can we have many other examples with regard to
it. During the time of the Prophet Muhammad, there was a delegation of the Christians of Nigeria who
came to meet the Prophet Muhammad, peace be upon him. And it is absolutely amazing that when you
look at history, how the Prophet Muhammad peace be upon him treated them. And you find that the
Prophet Mohammed set up a tent for them outside the mosque, and arrange for the meals. And when they
		

			used to worship according to their own doctrines, and according to their own faiths, people came to
complain to the Prophet Mohammed and he said, allow them to worship the way they have been taught to
not interfere in that particular regard. So here we have an example of, you know, an example of, you
know, acceptance, and about with regard to multiculturalism, of course, I've given you two, three,
in fact, many examples during the course of Islamic history, in which Jerusalem had been an open
city for people of different faiths. And I would like to conclude with those two things, just one or
two very important points. You know, many times people do when they speak about Muslim
		

			understanding, and Muslim relationship with people of other faiths. There is a verse in the Holy
Quran, which, you know, it's such a beautiful verse and something for us to consider. The Almighty
says lie and how kumala 111, LMU katello confetti in one
		

			room, but toxic to claim that the almighty does not prevent you with regard to people of other
faiths, who do not fight with you, who do not expel you from your homes, they are good with you.
That what are you supposed to do with them and about room, and I would like you just to think about
this word, the word that is used is the bar room below. Their means kindness and goodness, and not
ordinary kindness and goodness, normally this word in the Arabic lecture terminology, and the Arabic
grammar is used in Islamic in Islamic traditions, to refer to our relationship with our parents. So
you will find in the holiday strips, traditions, you will find chapter by rule valleydale Be kind to
		

			your parents. And I don't need to emphasize that how Muslims are required and emphasize to be kind
towards the parents. And that same word has been used for our relationship with people of other
faiths. That same word has been used to refer to our relationship with people of other faiths. Then
you have for example, Muslims are not supposed and don't have love for people of other faiths. Now,
all of us know from the Quran, that a Muslim man can get married to a Jewish and Christian woman.
Now, if he gets married to a Jewish and Christian woman, now I wonder how is he going to get married
to someone who doesn't love them? And can you imagine he's also going to have, you know, the mother
		

			in law and also be perhaps be a Jewish and Christian woman. Now, I know you have films like monster
in law, but I mean, we don't know talk about that. I mean, finally, from an Islamic and from a
religious person, a spiritual perspective, you're supposed to love your your wife's family. So we
use this aspect that Muslims don't have any regard for people of other faiths. And very quickly, let
me just end off with a beautiful thing. And the passage of the Prophet Mohammed, really worth of
listening. The Prophet Mohammed had said, Whosoever trades and non Muslim in an Islamic Society and
justly whosoever treats another
		

			Muslim in Islamic Society unjustly, I would, I would take up that non Muslims course and fight on
his behalf against the Muslim on the Day of Judgment. Now, as I said, from the very beginning, I
can't speak on behalf of Muslim rulers in the past or present. I can speak on what the tradition
says. And I can speak to you what the Quran or Hadith says. And the Prophet Mohammed said, Whosoever
inconveniences the non Muslim in Islamic Society, I will take up the cause of the non Muslim citizen
on the day of judgment against the Muslims. And therefore I'm very optimistic. And I believe, as
Christian said, beautifully said that, yes, there are examples in history that can be achieved, that
		

			Jerusalem which is so central to our faiths, central to the Abrahamic faiths can live in such a way
that each and every one of these faiths can have access and enjoy the spirituality and the
centrality and the blessedness of Jerusalem, it is possible, let us thrive and let us not allow
people to be able to differentiate and to create, you know, guided divisions of hatred, you know, on
this particular basis. The Quran says when a cat Corona Bunny, when a cat kurama bunny Adam, we have
granted respect and dignity to every child of
		

			every human being by virtue of being a human being has been granted dignity and respect and honor by
the prophet Muhammad peace be upon him by the words of Almighty Allah subhana wa Tada. And many
times today, we respect titles. We respect titles. So it's not uncommon for a person to respect
someone because he's a doctor. He's a lawyer, he's a politician. The Quran is never told us to
respect titles. It is called upon us to respect human means. And I'm sure with these words, and I'm
sure similar words that could be in other scriptures. We can come together. Thank you
		

			very much. Both speakers will take some questions
		

			are we I think we've been