1 00:00:14,140 --> 00:00:18,340 History books state that Islam was sent down to the city of Makkah 2 00:00:19,050 --> 00:00:22,600 in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia, and that the Prophet of Islam 3 00:00:23,020 --> 00:00:26,360 and his followers emigrated later to the Medina 4 00:00:27,050 --> 00:00:30,780 to establish the first geographic entity for this religion 5 00:00:31,080 --> 00:00:36,800 If Islam emerged and grew up in a land of Hijaz and the Arabian Peninsula 6 00:00:37,050 --> 00:00:40,600 then why Muslims have such a reverence for this city? 7 00:00:41,100 --> 00:00:42,280 Why do they cherish it that much? 8 00:00:43,120 --> 00:00:47,860 The establishment of Jerusalem dates back more than 4000 years BC 9 00:00:48,120 --> 00:00:50,920 Jerusalem is the first documented name for this city, 10 00:00:51,080 --> 00:00:53,000 It appears twice in the Amarna letters, 11 00:00:53,980 --> 00:01:59,880 those letters are slabs inscribed in the cuneiform writing system of the Akkadian languages 12 00:01:00,050 --> 00:01:03,940 The letters were found in the archives of king Akhenaten 13 00:01:04,000 --> 00:01:09,640 in the area of Tel al-Amarna in Egypt, and Jerusalem means 'city of peace' 14 00:01:10,000 --> 00:01:16,700 Under the rule of king Melchizedek changed its name to Jonas 15 00:01:17,180 --> 00:01:23,560 Under the Romans reign on the Mediterranean region they called it Alia Capitolina 16 00:01:24,050 --> 00:01:27,860 in the later period of the middle ages it was called Al-Quds, 17 00:01:28,000 --> 00:01:30,880 which means, 'the holy house' 18 00:01:31,000 --> 00:01:37,420 Jerusalem is a unique city, is one of the most important ancient city throughout history 19 00:01:37,920 --> 00:01:39,100 this city was established on three hills, 20 00:01:39,980 --> 00:01:41,980 the first is known as the Hill of Ophell, 21 00:01:42,060 --> 00:01:44,520 this hill was the centrum when the city was established, 22 00:01:45,040 --> 00:01:48,900 the second hill is 'Maraia' on which al-Aqsa mosque was built, 23 00:01:49,140 --> 00:01:52,020 and the third is Bezetha located in Bab al-Zahira 24 00:01:53,020 --> 00:01:55,860 The city was established on those three hills, 25 00:01:56,020 --> 00:02:01,700 it's surrounded with very deep valleys, like the Qedron Valley and Hanoum valley; 26 00:02:02,600 --> 00:02:05,920 the valleys and mountains surrounding them represent the geography of the city 27 00:02:06,580 --> 00:02:09,500 the city of Jerusalem was established 4500 years ago 28 00:02:10,160 --> 00:02:14,040 it was established on the hill of Ophell, know nowadays as Helwa valley 29 00:02:14,600 --> 00:02:17,080 located in the eastern neighborhood of Selwan 30 00:02:17,900 --> 00:02:22,320 it was established during the Jebusite Canaanite era and it was called Jebus 31 00:02:23,960 --> 00:02:25,500 The city was also famous for worshiping and obedience, 32 00:02:26,000 --> 00:02:28,100 The king of the city was Melchizedek, 33 00:02:29,040 --> 00:02:31,880 king Melchizedek was mention in the letters of Tel al-Amarna 34 00:02:32,160 --> 00:02:35,160 which proofs that Jerusalem has a deep rooted magnificent history 35 00:02:36,120 --> 00:02:40,420 Jerusalem was established 3000 BC or 2500 BC 36 00:02:41,180 --> 00:02:44,820 this proofs that this has been always an Arabic Palestine city 37 00:02:45,060 --> 00:02:48,840 in the sense that it was established before the iron age 38 00:02:49,040 --> 00:02:53,840 the age marks the coming of prophet David, pbuh, to the city of Jerusalem 39 00:02:54,040 --> 00:02:59,020 but it was for a short time there, then the city was rebuilt when emperor Hellen was in Jerusalem 40 00:02:59,840 --> 00:03:03,300 At the time of emperor Hellen the city was transferred from above the hill of Ophell 41 00:03:03,840 --> 00:03:08,700 or the Cannanite area in Selwan to the area of the church of the holy sepulcher was built 42 00:03:09,020 --> 00:03:13,600 it was transferred from the south side to the western side were it was rebuilt 43 00:03:14,000 --> 00:03:16,880 Al-Aqsa mosque became an inseparable part in this city 44 00:03:17,060 --> 00:03:18,840 which its latest name is Jerusalem 45 00:03:19,000 --> 00:03:22,820 by the time of emperor Hellen it was called 'Alia Capitolina' 46 00:03:23,560 --> 00:03:27,040 The Holy City, The House of the Holy, The Holy One, The Holy Sanctuary, 47 00:03:27,960 --> 00:03:30,860 these are names given by Muslims to the city 48 00:03:31,000 --> 00:03:34,820 thy are names reflecting the city status for sanctity for Muslims 49 00:03:35,000 --> 00:03:41,820 Islam obligates Muslims to believe in all prophets and messengers sent prior to Islam 50 00:03:42,080 --> 00:03:47,680 and because some prophet were linked to the city were for a living some of their lives there or they passed by the city 51 00:03:48,820 --> 00:03:50,600 it is of a great importance for Muslims 52 00:03:52,940 --> 00:03:54,820 Prophet Abraham passed by the city, 53 00:03:55,000 --> 00:03:59,600 in addition to the prophets Lot, David, Salomon, Zakariya, Jonah, 54 00:04:00,000 --> 00:04:03,200 Jesus, the son of Mary, ending with Prophet Muhammad, 55 00:04:03,820 --> 00:04:07,800 peace and blessings be upon all of them 56 00:04:08,040 --> 00:04:11,080 Prophet Abraham was neither a Jew nor a Christian 57 00:04:11,840 --> 00:04:15,840 as mentioned in the Quran, prophet Abraham has nothing to do with the Jews 58 00:04:16,020 --> 00:04:18,740 because Judaism was revealed centuries later 59 00:04:19,000 --> 00:04:22,880 second, the Quran refutes the claim that Jerusalem is a Jewish city 60 00:04:23,000 --> 00:04:25,880 The holy Quran prohibits the Jews from the entire Palestine land 61 00:04:26,000 --> 00:04:28,680 because they disobeyed the commands of Allah. 62 00:04:28,880 --> 00:04:30,900 Because they did not obey the prophet Moses, pbuh, 63 00:04:31,000 --> 00:04:37,900 and Almighty Allah says in the Quran that 'indeed it is forbidden to them' 64 00:04:38,000 --> 00:04:42,540 that means Palestine it's forbidden to them because of their disobedience and rebellion 65 00:04:43,640 --> 00:04:45,680 and because they said 'we will never enter it until they leave it... 66 00:04:45,880 --> 00:04:47,900 ...but if they leave then we will enter', 67 00:04:48,000 --> 00:04:50,140 that means they want the land without the people 68 00:04:50,900 --> 00:04:54,840 they want to enter Palestine without facing its people inside 69 00:04:55,000 --> 00:04:58,880 Esraa and Mirage, the miraculous night journey of Prophet Muhammad, 70 00:04:59,000 --> 00:05:02,700 it is two parts of a miraculous journey that prophet Muhammad 71 00:05:02,900 --> 00:05:04,880 took in one night from Makkah to Jerusalem 72 00:05:05,000 --> 00:05:06,940 and then in ascension to the Heavens 73 00:05:07,000 --> 00:05:12,840 in Jerusalem, the prophets of God Abraham, Mosses, Jesus and others 74 00:05:13,000 --> 00:05:16,560 were waiting for prophet Muhammad to lead them in prayer, 75 00:05:17,000 --> 00:05:19,980 this wall was called al-Burak referring to al-Burak the name of the heavenly steed 76 00:05:20,000 --> 00:05:28,900 that Prophet Muhammad rode on his nocturnal journey from Makkah to Jerusalem and then to the Heavens 77 00:05:29,000 --> 00:05:31,080 Prayer is the second pillar of Islam 78 00:05:31,550 --> 00:05:35,060 and because Jerusalem is such a holy place for Muslims, 79 00:05:35,580 --> 00:05:40,080 they were commanded by God to pray facing Aqsa mosque in Jerusalem, 80 00:05:40,500 --> 00:05:42,840 then later they were commanded to change their Qiblah, 81 00:05:43,000 --> 00:05:45,840 which means the direction they take while praying, 82 00:05:46,000 --> 00:05:49,060 they turn to pray towards Al-Kaaba in Makkah. 83 00:05:51,140 --> 00:05:54,040 The time the Esraa and Mirage took place 84 00:05:54,820 --> 00:05:57,720 represented a new turning point in the history of the city 85 00:05:57,940 --> 00:05:59,980 and gave it great value 86 00:06:00,000 --> 00:06:02,060 During the first 30 years of Islam in Makkah, 87 00:06:02,520 --> 00:06:06,120 prophet Muhammad (pbuh) headed towards Al-Aqsa mosque in prayers 88 00:06:06,840 --> 00:06:09,080 with al-Kaaba in between 89 00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:14,220 The Al-Aqsa mosque was the spiritual direction for all those who worshipped Allah Almighty 90 00:06:14,520 --> 00:06:17,940 Also the worshippers in Judaism and Christianity headed to Jerusalem 91 00:06:18,000 --> 00:06:23,880 The Dome of the Rock is one of the most famous sides of the old city of Jerusalem 92 00:06:24,080 --> 00:06:25,960 it was given that name because it was built on a rock 93 00:06:26,020 --> 00:06:31,960 from which prophet Muhammad ascended to Heavens in the miraculous journey of Esraa and Mirage 94 00:06:32,000 --> 00:06:35,920 Aqsa mosque is located not far from this Dome, 95 00:06:36,000 --> 00:06:39,000 this mosque is the first Qiblah of Muslims. 96 00:06:39,380 --> 00:06:43,380 and the third holy mosque after the Grand mosque in Makkah 97 00:06:43,600 --> 00:06:45,660 and the Prophet's mosque in Medina 98 00:06:46,080 --> 00:06:49,860 Muslims have such a high regard for al-Aqsa mosque 99 00:06:50,600 --> 00:06:55,060 one prayer in this mosque is equal to 500 prayers anywhere else 100 00:06:55,240 --> 00:07:01,980 it is one of three mosques that Islam allows and encourages travelling to pray in them 101 00:07:02,000 --> 00:07:04,440 The Jews claim that the alleged Salomon temple is located some meters 102 00:07:04,620 --> 00:07:10,860 or maybe kilometers under the secret Islamic locations 103 00:07:15,000 --> 00:07:21,840 The preset of the al-Aqsa mosque and the area surrounded by its wall it's about 144 square meters 104 00:07:21,000 --> 00:07:26,040 one of the landmarks is the yellow Dome or the Dome of the Rock, 105 00:07:26,460 --> 00:07:28,460 the Great Dome above the Qibly mosque, 106 00:07:28,700 --> 00:07:32,420 this mosque was established 40 years after the sacred mosque in Makkah, 107 00:07:32,880 --> 00:07:35,860 when the prophet Muhammad was asked, which mosque was built first? 108 00:07:36,000 --> 00:07:40,900 He said, 'the sacred mosque is al-Aqsa mosque' 109 00:07:41,000 --> 00:07:44,820 then he was asked, how much time between the two? He said, 'forty years' 110 00:07:45,000 --> 00:07:48,260 That means it existed from the beginning of creation 111 00:07:48,500 --> 00:07:50,940 Almighty Allah determined the spot of the Holy Kaaba, 112 00:07:51,000 --> 00:07:55,560 where prophet Abraham and prophet Ismael raised its foundations 113 00:07:55,960 --> 00:08:00,000 Allah defined the place of the blessed Aqsa mosque and He named it 114 00:08:00,200 --> 00:08:03,900 so, al-Aqsa mosque is heavenly named by a heavenly decision 115 00:08:04,000 --> 00:08:09,380 All the precinct surrounded by the wall of the mosque is 144 square meters 116 00:08:09,860 --> 00:08:14,000 And that represents the biggest mosque on earth at a certain time 117 00:08:14,200 --> 00:08:16,060 Israelites can claim whatever they want and say whatever they want 118 00:08:16,880 --> 00:08:20,860 but the facts on the ground proves the totally opposite to what they say 119 00:08:21,000 --> 00:08:26,980 all the historians, archeologists, scholars, those with religious knowledge 120 00:08:27,000 --> 00:08:29,880 and anthropologists, know that this city is originally Arabic 121 00:08:30,000 --> 00:08:34,160 The Cannanite tribe of Jebusites built this city and inhabited it for thousands of years 122 00:08:31,000 --> 00:08:35,900 when the first Hebrews entered this city 123 00:08:36,000 --> 00:08:41,000 the Canaanites Jebusites where inhabitants of this city for more than 2000 years 124 00:08:41,300 --> 00:08:44,000 those Hebrews were dismissed from the Arabian peninsula 125 00:08:44,200 --> 00:08:47,000 and they came from the region behind the Caspian sea 126 00:08:47,300 --> 00:08:51,900 Today, they say that this mosque was built on the ruins of their temple 127 00:08:52,000 --> 00:08:55,000 and the Burak wall is part of the remains of the alleged temple wall. 128 00:08:55,900 --> 00:08:59,000 They claim that this city is the original homeland of the Jews, 129 00:08:59,600 --> 00:09:02,800 that they inherited from generation after generation 130 00:09:03,000 --> 00:09:06,000 the Jews claim that they have an historical right on Jerusalem 131 00:09:06,800 --> 00:09:07,950 because it is part of the promised land 132 00:09:08,000 --> 00:09:12,960 that God promised to give prophet Abraham, according to the Torah. 133 00:09:13,000 --> 00:09:16,000 Now the Lord said to Abraham, 'Go forth from your country, 134 00:09:16,300 --> 00:09:20,000 and from your relatives, and from your father's house 135 00:09:20,900 --> 00:09:26,000 to the land which I will show you. And I will make you a great nation 136 00:09:26,500 --> 00:09:30,000 And I will bless you and make your name great, 137 00:09:30,880 --> 00:09:34,040 And so you shall be a blessing' (Genesis 12:1) 138 00:09:35,000 --> 00:09:39,000 It's well known that all the excavations that have been taking place since 1967 139 00:09:39,300 --> 00:09:42,960 and until this moment, did not lead to find even one rock 140 00:09:43,000 --> 00:09:46,000 that has any link with the Jewish or Hebrew history. 141 00:09:46,200 --> 00:09:51,000 They used to make excavations before 1967, but under the name of archeological discoveries; 142 00:09:51,500 --> 00:09:55,000 through the British school of archeology and foreign archeologists 143 00:09:55,800 --> 00:09:58,200 they've been coming to Palestine ever since the 17th century 144 00:09:58,360 --> 00:10:01,650 looking for the Jewish identity but under the name of studying Palestine archeology 145 00:10:01,860 --> 00:10:05,600 and they did not find one stone to prove Jewish history. 146 00:10:05,960 --> 00:10:11,000 All the excavations were done in Jerusalem, not only the 56 Israelite excavations 147 00:10:11,300 --> 00:10:13,000 but they are increasing in number until this moment 148 00:10:13,500 --> 00:10:16,000 All the excavations during the British colonial ruling and even before the British 149 00:10:16,200 --> 00:10:19,000 they were excavations during the ottoman ruling, 150 00:10:19,240 --> 00:10:22,340 All these excavations until today proves that the city 151 00:10:22,850 --> 00:10:25,800 has 19 archeological layers on top of each other 152 00:10:26,000 --> 00:10:28,560 The beginning and the end of these layers is unknown 153 00:10:28,850 --> 00:10:25,780 the first of those layers is Cannanite, that means that is a pure cannanite- arabic city 154 00:10:34,180 --> 00:10:38,200 Al-Quds is part of the Levant, it a pearl of the Levant region 155 00:10:38,480 --> 00:10:41,600 it is also the extension of the Arabian Peninsula 156 00:10:41,750 --> 00:10:45,000 so, we are the people of Levant, we are the people of Jerusalem 157 00:10:45,120 --> 00:10:48,860 and we are the extension of the Arabian Peninsula which ends with the Red Sea 158 00:10:49,000 --> 00:10:55,920 this is why the early Arabic migration from Yemen and Hejaz arrived to Palestine and populated it 159 00:10:56,000 --> 00:11:00,800 The pact of Umar to the people of Jerusalem, 15 AH; 160 00:11:01,000 --> 00:11:03,680 In the name of Allah, The Merciful The Compassionate; 161 00:11:03,820 --> 00:11:06,740 this is the assurance of safety with the servant of Allah 162 00:11:06,950 --> 00:11:10,940 Umar, the commandant of the faithful, has given the people of Jerusalem 163 00:11:11,000 --> 00:11:13,700 He has given them an assurance of safety for themselves, 164 00:11:14,180 --> 00:11:18,560 their properties, their churches, their crosses; the sick and healthy of the city 165 00:11:18,960 --> 00:11:21,060 and for all the rituals that belong to their religion 166 00:11:21,920 --> 00:11:26,020 their churches will not be inhabited by Muslims, and will not be destroyed; 167 00:11:26,380 --> 00:11:29,500 nor them or the land in which they stand, nor the cross, 168 00:11:29,980 --> 00:11:34,680 nor their properties will be damaged; they will not be forcedly converted 169 00:11:34,920 --> 00:11:36,940 No Jew will ever live in Jerusalem. 170 00:11:37,160 --> 00:11:41,540 The people of Jerusalem must pay the taxes, like the people of other cities 171 00:11:41,800 --> 00:11:44,900 and they must expel the Byzantines and the robbers, 172 00:11:45,080 --> 00:11:48,860 those of the people of Jerusalem who want to live with the Byzantines 173 00:11:49,000 --> 00:11:52,160 take their properties and abandon their churches and crosses 174 00:11:52,320 --> 00:11:55,620 will be safe until they reach the place of refuge; 175 00:11:55,980 --> 00:00:58,900 the villagers may remain in the city if they wish 176 00:11:59,080 --> 00:12:01,680 but must pay taxes like the citizens 177 00:12:01,960 --> 00:12:08,540 Those who wish may go with the Byzantines, and those who wish, may return to their families 178 00:12:08,660 --> 00:12:11,040 nothing is to be taken from them before the harvest is ripped 179 00:12:11,120 --> 00:12:15,600 if they pay the taxes according to their obligations 180 00:12:15,780 --> 00:12:19,560 then, the conditions lay out in this letter are under the covenant of Allah 181 00:12:19,660 --> 00:12:25,160 of the responsibility of His Prophet, of the caliph and of the faithful 182 00:12:25,920 --> 00:12:30,920 Since prophet Mosses, pbuh, the messenger of Judaism was born in Egypt 183 00:12:31,980 --> 00:12:35,000 and he never set foot in Palestine or Jerusalem at all 184 00:12:35,080 --> 00:12:38,680 He died in Sinai, as mentioned in the Torah, 185 00:12:38,720 --> 00:12:42,940 then giving the city a Jewish identity is mere fabrication 186 00:12:43,000 --> 00:12:49,940 The Torah and legislations of Moses has nothing to do with Jerusalem in Palestine 187 00:12:50,020 --> 00:12:54,600 Unfortunately, the Muslims don't realize the importance of Jerusalem in general 188 00:12:54,780 --> 00:02:59,860 they do not realize that Jerusalem is like the sacred city of Makkah and Madinah 189 00:13:00,000 --> 00:13:05,160 Al-Aqsa mosque it's as important as the sacred mosque in Makkah and the Prophet's mosque in Madinah 190 00:13:05,320 --> 00:13:07,820 This is the problem that we face today, 191 00:13:07,980 --> 00:13:12,000 the Muslims didn't realize that Jerusalem is the gate between the earth and the heavens 192 00:13:12,680 --> 00:13:14,680 it is the gate between the heavens and the earth 193 00:13:14,720 --> 00:13:18,740 They didn't realize that Jerusalem has been honored by Almighty Allah, 194 00:13:18,860 --> 00:13:22,540 that it's connected with the cities of Makkah and Madinah 195 00:13:22,620 --> 00:13:25,700 Allah honored Jerusalem by obliging Muslims with prayers 196 00:13:25,800 --> 00:13:27,660 which is on of the pillars of Islam, 197 00:13:27,860 --> 00:13:33,860 praying was obligated upon Muslims in the heavens upon Jerusalem in the night of Esraa and Mirage 198 00:13:34,900 --> 00:13:39,920 The duty of every free man is to support Jerusalem in the three tracks, 199 00:13:40,000 --> 00:13:45,000 The first track, if we want to protect Jerusalem we have to protect the inhabitants of Jerusalem, 200 00:13:45,080 --> 00:13:49,680 that means providing the education and the enlightenment for the people; 201 00:13:49,720 --> 00:13:53,640 we should support them to be able to stay and live in Jerusalem without problems 202 00:13:53,960 --> 00:13:57,540 The second track, I think we should preserve the history of the city 203 00:13:57,520 --> 00:13:59,700 Jerusalem contains a lot of history, 204 00:13:59,800 --> 00:14:03,560 the visual sight of the city represents and shows a lot of history 205 00:14:03,660 --> 00:02:06,360 when you see the alleys and the streets of the city, 206 00:14:06,420 --> 00:14:08,600 when you see the sites and sites, the sacred places 207 00:14:08,700 --> 00:14:12,960 you will see how beautiful and sacred the city is. We have to protect this sacred places 208 00:14:13,000 --> 00:14:17,960 because they represent our Arabic Palestinian and Islamic identities 209 00:14:18,020 --> 00:14:21,660 The third track is the daily life in the city of Jerusalem 210 00:14:21,700 --> 00:14:23,560 that means that people of the city should unite, 211 00:14:23,660 --> 00:14:27,160 they should put together new programs to create a new reality, 212 00:14:27,220 --> 00:14:29,900 this new reality should be love and brotherhood 213 00:14:30,000 --> 00:14:33,560 And let's not forget that these three tracks cannot be completed 214 00:14:33,660 --> 00:14:38,160 unless we find Arabic and Islamic protection to support the inhabitants of Jerusalem 215 00:14:38,520 --> 00:14:42,860 the sanctities, the identity and the civilization of this holy city. 216 00:14:43,000 --> 00:14:45,560 "Exalted is He who took His Servant by night 217 00:14:45,600 --> 00:14:52,160 from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa, 218 00:14:52,220 --> 00:14:57,700 whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him of Our signs. 219 00:14:57,780 --> 00:15:03,960 Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Seeing"