Aqsa Week 6th – 12th March 2021

Aqsa Week will coincide with al-Isra wal-Miraj to bring the love of Al-Aqsa to the global community under the banner of #LoveAqsa.

Aqsa Week is about creating conversations on why we #LoveAqsa

The aim is to deliver an exciting educational week in order to bring a global focus to Al-Aqsa and the Palestinian people.

Aqsa Week brings to fore the centrality of Al-Aqsa and the plight of the Palestinians. The highlight of the campaign is to teach Muslims and non-Muslims of the great heritage of Masjid Al-Aqsa and how to support the occupied people around the world.

In order to gain a complete understanding of Al Aqsa, the first thing we need to understand is “What is Masjid Al Aqsa?”

“What is Masjid Al Aqsa?”

Al-Haram al-Sharif (al-Aqsa Sanctuary) is the holiest site in al-Quds (Jerusalem); a place used for worship, residence and meditation by many Prophets (AS) and pious individuals. It is a site blessed by Allah and selected by Him to be one of the most holy areas on earth, where angels descended with Allah’s message to many of His Prophets (AS). It is also the site of the most fantastic and incredible journey undertaken by Prophet Muhammad ﷺ during the night of al-Isra’ and al-Mi‘raj, when he was taken up to the heavens by the command of Allah. The revered site of al-Aqsa Sanctuary was also the first qiblah in Islam, before Allah inspired the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to change it to the Holy Masjid in Makkah.

Muslims of previous generations have constructed the most fantastic places of worship within al-Aqsa Sanctuary. They have maintained it by investing their wealth, energy and resources, and when it was required, they gave their lives to protect al-Aqsa Sanctuary.

The city of al-Quds (Jerusalem) now extends over an area of 45 km square. Within al-Quds is the ‘old city’ where major historical events took place and within the old city on the southeast corner is the area referred to as al-Haram al-Sharif or al-Aqsa Sanctuary. Al-Aqsa Sanctuary covers an area of approximately 35 acres and within this area, at the southern end, is the black domed Masjid called Masjid al-Aqsa; in the centre lies the golden domed Masjid, Qubbat al-Sakhrah (Dome of the Rock) and there are within al-Aqsa Sanctuary 42 other monuments and buildings. It has become common practice to refer to the whole area simply as al-Haram al-Sharif (al-Aqsa Sanctuary) and the black domed Masjid as Masjid al-Aqsa. However it is important to be aware of the distinction between the al-Aqsa Sanctuary and Masjid al-Aqsa. As it is extremely important to appreciate that it is the land of al-Haram al-Sharif (al-Aqsa Sanctuary) that is the most precious and blessed. When the Holy Qur’an (in Surah al-Isra’) refers to Masjid al-Aqsa (meaning a place of prostration) it is this land of al-Haram al-Sharif (al-Aqsa Sanctuary) that is implied and not any of the buildings. Although the buildings within the Noble Sanctuary like the black domed Masjid al-Aqsa and gold domed Dome of the Rock (Qubbat al-Sakhrah) are of great historical significance, however, one must understand it is the land that is holy and blessed and not the bricks and mortar. The love and sacrifice of the pious predecessors indicates the importance and centrality of al-Aqsa Sanctuary. Al-Aqsa Sanctuary has been carved within the psyche of the Muslim Ummah and formed the nucleus of one of the most Holy sites on earth. Above and beyond these great events and personalities associated with al-Aqsa Sanctuary which brings to the fore glorious memories of Prophets (AS) and miraculous events, one can never forget that Majid al-Aqsa is mentioned by name in the Holy Qur’an. Further, Almighty Allah refers to the region of al-Aqsa Sanctuary as blessed and holy. The Noble Sanctuary of al-Aqsa and al-Quds are referred to directly or indirectly many times in the Holy Qur’an. The Prophet ﷺ has repeatedly mentioned the importance of Al-Aqsa.