teradesa.com Since its establishment, Masjid al-Aqsa or Masijidil Aqsa has kept a very long history. This mosque was founded by the Prophet Abraham and was used as a house of worship by many prophets after him. In its history, Al-Aqsa mosque has kept many important histories for religious civilizations in the world. The holy site has since ancient times been a symbol of tolerance between religious communities from Islam, Christianity to Judaism.
History of the Establishment of the al-Aqsa Mosque
Islamic history says that the al-Aqsa Mosque was first founded by the Prophet Ibrahim AS. After he died, his son Prophet Ishaq and grandson Prophet Yaqub AS until his great-grandson, Prophet Yusuf AS, still maintained the existence of this mosque. Al-Aqsa has a huge significance in Islamic religious tradition and history.
This mosque is also known as the first Qibla of Muslims before it moved to the Kaaba in Mecca. Quoted from the study page, since the establishment of the prophetic era, al-Aqsa Mosque has undergone major renovations during the Umayyad caliph Abd al-Malik or his son al-Walid I in the caliph period between 685 AD to 715 AD.
But after Jerusalem was hit by an earthquake in 746 AD, al-Aqsa also underwent major changes to its structure. In 780 AD, the Abbasid caliph al-Mahdi restored the mosque to its former glory. Yet another earthquake caused serious destruction in 1033 which required al-Aqsa to be rebuilt. During the Crusades, al-Aqsa was occupied by Christian crusaders starting in 1099.
Following the recapture of Jerusalem by forces under Saladin of the Ayyubid dynasty in 1187, the crusaders lost control of the mosque. In 1517, Jerusalem came under the rule of the Ottoman Empire and the al-Aqsa Mosque came under its control. Centuries later, another earthquake struck in 1837 and was immediately repaired.
Although it was never hit by a major earthquake again, in 1922 al-Aqsa Mosque underwent a major renovation to repair dilapidated areas of the mosque while restoring the interior design and glass inside the mosque. Since its establishment as a place of worship and symbol of tolerance, Al-Aqsa is also considered as Baitulmaqdis or the Holy Temple by the Jewish people. It is no wonder that Al-Aqsa Mosque is contested by Israel and Palestine.
