THE BLESSED LAND OF PALESTINE

 

In the name of Allah, the Merciful, the Merciful!

Abu Hurayrah (may Allah be pleased with him) reports that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said:

"Do not embark on a journey except for the purpose of visiting three (sacred) mosques" (i.e. al-Haram Mosque in Mecca, the Mosque of the Prophet (peace to him and the blessing of Allah) in Medina and the al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem)" (Bukhari).

Many prophets and righteous people lived, died and were buried in the blessed land of Palestine, while others (of them) passed through this land, leaving their blessed footprints on it. This land has been the site of significant historical events, and will also be the site of major events shortly before the Day of Judgment, as stated in the Quran and many hadiths of our Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him).

Many scholars believe that the reason this area has such a high standard before Allah is because it is associated with many prophets and righteous people.

Knowing the importance of this noble land, many prophets of Allah left their native lands to live in the blessed land of Palestine and prayed to die in this sacred land.

An example of this is the story of the Prophet Musa (peace be upon him), who led his people from Egypt to Palestine, and according to his last wish, was buried near Al–Quds[1].

As a result of special devotion to this place, hundreds of companions of the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) were buried in Palestine. We will list several stories of this holy place and recommend reading about the lives of these noble individuals with the intention of reminding us of their important role in Islamic history and also learning from their lives.

The Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him)

A great prophet and Messenger of Allah, he bore the honorable name "friend of Allah", which was given to him by the Almighty Himself[2]. The Prophet Ibrahim is mentioned in the Quran 49 times – Allah names His religion, Islam, the faith of Ibrahim. There were many wonderful events in his life, and he also faced many difficulties and trials that made him closer to Allah. For his services to God, many great prophets came from his descendants, including our last Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), who was a descendant of his son Ismail (peace be upon him). Ibrahim spent many years in Palestine, and his grave is located on the territory of the city of Al-Khalil (or Hebron). It is known that he lived in this city with his wife Sarah (may Allah be pleased with her) and son Ishaq (peace be upon him). Now there is an Ibrahim mosque (Ibrahimi Masjid) on this site, in which his grave is located. Grave grave of his wife Sarah is also located on the territory of this mosque, not far from his grave.

The Prophet Ishaq (peace be upon him)

The son of Ibrahim (peace be upon him) was also a prophet and continued his father's work of spreading Monotheism among people. The Qur'an calls Ishaq a "gift" from Allah[3]. The graves of Ishaq and his wife Rifaqa (may Allah be pleased with her) They are also located on the territory of the Ibrahim Mosque.

The Prophet Yakub (peace be upon him)

The son of Ishaq (peace be upon him), the noble Prophet of Allah, whose name is mentioned in the Quran 16 times. He was born in Palestine and has spent most of his life here. In the last years of his life, he and his family moved to Egypt at the invitation of his son Yusuf (peace be upon him), he died there, however, after his death, his body was transported to Al-Khalil and buried there, according to his wishes. The graves of Yaqub (peace be upon him) and his wife Leah (may Allah be pleased with her) are also located inside the Ibrahim Mosque, however, since recently Muslims have not been able to visit that part of the mosque due to the political situation.

The Prophet Yusuf (peace be upon him)

One of the sons of Yakub (peace be upon him), the only one of all his sons to whom the prophecy was granted. Allah granted Yusuf extraordinary beauty and elevated his status, so that he was the closest person to the ruler of Egypt. A complete and detailed account of the life of Yusuf (peace be upon him) is contained in the surah "Yusuf" in the Holy Quran. According to Islamic tradition, Yusuf (peace be upon him) is also buried next to Ibrahim in Al-Khalil, in a medieval castle known as Yusuf Qala (Yusuf's Castle). The well where Yusuf's brothers threw him out of envy is located in Galilee near Kibbutz Amiad.

The Prophet Lut (peace be upon him)

The nephew of the Prophet Ibrahim (peace be upon him). He moved to Palestine with Ibrahim. He was ordered by the Almighty to go to people who openly committed abominations and sins. Lut (peace be upon him) brought them news from Allah and tried his best to stop them from committing sins. When there was no hope left for their correction, Lut turned to Allah with a prayer:

"My Lord! Save me and my family from what they are doing!"[4].

Allah saved him and his family by telling them to leave the area, except for his wife, who was not one of the believers and did not want to go with them.

After Lut left this place, these people suffered a terrible punishment from Allah. It is believed that the area where these people lived was the territory of the Dead Sea, located between Israel and Jordan. By the order of Allah, the angels lifted the earth and its inhabitants high into the sky, and then threw them to the ground. Therefore, the Dead Sea area is considered the lowest place on earth. Since this area is a place where the wrath of Allah has fallen, Islamic scholars do not recommend visiting it for entertainment and recreation, you can only go there to visit the grave of the Prophet Lut (peace be upon him), located in the center of a small town called Bani Naim, near the Dead Sea, five miles east of Al-Khalil. There is also a shrine dedicated to Lutu (peace be upon him) in the southeast of Bani Naim, known as "Maqam Nabi Yatin" (Shrine of the Truthful Prophet). A local legend claims that Lut (peace be upon him) prayed at this place, and the prints of his blessed feet are visible on the rock.

The Prophet Musa (peace be upon him)

The great Prophet and Messenger of Allah also came from the family of Ibrahim (peace be upon him), he is mentioned in the Quran 136 times. Musa (peace be upon him) has been blessed by Allah since childhood – when he was saved from death, and then he was raised by Pharaoh's wife. He was honored to communicate with Allah directly – for this he was nicknamed "Kalimullah". During his life, he went through many trials, but remained firm in following his prophetic mission. Allah gave him the Holy Book of the Taurat (Torah) as a guide for people. Musa's grave is located in Makama El Nabi Musa, which is eight miles south of Jericho and 12 miles east of Jerusalem in the Judean Desert.

The Prophet Yunus (peace be upon him)

A faithful prophet of the Almighty from the descendants of Yakub. In the Holy Quran, he is also called the "Companion of the Fish"[5] because he was swallowed by a large fish and spent a lot of time in its stomach. The Quran says that the prophet Yunus called out to Allah while in the belly of a fish:

"La ilaha illa Anta, Subhanaka, inni kuntu mina z-zalimin"

"There is no one worthy of worship except You, You are holy, truly, I was one of the wicked")[6].

Despite the fact that he was in such an unimaginable situation, Yunus (peace be upon him) did not lose faith in Allah and hoped for the mercy of Allah, Who heard him, and the whale threw Yunus (peace be upon him) onto dry land. After that, Yunus (peace be upon him) He returned to his people again to lead them to the guidance of Allah. Yunus's grave (peace be upon him) is located three miles north of Al-Khalil.

The Prophet Daud (peace be upon him)

The Great Messenger, warrior and ruler of Palestine. He was the king of his people for 40 years: 7 years in Al-Khalil and 33 in Jerusalem. Allah rewarded Daoud with a beautiful voice that no one else had. The book of Zabur (Psalms) was also sent down to him, and when he read it, all creatures – people, jinns, birds and even mountains joined in his praises of Allah. Daoud's grave is located near the Old City in Jerusalem, on Mount Zion: however, there is a difference of opinion whether he is buried there or it is just a place where he once stayed. Allah knows best!

The Prophet Suleiman (peace be upon him)

The son of Daoud (peace be upon him). He was blessed with many blessings from Allah, including the ability to understand the language of animals and command the jinn. He was also endowed with such power and might as no one else had after him[7]. Suleiman (peace be upon him) ruled Palestine fairly and wisely, and on his orders the jinn built the temple of Al-Aqsa. Some of the walls and two pillars that were built during Suleiman's time still support Al-Aqsa, they can be seen in the basement of this mosque. When Suleiman (peace be upon him) was about to die, he stood up for prayer, leaning on a cane. So he died, but by the will of Allah, he did not fall, so everyone, including the jinn, thought that he was alive. The jinn, believing that he was watching them, continued their work until Allah showed everyone the death of Suleiman (peace be upon him). This happened when Allah ordered the termites to undermine the reed on which Suleiman's body rested (peace be upon him). The place where the Prophet Suleiman (peace be upon him) left this world is located on the territory of Al-Aqsa.

The Prophet Isa (peace be upon him)

He came from the family of Daoud (peace be upon him); he is the only person in history who was born without the participation of a man – thus Allah showed people that He does not obey any natural laws in this world and can rule it at will. Allah blessed Isa (peace be upon him) throughout his life: from the moment when he spoke to people in the cradle[8], until the end of his earthly life, when he was taken alive to heaven[9]. All this happened by the will of Allah to show people His power. In order to destroy the plans of the enemies who wanted to kill Isa (peace be upon him), Allah took him alive to heaven[10], from where he will return before the Day of Judgment to defeat Dajjal and his army[11]. His birthplace is in the city of Bethlehem (Bethlehem), where the Church of the Nativity now stands; the place where he was ascended is located on Mount Eleon (Mount of Olives), in Jerusalem. The Chapel of the Ascension is located there.

The Prophet Zakariyah (peace be upon him)

He came from the family of Daoud (peace be upon him); he was sent by the prophet to the ban of Israel. He was the imam of the Al-Aqsa Mosque. During the divine service, he turned to Allah with a prayer to grant him a righteous descendant, as it is said in the Holy Quran:

"Lord! Give me a beautiful offspring from Yourself, because You are listening to the prayer" ("The Family of Imran", 38).

This very pious man was the guardian of Saint Maryam (may Allah be pleased with her), the mother of the Prophet Isa (peace be upon him). According to legend, when the Jews began to persecute him, he ran away from them and hid in a huge tree. However, Shaitan showed them where the prophet had taken refuge. The Jews sawed this tree together with him. He was about 100 years old then. He was buried in the city of Haleb (in Syria), his tomb is located there, and many people visit this shrine.

The Prophet Yahya (peace be upon him)

The son of the Prophet Zakariyah (peace be upon him). He was born when Zakariyya (peace be upon him) was already at an advanced age. Yahya (peace be upon him) has been calling people to worship the one God, Allah, since childhood. He spent all his time in worship until his body became very weak. The following legend tells about his death:

At that time, there was a king who was very fond of beautiful women. He had an old wife, and he wanted to marry another one. His wife insisted that he marry her daughter from another marriage. But the king said that he would marry her only with the permission of the Prophet Yahya (peace be upon him). Yahya (peace be upon him) did not allow the ruler to conclude such a closely related marriage, and the king was angry with him. The king's wife insisted on killing Yahya, and at the king's command, the prophet's head was cut off. He was 75 years old at the time. His head, placed in a chest, is buried in the Umayyad (central) mosque in Damascus, and his body is on the land of Palestine. During the reign of Walid bin Abdul-Malik bin Marwan, this chest was opened and the Caliph kissed Yahya's head (peace be upon him).

Maryam (may Allah be pleased with her)

is the mother of the Prophet Isa (peace be upon him), whose life was a sign from Allah to people[12]. Maryam was the only woman named in the Qur'an – an entire surah named after her is dedicated to her. Allah has exalted her above the level of any other woman in the world[13]. Her grave is located in a church at the foot of Mount Eleon in Jerusalem, near Al-Aqsa.

Umar ibn al-Khattab (may Allah be pleased with him)

The second righteous Caliph, one of the most famous and influential rulers in the history of Islam. He was one of the closest companions of the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Under his rule, Al-Quds came under the rule of Muslims, it happened peacefully, without bloodshed. People of all faiths were able to live in this holy city and practice their religion without fear of persecution. When the Caliph entered Jerusalem, and the local clergy showed him Christian shrines (including the so-called "Church of the Holy Sepulchre"), it was time for prayer. The patriarch offered the caliph to pray directly in this church, but Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) refused, explaining that if Muslims find out that their ruler once performed prayer in it, they will want to take possession of it. To choose a place for prayer, Umar threw a stone over the fence of the church, and where it fell, he performed prayer. Such an act of the Caliph showed his respectful attitude towards people of other religions. The mosque named after him is located directly opposite the Christian Church of the Resurrection.

Two companions of the Prophet, Shaddad ibn Aws and Ubada ibn as-Samit (may Allah be pleased with them)

They are buried in one of the first and oldest Muslim cemeteries in Beitul Maqdis. Ubada was a brave warrior who participated in most of the conquests in this region. After the Muslims took over Palestine, Caliph Umar appointed Ubada as the first religious teacher and judge for the Palestinians. Shaddad was one of the closest people to the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him), he passed on several hadiths from him. Once, when he was still living in Medina, the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) gave him the good news about the conquest of Beitul Maqdis by Muslims and that his descendants would be imams there[14]. These words of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) came true, and Shaddad spent 69 years of his life in Al-Quds.

Salman Al-Farisi (may Allah be pleased with him)

One of the most famous companions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), was a great example of a seeker of truth – he had to go through many difficulties and travel around many lands until he got to Medina, where he met the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him). The grave of Salman al-Farisi is located in Al-Quds, at the top of the Mount of Olives in a small mosque. However, there is a disagreement in opinions – whether his grave is located here, or whether he only stayed in this place. Allah knows best.

Rabia al-Basria (Rabia al-Adawiya), may Allah have mercy on her

A righteous woman who devoted her whole life to the service of Allah. She was a student of Sheikh Hassan al-Basri (may Allah have mercy on him). According to some historians, Rabia al-Basria is buried inside the Chapel of the Ascension in Al-Quds. This is the place where the prophet Isa (peace be upon him) ascended to heaven.

Our beloved Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was connected to the land of Palestine like no other. It is enough to mention such an important event in Islamic history as Al-Isra wal-Miraj (night journey and ascension), when our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) was miraculously transferred from Mecca to Jerusalem, where he led the prayer of other prophets on the territory of the Al-Aqsa Mosque, and from there he ascended to heaven, where he was honored with a conversation with Allah.

May Allah give us all the opportunity to visit the beautiful and blessed land of Palestine at least once in our lives. Amin.

[1] صحيح البخاري، باب من أحب الدفن في الأرض المقدسة أو نحوها

[2] The Quran, 4:125

[3] The Quran, 6:84; 19:49-50

[4] The Quran, 26:169

[5] The Quran, 68:48

[6] The Quran, 21:87

[7] The Quran, 38:35

[8] Quran, 3:46 and 19:30-33

[9] The Quran, 3:49

[10] The Quran, 4:157-158

[11] صحيح مسلم، باب فِى خُرُوجِ الدَّجَّالِ وَمُكْثِهِ فِى الأَرْضِ وَنُزُولِ عِيسَى وَقَتْلِهِ إِيَّاهُ

[12] Qur'an, 23:50

[13] The Quran, 3:42

[14] المعجم الكبير للطبراني، ح/٧٠١٦، يَعْلَى بن شَدَّادِ بن أَوْسٍ عَنْ أَبِيهِ