The significance of Palestine in the Islamic faith is evident by the frequent references to it in both the Quran and the Ahadith of the Prophet.
The greatest significance of Palestine for the Muslims is that it contains Baitul-Maqdis, the holiest place in Islam outside of the Hijaz. Both Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa and the Dome of the Rock are built in the area of the Baitul-Maqdis. Baitul-Maqdis was the center of Isra’ and Mi’raj of Prophet Muhammad. In the Quran Allah says:
“Glory be to the One who took his servant on a journey by night from Al-Masjid Al-Haram (in Mecca) to Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa (in Jerusalem) whose precincts we have blessed…..” 17/1)
Al Aqsa was the second Mosque established on earth after Al- Masjid Al-Haram in Mecca. In the hadith Abu Dhar said:
“Once I asked the Prophet what was the first mosque established on the earth; he said Al- Masjid Al-Haram. Then I asked him: then, which mosque? He replied “Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa”.
Al Aqsa was the first Qibla. The Muslims faced towards Baitul-Maqdis when praying during the entire Meccan period and for the first 16 months of the Medinian period, after which Allah ordered the Qibla to be changed towards the Kaaba in Mecca.
Praying in Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa is equivalent to 250 times the prayers in any other mosque except for Al-Masjid Al-Haram in Mecca and Al-Masjid An-Nabawi in Madina. In the Hadith the Prophet said:
“Prayers in Al-Masjid Al-Haram are equivalent to 100,000 prayers, and prayers in my Masjid (in Madina) are equivalent to 1000 prayers, and prayers in Baitul-Maqdis are equivalent to 500 prayers.” Tabarani
In addition, there are several verses in the Holy Quran and several Ahadith of the Prophet that describe both the significance of Baitul-Maqdis in Islam and the fact that Allah has blessed the land around it. The various Quranic revelations and Prophetic statements concerning the blessed land of Palestine made the land so dear to the companions of the Prophet to such an extent that when Omar ibn Al-Khattab entered the area for the first time he announced that all the lands of Palestine would be part of the Islamic Waqf for the Muslim generations to come. Palestine (as a blessed and holy land) is therefore extremely important to all Muslims.
The history of Palestine represents the history of Islam from Adam to Prophet Muhammad. Palestine is the land of the prophets who were sent with the message of Islam.
Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa is a holy site where many of the prophets were born or died, including Prophets Ibrahim, Lut, Dawood, Suleiman, Musa and Isa. Baitul-Maqdis was the site of Isra’ and Mi’raj of Prophet Muhammad.
Palestine was brought under Muslim control at the time of Omar ibn al-Khattab, the second Khalifa of the Muslims.
Al Masjid Al-Aqsa, Baitul-Maqdis, and the Blessed Lands of Palestine do not belong to the Palestinians or Arabs but to all Muslims, and only when the Muslim’s return to their faith and see the conflict in its real terms can they liberate Palestine as was done in the 12th Century by Salah al-Din Al-Ayyubi, who was not an Arab but a believer who, knew his Islamic responsibility towards the liberation of an occupied Muslim land.