Al-Aqsa mosque is the first Qibla direction in Islam. the word Aqsa means the “farthest” or “the supreme”. Due to its importance in Islam it was mentioned in many verses of the Quran, for instance, Allah Almighty says in the holy Quran:
سُبْحَـٰنَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِۦ لَيْلًۭا مِّنَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ إِلَى ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْأَقْصَا ٱلَّذِى بَـٰرَكْنَا حَوْلَهُۥ لِنُرِيَهُۥ مِنْ ءَايَـٰتِنَآ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْبَصِيرُ ١
“Glory be to the One Who took His servant ˹Muḥammad˺ by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose surroundings We have blessed, so that We may show him some of Our signs. Indeed, He alone is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.”[ Quran 17:1]
Below we will learn some of al-Aqsa mosque history, what was the first Qibla before Kaaba, and more. So, let’s get started!
Which country is the Al-Aqsa Mosque in?
Al-Aqsa Mosque, the first Qibla in Islam lies in the heart of Palestine (Jerusalem). It takes a big place in the hearts of all Muslims.
Who built Al-Aqsa mosque?
Who built Masjid Al-Aqsa? al-Aqsa mosque, the First Qibla of Islam was first built by the prophet Adam (peace be upon him).
Was the Masjid Aqsa the first qibla?
Yes, Masjid Aqsa was the first qiblah in Islam. it was also mentioned in the holy Quran as the first Qibla direction. Our beloved prophet and his companions used to pray when facing the Aqsa Masjid in prayers before it changed to the Kaaba.
What is so special about the Al-Aqsa Mosque?
Al-Aqsa Mosque is so special in the hearts of every Muslim because it is the first Qibla in Islam and in it occurred many special occasions like Al Isla wal Miraj. Additionally, it was mentioned in the holy Quran in many verses and the area is referred to as “blessed”. Here are some of the reasons why al-Aqsa mosque is so special:
1. Land of the Prophets.
The first of two Qibla, al-Aqsa mosque is the land of the prophet. Almost all the prophets lived there or visited it, it encountered many special occasions, which makes it so special in the hearts of every Muslim.
In a Prophet Muhammad hadith, he discussed the spiritual importance of Bayt al-Maqdis, and he said:
“When Prophet Sulaiman finished building Bayt al Maqdis, he asked Allah for three things: a judgement that was in harmony with His judgment, a dominion that no one after him would have and that no one should come to this mosque intending to pray there without emerging free of sin as the day his mother bore him,” the hadith says, quoting the Prophet.
“Two prayers were granted, and I hope that the third was also granted.” [Sunan an-Nasa’I, Sunan Ibn Majah, and Musnad Ahmad. Granted as Sahih by scholars like Shaykh al in his evaluation of Sunan Ibn Majah.]
Additionally, the prophet Abraham moved to the Holy Land and Jerusalem after he destroyed the idols that his people used to worship. Allah says in the holy Quran:
“But We delivered him and his nephew Lot and directed them to the Land which We have blessed for the nations.” (Al Anbiya, 21:71)
2. The miraculous journey of the prophet Muhammad.
The first Qibla, Masjid Al Aqsa is the place in which our beloved prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) led the prayer of all the prophets on his miraculous journey of Isra and Miraj. Therefore, this place takes a special place in the Muslims eyes. Allah Almighty said in the holy Quran:
قُولُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ وَإِسْمَـٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَـٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَٱلْأَسْبَاطِ وَمَآ أُوتِىَ مُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰ وَمَآ أُوتِىَ ٱلنَّبِيُّونَ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍۢ مِّنْهُمْ وَنَحْنُ لَهُۥ مُسْلِمُونَ ١٣٦
“Say, O Believers, ‘We believe in Allah and in that which has been revealed to us; in that which was revealed to Ibrahim, Isma‘il, Ishaq, Ya‘qub, and their descendants; in that which was given to Musa and ‘Isa; and in that which was given to the Prophets from their Lord; We do not make any distinction between any of them…” (al Baqarah, 2:136)
3. The first Qibla for Muslims
Masjid Al Aqsa is the first Qibla for Muslims, toward which all Muslims used to pray before the direction of Qibla changed to be Kaaba.
Why was Masjid Al-Aqsa the first Qibla?
Masjid Al-Aqsa was the first Qibla because Allah almighty instructed our beloved prophet to fact it when praying.
Masjid al-Aqsa in Quran and sunnah.
Masjid al-Aqsa in Quran.
Masjid al-Aqsa was mentioned in the holy Quran in many verses, and here are some of them:
قُولُوٓا۟ ءَامَنَّا بِٱللَّهِ وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَمَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَىٰٓ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ وَإِسْمَـٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَـٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَٱلْأَسْبَاطِ وَمَآ أُوتِىَ مُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰ وَمَآ أُوتِىَ ٱلنَّبِيُّونَ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ لَا نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍۢ مِّنْهُمْ وَنَحْنُ لَهُۥ مُسْلِمُونَ ١٣٦
“Say, O Believers, ‘We believe in Allah and in that which has been revealed to us; in that which was revealed to Ibrahim, Isma‘il, Ishaq, Ya‘qub, and their descendants; in that which was given to Musa and ‘Isa; and in that which was given to the Prophets from their Lord; We do not make any distinction between any of them…” (al Baqarah, 2:136)
وَنَجَّيْنَـٰهُ وَلُوطًا إِلَى ٱلْأَرْضِ ٱلَّتِى بَـٰرَكْنَا فِيهَا لِلْعَـٰلَمِينَ ٧١
“But We delivered him and his nephew Lot and directed them to the Land which We have blessed for the nations.” (Al Anbiya, 21:71)
سُبْحَـٰنَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِۦ لَيْلًۭا مِّنَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ إِلَى ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْأَقْصَا ٱلَّذِى بَـٰرَكْنَا حَوْلَهُۥ لِنُرِيَهُۥ مِنْ ءَايَـٰتِنَآ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْبَصِيرُ ١
“Glory be to the One Who took His servant ˹Muḥammad˺ by night from the Sacred Mosque to the Farthest Mosque whose surroundings We have blessed, so that We may show him some of Our signs. Indeed, He alone is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing.” [ Quran 17:1]
يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْأَرْضَ ٱلْمُقَدَّسَةَ ٱلَّتِى كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَلَا تَرْتَدُّوا۟ عَلَىٰٓ أَدْبَارِكُمْ فَتَنقَلِبُوا۟ خَـٰسِرِينَ ٢١
“O my people! Enter the Holy Land which Allah has destined for you ˹to enter˺. And do not turn back or else you will become losers.” [al-Maa’idah 5:21]
Masjid al-Aqsa in Hadith.
In a hadith, our beloved prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) said:
“When Prophet Sulaiman finished building Bayt al Maqdis, he asked Allah for three things: a judgment that was in harmony with His judgment, a dominion that no one after him would have, and that no one should come to this mosque intending to pray there without emerging free of sin as the day his mother bore him,” the hadith says, quoting the Prophet.
“Two prayers were granted, and I hope that the third was also granted.” [Sunan an-Nasa’I, Sunan Ibn Majah, and Musnad Ahmad. Granted as Sahih by scholars like Shaykh al in his evaluation of Sunan Ibn Majah.]
It was reported that Abu Dharr (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: we were discussing, in the presence of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him), which of them was more virtuous, the mosque of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) or Bayt al-Maqdis. The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: One prayer in my mosque is better than four prayers there, but it is still a good place of prayer. Soon there will come a time when if a man has a spot of land as big as his horse’s rope from which he can see Bayt al-Maqdis, that will be better for him than the whole world. (Narrated and classed as saheeh by al-Haakim, 4/509. Al-Dhahabi and al-Albaani agreed with him, as stated in al-Silsilah al-Saheehah, at the end of the discussion of hadeeth no. 2902).
The prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) also said: “He will prevail over all the earth, apart from al-Haram [in Makkah] and Bayt al-Maqdis.” (Narrated by Ahmad, 19665. Classed as saheeh by Ibn Khuzaymah, 2/327, and Ibn Hibbaan, 7/102).
It was reported by al-Baraa’ (may Allaah be pleased with him): the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) prayed in the direction of Bayt al-Maqdis for sixteen or seventeen months. (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 41 – this version was narrated by him – and by Muslim, 525).
Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) reported that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “No journey should be made except to three mosques, al-Masjid al-Haraam, Masjid al-Rasool (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) and Masjid al-Aqsaa.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 1132. Also narrated by Muslim, 827, from the hadeeth of Abu Sa’eed al-Khudri, with the words, “Do not travel except to…”).
The Messenger (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) led the Prophets in one prayer in al-Aqsaa, as reported in the hadeeth: “… Then the time for prayer came, and I led them in prayer.” (Narrated by Muslim, 172, from the hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah).
Our Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “I am the closest of mankind to ‘Eesaa ibn Maryam in this world and in the Hereafter. The Prophets are brothers although they have different mothers, and their religion is one.” (Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 3259; Muslim, 2365).
Conclusion.
Masjid al-Aqsa is the first Qibla in Islam, to which all Muslims used to turn in prayers. It is the land of the prophets, and in it, many special and miraculous things happened, like the Isra and Miraj. Al Aqsa lies in Palestine, and it was first built by the prophet Adam (peace be upon him).
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