Al-Aqsa Mosque: Do Not Intrude! Mustafa Abu Sway D r. Mustafa Ab u Swa y is associat e pro fess or o f phi los op hy an dIsla mi c stu dies an d d irect or o f the I slam ic Rese arch Centerat Al-Quds University in Jerusalem/Palestine. He is also the coordinator fo r the ma ster ’ s p rog ra m in Con temp orary Islamic Studies. Verily, ‘Al-Aqsa’ Is a name for the whole mosque which is surrounded by the wall, the length and width of which are mentioned here, for the bdilding that exists in the southern part of the Mosque, and the other ones sUch as the Dome of the Rock and the corridors and other [buildings] are novel (muhdatha). (Mujir Al-Din Al-Hanbali, Al-Uns Al- Jalil f o T ar ikh Al-Quds wal- Khalil, vol.2, p.24.) More than 500 years ago, when Mujir Al-Din Al-Hanbali offered the above definition of Al-Aqsa Mosque in the year 900 AH/1495, there were no conflicts, no occupatidh and no contesting narratives surrounding the site. What is more remarkable for me is that when I published the above definition in a previous paper in Wh ere Heaven a nd Earth Meet: Jerusalem s Sacr edEsp lan ade , I received a respohse from a senior non-Muslim medievalist pro fessor who is ver y fam ilia r with the liter atur e of the per iod simp ly admitting that he was hot aware of Al-Hanbali’s definition. I am convinced that knowledge about Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Holy Qur’an, the Prophetic traditions and Islamic literature woul d presen t a much-n eeded narrative with clear political implicatio ns. Meddling in the affairs o f Al-Aqsa Mosque could destabilize the region afid beyo ild. Any forced entry (i.e., without approval o f Muslims) is tantamoun t to a clear violation o f the sanctity o f the mosque. No t only do the Isfaeli occupat ion auth orit ies pre ven t free dom o f movement and freedom of worship, they interfere in defining Al-Aqsa Mosque by restricting the-medhing of Al-Aqsa Mosque to the southern most building, Qibli Mosque, father than all 144 dunums or 36 acres. The Israeli occupation authorities consider the open yards within Al-Aqsa Mosque as belonging to public parks, with no jurisdiction for the Waqf. In doing so, the Israeli occupation authorities justify their own role in perm itti ng an d protec ting extre tnist Isr ael is’ and ot he rs ’ entry int o Al-A qsa Mosque compound against the will of the Waqf adminis tration. Some o f those extremists became lawmakers itl the Israeli Knesset or members of
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More than 500 years ago, when Mujir Al-Din Al-Hanbali offered the above
definition of Al-Aqsa Mosque in the year 900 AH/1495, there were no
conflicts, no occupatidh and no contesting narratives surrounding the site.What is more remarkable for me is that when I published the above definition
in a previous paper in Where Heaven and Earth Meet: Jerusalem s Sacred
Esplanade, I received a respohse from a senior non-Muslim medievalist
professor who is very familiar with the literature of the period simply
admitting that he was hot aware of Al-Hanbali’s definition. I am convinced
that knowledge about Al-Aqsa Mosque in the Holy Qur’an, the Prophetic
traditions and Islamic literature would present a much-needed narrative with
clear political implications. Meddling in the affairs of Al-Aqsa Mosque coulddestabilize the region afid beyoild. Any forced entry (i.e., without approval of
Muslims) is tantamount to a clear violation of the sanctity of the mosque.
Not only do the Isfaeli occupation authorities prevent freedom of
movement and freedom of worship, they interfere in defining Al-Aqsa
Mosque by restricting the-medhing of Al-Aqsa Mosque to the southern
most building, Qibli Mosque, father than all 144 dunums or 36 acres. The
Israeli occupation authorities consider the open yards within Al-Aqsa
Mosque as belonging to public parks, with no jurisdiction for the Waqf. In doing so, the Israeli occupation authorities justify their own role in
permitting and protecting extretnist Israelis’ and others’ entry into Al-Aqsa
Mosque compound against the will of the Waqf administration. Some of
those extremists became lawmakers itl the Israeli Knesset or members of