Masjidul Aqsa Being Destroyed
Q1. Some orators, like Dr Israr Ahmed, say that greater Israel will be formed, in which they will demolish Masjidul Aqsa and expand the boundary until Madinah Munawwarah. Is there any proof of this mentioned in the Ahaadith?
A1. We have not come across any such narration mentioned in the query regarding Masjidul Aqsa being destroyed. In fact, the narration cited below clearly states that one should hold firm (locate) to Shaam as Allah Ta’ala has protected Shaam and the people of Shaam.
عَنِ ابْنِ حَوَالَةَ قَالَ: قَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: سَيَصِيرُ الْأَمْرُ إِلَى أَنْ تَكُونُوا جُنُودًا مُجَنَّدَةً جُنْدٌ بِالشَّامِ، وَجُنْدٌ بِالْيَمَنِ، وَجُنْدٌ بِالْعِرَاقِ»، قَالَ ابْنُ حَوَالَةَ: خِرْ لِي يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ إِنْ أَدْرَكْتُ ذَلِكَ، فَقَالَ: «عَلَيْكَ بِالشَّامِ، فَإِنَّهَا خِيرَةُ اللَّهِ مِنْ أَرْضِهِ، يَجْتَبِي إِلَيْهَا خِيرَتَهُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِ، فَأَمَّا إِنْ أَبَيْتُمْ، فَعَلَيْكُمْ بِيَمَنِكُمْ، وَاسْقُوا مِنْ غُدُرِكُمْ، فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ تَوَكَّلَ لِي بِالشَّامِ وَأَهْلِهِ
(سنن أبي داود #2483)
Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said: “It will be such that many armies will be assembled. An army in Shaam, an army in Iraq, and an army in Yemen.” A companion asked, “If I live that long, which do you choose for me?” Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said: “I choose Shaam for you, because it is the best of places, and the land that Allah Ta’ala has chosen for His special servants, and if you cannot go to Shaam, then go to Yemen and drink from your streams, for Allah Ta’ala has guaranteed that He will protect for me the land of Shaam and its inhabitants.”
Yet another Hadith mentions that the angels of Allah Ta’ala have spread their wings over Shaam:
عَنْ زَيْدِ بْنِ ثَابِتٍ، قَالَ: كُنَّا عِنْدَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ نُؤَلِّفُ القُرْآنَ مِنَ الرِّقَاعِ فَقَالَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ: «طُوبَى لِلشَّامِ»، فَقُلْنَا: لِأَيٍّ ذَلِكَ يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ؟ قَالَ: «لِأَنَّ مَلَائِكَةَ الرَّحْمَنِ بَاسِطَةٌ أَجْنِحَتَهَا عَلَيْهَا
(سنن الترمذي #3954)
Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam said: “Glad tidings for Shaam! Glad tidings for Shaam! Glad tidings for Shaam!” The companions enquired as to how the land of Shaam acquired such virtue. Rasulullah Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam replied: “The angels of Allah Ta’ala have spread their wings over it”.
From the above Ahaadith we understand the lands of Shaam are protected, which includes Masjidul Aqsa.
Notwithstanding the fact that the control and rule over Aqsa depends on the A’amaal (actions) of the Ummah Of Nabi Salallahu Alaihi Wasallam, as Allah Ta’ala mentions in the Quraan Majeed:
اِنْ أَحْسَنتُمْ أَحْسَنتُمْ لِأَنفُسِكُمْ ۖ وَإِنْ أَسَأْتُمْ فَلَهَا ۚ فَإِذَا جَاءَ وَعْدُ الْآخِرَةِ لِيَسُوءُوا وُجُوهَكُمْ وَلِيَدْخُلُوا الْمَسْجِدَ كَمَا دَخَلُوهُ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍ وَلِيُتَبِّرُوا مَا عَلَوْا تَتْبِيرًا َعَسَىٰ رَبُّكُمْ أَن يَرْحَمَكُمْ ۚ وَإِنْ عُدتُّمْ عُدْنَا ۘ وَجَعَلْنَا جَهَنَّمَ لِلْكَافِرِينَ حَصِيرًا (الإسراء آ: 7-8)
(And We said): “If you do good, you do good for your own selves, and if you do evil (you do it) against yourselves.” Then, when the second promise came to pass, (We permitted your enemies) to make your faces sorrowful and to enter the Masjid (of Aqsa) as they had entered it before, and to destroy with utter destruction all that fell in their hands.”
[And We said in the Taurah]: “It may be that your Rabb may show mercy unto you, but if you return (to sins), We shall return (to Our Punishment). And We have made Hell a prison for the disbelievers.”
Q2. Regarding Makkah Mukarramah and Madinah Munawwarah, is it true that Allah Ta’ala has protected these two cities?
A2. Regarding the protection of Makkah Mukarramah and Madinah Munawwarah, it comes in a narration it will be protected from Dajjal and his Fitnahs.
وَإِنَّهُ لاَ يَبْقَى شَىْءٌ مِنَ الأَرْضِ إِلاَّ وَطِئَهُ وَظَهَرَ عَلَيْهِ إِلاَّ مَكَّةَ وَالْمَدِينَةَ لاَ يَأْتِيهِمَا مِنْ نَقْبٍ مِنْ نِقَابِهِمَا إِلاَّ لَقِيَتْهُ الْمَلاَئِكَةُ بِالسُّيُوفِ صَلْتَةً حَتَّى يَنْزِلَ عِنْدَ الظُّرَيْبِ الأَحْمَرِ عِنْدَ مُنْقَطَعِ السَّبَخَةِ فَتَرْجُفُ الْمَدِينَةُ بِأَهْلِهَا ثَلاَثَ رَجَفَاتٍ فَلاَ يَبْقَى مُنَافِقٌ وَلاَ مُنَافِقَةٌ إِلاَّ خَرَجَ إِلَيْهِ فَتَنْفِي الْخَبَثَ مِنْهَا كَمَا يَنْفِي الْكِيرُ خَبَثَ الْحَدِيدِ وَيُدْعَى ذَلِكَ الْيَوْمُ يَوْمَ الْخَلاَصِ ”
(سنن ابن ماجة #4077)
“There will be no part of the earth left that he does not enter and prevail over, except for Makkah and Al-Madinah, for he will not approach them on any of their mountain paths but he will be met by angels with unsheathed swords, until he will stop at the red hill at the end of the marsh. Then Al-Madinah will be shaken with its people three times, and no hypocrite, male or female, will be left, all will come out to him. Thus it will be cleansed of impurity just as the bellows cleanses the iron of dross. And that day will be called the Day of Deliverance.”
Furthermore, history bears testimony that whenever anyone tried to destroy these holy lands, they were never successful, rather the punishment of Allah Ta’ala came on such people. One such incident is that of Abraha, his elephant and his army. From the above, one understands that the Kuffaar will never be able to get control over it as it is divinely protected by Allah Ta’ala.
ALLAH TA’ALA ALONE IN HIS INFINITE KNOWLEDGE KNOWS BEST!
ANSWERED BY:
Mufti Abdul Kader Fazlani
Date: 11 Dhul Qa’dah 1446 / 10 May 2025
CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:
Mufti Yacoob Vally Saheb