Allah Ta‘ala has one system for the Ka’bah Musharrafah and another system for Masjidul Aqsa. The system for the Ka’bah is that He will always protect it. Therefore when Abrahah had come with his elephants to attack the Ka’bah, although the Quraish were ascribing partners with Allah Ta‘ala and were involved in all types of wrong, Allah Ta‘ala still destroyed Abrahah and his army.

However His system for Masjidul Aqsa is totally different. Allah Ta‘ala explains in the opening verses of Surah Bani Israaeel that as long as you are in My obedience, the control of the Masjid will be in your hands and when you leave My obedience then the control will also leave your hands.

Therefore approximately 450 years after Nabi Sulaimaan (‘alaihis salaam), when the Banu Israaeel began to transgress the laws of Allah Ta‘ala, Allah Ta‘ala imposed Buktu Nassar, the king of Babylon upon them. He burnt and destroyed Masjidul Aqsa, killed thousands of the Banu Israaeel and exiled the remainder to Babylon. For 70 years they had to live in exile and had no control of Masjidul Aqsa. After 70 years when they changed their ways, Allah Ta‘ala gave them the control once again.

Later, forty years after the ascension of Nabi ‘Isa (‘alaihis salaam), when the Banu Israaeel once again transgressed the laws of Allah Ta‘ala, a Roman king by the name of Taitas attacked Masjidul Aqsa and destroyed the entire city. He killed a large number of them as well. The Masjid remained in this deserted condition till the time of ‘Umar (radhiyallahu ‘anhu). During this entire period, no salaah or ‘ibaadah took place in it. (Ma‘aariful Quraan vol. 5, pgs. 435 – 439)

The abovementioned system of Allah Ta‘ala is the same up to this day as well. Hence if we are really concerned about the current situation in Masjidul Aqsa and its surroundings, together with making earnest du‘aa, one of the most important things is to rectify our lives. This will insha-Allah be a very important and positive step in regaining the complete control of Masjidul Aqsa.

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