The Alleged Temple of Solomon
It is very important to highlight and break down the details of what is known as the Temple of Solomon as that is a common talking point brought up often. Firstly, the Hebrew word for temple is Beit. Jews and Christians usually translate it as temple whereas many Muslims translate it as the House of God. Linguistically, just as the temple in Jerusalem was ascribed to the one who built it such that it came to be known as the Temple of Solomon, the Kabah (Bayt Allah) could be known as the Temple of Ibrahim. It’s quite recently that temples have become equated with idol worship. In English, a temple is a building dedicated to the worship of a deity. As Muslims, we rightly say that there is no deity worthy of worship except for Allah. Even if we look at Jewish sources like Genesis 24:52, Exodus 34:8, Joshua 5:14, and others, we find them talking of how their Prophets taught them to pray by facing the Temple of Solomon, bowing, placing their faces on the ground, and kneeling, similar to what Muslims do five times a day while facing the Kabah.
Let's backtrack a bit first. Bani Israel were sent Prophet after Prophet in succession by Allah. Yet, they remained defiant and disobedient. The time of Prophets Dawud عليه السلام and his son Sulayman عليه السلام is unique and is even considered the Golden Age of al-Aqsa. They were Prophets of Allah who were also kings. Both Islamic and Jewish sources mention how Prophet Dawud (David) عليه السلام fought Jalut (Goliath), who was a giant warrior from the Philistines. Bani Israel had repeatedly disobeyed Allah and his Commandments during the course of this battle. The army of believers that went out to face the enemy was very weak. At the time, Prophet Dawud was a young shepherd and he went forward to join the army. Talut promised that whoever killed Jalut, would marry his daughter and would share his kingship and authority. Allah Helped Prophet Dawud overcome his enemy even when the odds weren’t in his favour. Talut kept his promise.
In the end, Allah Forgave Bani Israel and Blessed them with Prophet Dawud عليه السلام who succeeded King Talut (Saul) to become the first Prophet-King. Allah says,
فَهَزَمُوهُم بِإِذْنِ ٱللَّهِ وَقَتَلَ دَاوُۥدُ جَالُوتَ وَءَاتَىٰهُ ٱللَّهُ ٱلْمُلْكَ وَٱلْحِكْمَةَ وَعَلَّمَهُۥ مِمَّا يَشَآءُ ۗ وَلَوْلَا دَفْعُ ٱللَّهِ ٱلنَّاسَ بَعْضَهُم بِبَعْضٍۢ لَّفَسَدَتِ ٱلْأَرْضُ وَلَـٰكِنَّ ٱللَّهَ ذُو فَضْلٍ عَلَى ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
“So they defeated them by Allah’s Will, and Dawud killed Jalut. And Allah blessed David with kingship and wisdom and taught him what He willed. Had Allah not repelled a group of people by (the might of) another, corruption would have dominated the earth, but Allah is Gracious to all.” [Surah al-Baqarah, 251]
During his rule as king, Prophet Dawud عليه السلام began re-building Masjid al-Aqsa once again during his rule, a venture that the Prophet Sulayman عليه السلام then completed. Prophet Dawud was the second King of the Israelites who united all Jewish tribes and his rule lasted for 40 years and likewise Prophet Sulayman ruled for 40 years after him.
The Prophet ﷺ said: “Sulayman ibn Dawud asked Allah for three things. He was granted two, and we hope that he was be granted the third (also). He asked Him for judgement that was in accordance with His Judgement, and Allah granted him that; he asked Him for a kingdom such as would not belong to anyone after him, and He granted him that; and he asked Him that if any man went out of his house only wanting to pray in this Masjid (al-Aqsa), that he would emerge free of sin as on the day his mother bore him. We hope that Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, has granted that to him.” [Ahmad]
As per Jewish sources, David laid the foundations for the building of the temple, but he died before he could begin its construction. His son Solomon undertook the building of the temple atop Mount Moriah, which is known as the plateau of the sanctuary. This is the place where Masjid al-Aqsa and the Dome of the Rock are located. It is known as the Temple Mount. Imam al-Baghawi رحمه الله states that Prophet Sulayman عليه السلام lived for 53 years and ruled for 40. He became king after Prophet Dawud عليه السلام at the age of 13 and started building Baytul-Maqdis in the fourth year of his reign.
What the Jews today call the Temple of Solomon is a fabrication. As per Jewish sources, Solomon towards the end of his life was involved in idolatry. Allah clarifies and praises both Sulaiman عليه السلام and Dawud عليه السلام as devout servants and believers in the Quran. They are praised much more in the Quran than in Jewish sources. Add to that, Prophet Musa’s عليه السلام mention is made so many more times in the Quran that any other name pales in comparison. These were all Prophets from the Prophets sent to Bani Israel. If Prophet Muhammad ﷺ was after power or fame, he would have made more mention of himself in the Quran instead of focusing on and mentioning these past prophets who were his ‘competitors. Rather, Allah says after mentioning the many prophets sent to Bani Israel,
أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ هَدَى ٱللَّهُ ۖ فَبِهُدَىٰهُمُ ٱقْتَدِهْ ۗ قُل لَّآ أَسْـَٔلُكُمْ عَلَيْهِ أَجْرًا ۖ إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا ذِكْرَىٰ لِلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
These (prophets) were (rightly) guided by Allah, so follow their guidance. Say, “I ask no reward of you for this (Quran) - it is a reminder to the whole world.” [Surah al-An’am, 90]
After Prophet Sulaiman's time, Bani Israel became corrupted and indulged in their desires and oppression. Many engaged in idolatry, consumed wine, and turned away from the Torah among other evils. With this, their downfall started, and the Kingdom of Israel was eventually annihilated by Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BCE. Masjid al-Aqsa (or the Temple of Solomon) was completely destroyed and blood flowed in the streets when more than seventy thousand people were killed and many others taken as slaves back to Babylon. This has been reported to be the position of Imam Sa'eed ibn al-Musayyib, the son-in-law of Abu Hurairah and the leading scholar of the tabi'in. Nebuchadnezzar had installed a member of the family of the former king as a ruler of the city as his deputy. This new king was extremely corrupt and worshipped idols. He rebelled against Nebuchadnezzar which rekindled his fury. He returned, killed even more people, destroyed all property, and burned the city, razing it to rubble. Bani Israel had lost their kingdom and power. As time progressed, Bani Israel lived in humiliation as slaves in Babylon and Masjid al-Aqsa was destroyed.
Coming back to talking about the Temple itself, their own books contradict each other on the details of this supposed temple and there is insane exaggeration in everything written with regard to it. To hit the nail in the coffin, no other historical sources at all make mention of this illustrious temple that can corroborate their claim.
The Bible says that the temple was sixty cubits long (30 meters); it was twenty cubits (10 meters) wide and thirty cubits (15 meters) high. The porch (courtyard) in front of it was twenty cubits long and ten cubits wide. In other words, the size of the temple was 30 meters x 10 meters x 15 meters, and the area it covered was 300 m², with a height of four or five stories. It is impossible to think that 1.6 tons of gold, 16 tons of silver, and other precious materials were used, and 180,000 workers participated in its construction for a period of seven years. All this was done for the sake of such a small building? Add to that, the Jews were not even united in its location. Some said it was in Nablus and not Jerusalem while the other claimed vice-versa.
If such a grand structure was built, it is unfathomable that such details would be being disputed over. This story of the Temple of Solomon is a baseless lie. What might have happened here is that since the Bible was written during the period of captivity in Babylon, and we know that the Jews were allowed to return to Palestine only after many years of captivity- it is a strong possibility the writers (distorters) added some exaggerated grand stories about the temple so as to encourage the Jews to return to Jerusalem. Allah says,
فَوَيْلٌۭ لِّلَّذِينَ يَكْتُبُونَ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ بِأَيْدِيهِمْ ثُمَّ يَقُولُونَ هَـٰذَا مِنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ لِيَشْتَرُوا۟ بِهِۦ ثَمَنًۭا قَلِيلًۭا ۖ فَوَيْلٌۭ لَّهُم مِّمَّا كَتَبَتْ أَيْدِيهِمْ وَوَيْلٌۭ لَّهُم مِّمَّا يَكْسِبُونَ
So woe to those who write the Scripture with their own hands, then say, "This is from Allah," in order to exchange it for a small price. Woe to them for what their hands have written and woe to them for what they earn. [Surah al-Baqarah, 79]
The Temple of Solomon is in reality Masjid al-Aqsa that Prophet Sulayman عليه السلام rebuilt and continued to take care of after his father, Prophet Dawud عليه السلام. He was also aided by the Jinns in rebuilding the Masjid.
As per Jewish sources:
- The temple was destroyed for the first time by the Babylonian ruler Nebuchadnezzar in 586 BCE. Several decades after that, the captive Jews in Babylon were allowed to return to Jerusalem, so they returned and rebuilt the temple circa 521 BCE. Then the temple was destroyed again at the hands of Titus, the son of the Roman emperor Vespasian. This was the second destruction of the temple. To make sure that the Jews would not forget the temple, and so that it would remain alive in their memories, their rabbis introduced rituals and ceremonies that every Jew performs in order to remember the Temple, at the time of birth, at the time of death, at the time of marriage, when painting the house, and so on.
- The second destruction of the temple occurred on the ninth day of the Hebrew month of Ab. The Jews fast on this day every year, in commemoration of this event. In 313 CE, Emperor Constantine embraced Christianity and began to build churches. The Church of the Resurrection was the first church to be built during that period, and the site of the temple became a rubbish dump, to spite the Jews. This is how the Second Temple was destroyed and it stayed so to date.
- In 135 CE at the time of Emperor Hadrian, the city was destroyed completely and the Jews were expelled from it. A new city was built in its place, which was called Aelia Capitolina in honour of his pagan God, Jupiter. It continued to be known by this name until the Muslims entered it during the caliphate of the second caliph, Umar ibn al-Khattab رضي الله عنه when it became known as al-Quds or Bayt al-Maqdis. Many ahadith refer to it as Ilya as that was what it was commonly known as during the Prophet’s ﷺ time.
- The Jews today talk about the building of the Third Temple. The nature of the Third Temple is a subject of heavy controversy, even among Jewish scholars. There is nothing explicit that mentions its construction. If we add to this the Christian interpretation based on the words of Paul, then the Third Temple will merely be a spiritual temple: “Do you not know that you are the temple of God and that the Spirit of God dwells in you?” [Corinthians 3:16]
The Claim of The Promised Land and Being The Promised People
This is a claim we see being thrown around day and night to justify the oppression that is happening in Palestine today. Let's break down this claim and show how it is no longer valid.
From what can be traced historically, this land was inhabited by the Canaanites even before the birth of Bani Israel. Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) عليه السلام migrated to this place from Iraq. It says in the Book of Genesis, “The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.” [17:8]
In their own works, this is then challenged. It says in the Book of Deuteronomy, “You may say to yourselves, “How can we know when a message has not been spoken by the Lord?” If what a prophet proclaims in the name of the Lord does not take place or come true, that is a message the Lord has not spoken. That prophet has spoken presumptuously, so do not be alarmed.” [18:21-22]
This is contrary to what the words of a Prophet are. Allah says about his Prophet,
وَمَا يَنطِقُ عَنِ ٱلْهَوَىٰٓ - إِنْ هُوَ إِلَّا وَحْىٌۭ يُوحَىٰ
He does not speak out of (his own) desire. It is but a revelation revealed (to him). [Surah an-Najm, 3-4]
and
وَعْدَ ٱللَّهِ حَقًّۭا ۚ وَمَنْ أَصْدَقُ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ قِيلًۭا
Allah’s promise is (always) true. And whose word is more truthful than Allah’s? [Surah an-Nisa, 122]
How is it a promised land forever, when as per their sources, the Patriarch Abraham didn’t even have land to be buried in? It says in the Book of Genesis, “His sons Isaac and Ishmael buried him in the cave of Machpelah near Mamre, in the field of Ephron son of Zohar the Hittite, the field Abraham had bought from the Hittites. There Abraham was buried with his wife Sarah.” [25:9-10]
Again during the time of Prophet Musa (Moses) عليه السلام, when Bani Israel were fleeing Egypt and coming to Palestine, it was still being inhabited by the Canaanites.
Add to this, if we go back to the verse of the original promise, then we see that it mentions the descendants of Abraham. The descendants of Abraham are not restricted to the children of Isaac or Jacob alone. The descendants of Ishmael also are under the umbrella of this promise. The descendants of Abraham formed multiple tribes and all of them then had the right to live in the Promised Lands. Seeing what is happening in Palestine today, even the Jews coming from Africa are discriminated against because they are not white enough. They were injected with medications on arrival so they cannot reproduce. This shows that these verses are just being used to propagate Zionist fascism and in reality, it is no different to Hitler’s Hein Rasse (Superior Race).
According to the Book of Genesis 15:18 and Joshua 1:4, the land God gave to the Jews included everything from the Nile River in Egypt to Lebanon (south to north) and everything from the Mediterranean Sea to the Euphrates River (west to east).
As per the Book of Deuteronomy it is said, “However, in the cities of the nations the Lord your God is giving you as an inheritance, do not leave alive anything that breathes. Completely destroy them—the Hittites, Amorites, Canaanites, Perizzites, Hivites, and Jebusites—as the Lord your God has commanded you.” [20:17-18] This is the blueprint the Jews use today in occupied Palestine and far is Allah the Most Just from giving such a Command.
The Book of Judges mentions how they were not able to completely drive out the Canaanites and imposed jizyah on those who remained in Palestine.
Around 1051 BCE, King Saul united the twelve tribes and became the first king of the lands of Palestine. Then comes the rule of King David and King Solomon. After their death and the destruction of the Kingdom of Isreal, the Assyrians and then followed by the Babylonians who conquered the land, expelled the Jews, and destroyed the ‘Temple’ of Solomon in 586 BCE. Some Jews returned during the Persian and Greek rule and lived along with the natives of the land. After the Roman takeover, the ‘Temple’ was destroyed again and the Jews were expelled from Palestine in 132 BCE. Till 336 AD when the Muslims opened Palestine, the Jews were never welcomed in Palestine. Till 1917, Palestine remained under Muslim rule unless we count the short stint in 1099 AD when it fell to the Crusaders and was won back by Salahuddin al-Ayyubi.
Let’s look at the name of the land as well. The story begins with the ancient Philistines, a people who thrived along the eastern Mediterranean coast around the 12th century BCE. These Philistines, sometimes known as the "Sea People," settled in the coastal regions of the lands of Canaan. Some of the oldest papyrus findings from Egypt mention the people of “Peleset”. The name "Philistine" has its roots in the Hebrew term "Philistia" and its Greek counterpart, "Palaistinei," which has evolved into the modern-day name "Palestine." This name was further embraced as "Filasteen" in the Arabic language.Over time, the mighty empires of Assyria and Babylon overcame the Philistines. By the 5th century BCE, the distinct identity of the Philistine people had faded, with most having become part of the Persian Empire.
The Greeks, who had historical connections with the coastal Philistines, began using the term "Philistina" to refer to the broader region stretching from Egypt to Phoenicia. This Greek nomenclature was rooted in their familiarity with the coastal nation. The Romans, under Emperor Hadrian in 135 CE, as part of the Jewish revolts, changed the name of the province from Judea to "Syria Palaestina" (Palestine, part of Syria). The name "Palestine" endured over the centuries and was adopted by various rulers and powers, including the Romans, Persians, different Muslim dynasties, Crusaders (they also called it the Kingdom of Jerusalem), Ottomans, and eventually the British. As history unfolded, the name "Palestine" became synonymous with the land, and its people began to identify themselves as Palestinians.
If the claim to a place is based on history, then the Canaanites have a claim to Palestine. Many of their descendants became Muslim and/or Christian down the line and continued to reside in Palestine. Multiple DNA studies support the claim that the Palestinians are descended from ancient Canaanites and not the Philistines as is wrongly propagated at times. Illene Beatty writes, “But all these (different peoples who had come to Canaan) were additions, sprigs grafted onto the parent tree. And that parent tree was Canaanite. (The Arabs of the 7th century A.D) made Moslem converts of the natives, settled down as residents, and intermarried with them, with the result that all are now so completely Arabized that we cannot tell where the Canaanites leave off and the Arabs begin.” [Arab and Jew in the Land of Canaan]
If the claim to a place is based just on the matter of having ruled or lived in a place for a long time, then by that logic Muslims still have more right to Palestine as they ruled over it for approximately 1300 years as compared to the Jews who only ruled it for approximately 420 years. Even modern-day Spain and even Portugal should be under Muslim rule as they ruled it for centuries and likewise for other countries and the people. That is clearly not how the world works.
Let's backtrack a bit. I don’t want to focus much on the geographical and historical aspects as there will always remain a back and forth especially when we are dealing with corrupted scriptures, with multiple variations, that have no chains of narrations for them.
Let’s assume there is a Promised Land. What then? After Allah saved Bani Israel from Pharaoh and they were eventually granted access to Palestine after the death of Prophet Musa عليه السلام, they were not given unchecked authority or right to the land just because they were from a particular bloodline. It was all subject to their obedience to Allah or they would be replaced.
To say that Allah would give unchecked or unconditional freedom over something to a people would be a form of oppression and Allah is free from any such thing. Allah is Most Just and Most Wise. Every Blessing is subject to Allah’s Obedience.
Allah says,
يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْأَرْضَ ٱلْمُقَدَّسَةَ ٱلَّتِى كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَلَا تَرْتَدُّوا۟ عَلَىٰٓ أَدْبَارِكُمْ فَتَنقَلِبُوا۟ خَـٰسِرِينَ
(Prophet Musa said) 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.” [Surah al-Maidah, 51]
قَالَ مُوسَىٰ لِقَوْمِهِ ٱسْتَعِينُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱصْبِرُوٓا۟ إِنَّ ٱلْأَرْضَ لِلَّهِ يُورِثُهَا مَن يَشَآءُ مِنْ عِبَادِهِۦ وَٱلْعَـٰقِبَةُ لِلْمُتَّقِينَ
(Prophet) Musa said to his people, “Seek Allah’s help and be patient. Indeed, the earth belongs to Allah (Alone). He grants it to whoever He Chooses of His servants. The ultimate outcome belongs (only) to the righteous.” [Surah al-A'raf, 128]
Allah said that He has granted the people who were considered weak, the Children of Israel, to inherit the eastern and western parts of the land. Imams Hasan al-Basri and Qatadah commented that this referred to the area of al-Shaam (Greater Syria). [Ibn Katheer]
This favour of Allah upon the people of Israel was the reward of their patience, as the ayah has specified saying, 'Because they stood patient.' They were to call people to worship Allah Alone. This is also what we see unfolded in the interaction between Prophet Sulaiman and Queen Sheba from Yemen. In the end when she accepted Islam, she said and Allah recorded it in the Quran as,
قَالَتْ رَبِّ إِنِّى ظَلَمْتُ نَفْسِى وَأَسْلَمْتُ مَعَ سُلَيْمَـٰنَ لِلَّهِ رَبِّ ٱلْعَـٰلَمِينَ
She declared, “My Lord! I have certainly wronged my soul. Now I (fully) submit myself along with Sulaiman to Allah, the Lord of all worlds.” [Surah an-Naml, 44]
The job of the Prophet of Allah and Bani Israel by extension was to call people to worship Allah Alone. Not to showcase their ethnic superiority and claim al-Aqsa as a place of worship only for themselves. If that had been the case, Sheba would have submitted to the Lord of Bani Israel. Rather she submitted to the Lord of all worlds.
Masjid al-Aqsa or the true Temple of Solomon was built and open for anyone who wanted to worship Allah, the One True Diety. In their own books, we see the prayer of dedication made by Solomon,
“Likewise, when a foreigner, who is not of your people Israel, comes from a far country for the sake of your great name and your mighty hand and your outstretched arm, when he comes and prays toward this house, hear from heaven your dwelling place and do according to all for which the foreigner calls to you, in order that all the peoples of the earth may know your name and fear you, as do your people Israel, and that they may know that this house that I have built is called by your name.” [2 Chronicles 6:32–33 and 1 Kings 8:41]
A foreigner or a a Gentile is one belonging to any nation or people group other than the Jewish people.
The same universality of the original Children fo Israel towards calling people towards Allah Alone was documented later at the time of Isaiah,
“Also the sons of the foreigner Who join themselves to the Lord, to serve Him, And to love the name of the Lord, to be His servants— Everyone who keeps from defiling the Sabbath, And holds fast My covenant— Even them I will bring to My holy mountain, And make them joyful in My house of prayer. Their burnt offerings and their sacrifices Will be accepted on My altar; For My house shall be called a house of prayer for all nations.” [Isaiah 56:6-7]
It was a gentile, Cyrus from Persia who brought back the Jews into Jerusalem and helped them build the second Temple of Solomon after it was destroyed and the Jews expelled by Nebuchadnezzar. This again showed that other than the Children of Israel could be chosen by Allah to be his Chosen Servants. The Bible states,
“Thus says the Lord to His anointed, To Cyrus, whose right hand I have held— To subdue nations before him And loose the armor of kings, To open before him the double doors, So that the gates will not be shut.” [Isaiah, 45:1]
Bani Israel eventually disobeyed and transgressed against the Shariah of Allah astronomically again. Just one of their many evils was the murder of the Prophets of Allah. Allah says,
قُلْ قَدْ جَآءَكُمْ رُسُلٌۭ مِّن قَبْلِى بِٱلْبَيِّنَـٰتِ وَبِٱلَّذِى قُلْتُمْ فَلِمَ قَتَلْتُمُوهُمْ إِن كُنتُمْ صَـٰدِقِينَ
Say, (O Prophet), “Other prophets did in fact come to you before me with clear proofs and (even) what you demanded—why then did you kill them, if what you say is true?” [Surah Aal Imran, 183]
Asma bint Abi Bakr رضي الله عنها told Ibn Umar رضي الله عنه when he came to offer his condolences on the death of Abdullah ibn Zubayr رضي الله عنه, "The head of (Prophet) Yahya bin Zakariyyah was sent as a gift to a prostitute of Bani Israel." [Siyar A'lam an-Nubala]
Another important point from this that really hit me especially when reading it in the context of what is currently happening in Palestine - Imam Hasan al-Basri said that the ayah suggested that in case one is not as powerful as to defend himself against an enemy, the best way to succeed is to remain patient. He said when a person who has been wronged tries to take revenge on his own by doing wrong to his opponent Allah leaves him alone and lets him manage his own affairs, ending in success or facing a failure. On the contrary, when one seeks help from Allah against the affliction of others and remains patient, Allah opens the door to success upon him.
As the above promise for the rule over the land was fulfilled by Allah, the same kind of promise Allah made with the people of the Prophet Muhammad ﷺ in an ayah of Surah Al-Nur:
'' وَعَدَ اللَّـهُ الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا مِنكُمْ وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ لَيَسْتَخْلِفَنَّهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ كَمَا اسْتَخْلَفَ الَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ
"Allah has promised those of you who believe and do good deeds that he will make them inherit the land, as He had inherited those who were before them." [Surah an-Nur, 55]
To end, Allah says also,
إِنْ أَحْسَنتُمْ أَحْسَنتُمْ لِأَنفُسِكُمْ وَإِنْ أَسَأْتُمْ فَلَهَا فَإِذَا جَآءَ وَعْدُ ٱلْـَٔاخِرَةِ لِيَسُـۥٓـُٔوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ وَلِيَدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْمَسْجِدَ كَمَا دَخَلُوهُ أَوَّلَ مَرَّةٍۢ وَلِيُتَبِّرُوا۟ مَا عَلَوْا۟ تَتْبِيرًا - عَسَىٰ رَبُّكُمْ أَن يَرْحَمَكُمْ وَإِنْ عُدتُّمْ عُدْنَا وَجَعَلْنَا جَهَنَّمَ لِلْكَـٰفِرِينَ حَصِيرًا
Maybe your Lord would bestow mercy upon you. But if you do this again, We shall do that again, and We have made Jahannam (Hell) a prison for the disbelievers.” [Surah al-Isra, 7-8]
Allah had mentioned how the Jews would cause major mischief twice. Allah told His Messenger that when (the Jews) committed transgression and aggression, Allah gave their enemies power over them to destroy their country and enter the innermost parts of their homes. Their humiliation and subjugation were a befitting punishment, and your Lord is never unfair or unjust to His servants. They had rebelled and killed many of the Prophets and scholars. [Ibn Katheer]
Learning from this ayah and the actions of the Jews, some scholars write that it is because of how Muslims also acted down the line, that a few hundred thousand Jews overcame them. It clearly shows that everything that came to pass came as punishment for our own misdeeds.
Another interpretation of "if you do this again, We shall do that again" could be that if the Muslims return to Jihad, Allah will return back to giving Muslims victory. This is what the Palestinians are InshaAllah doing today all alone while we merely watch.
InshaAllah the Ababeel of Allah are coming for Palestine.
Two more points that bring this discussion to a close after understanding the ayat above are:
- During the Night Journey, Allah raised all the previous Prophets and Prophet Muhammad ﷺ led them all in prayer. This was an indication that he was their Imam and by extension the Imam of the Children of Adam. His Shariah would supersede and prevail over all their messages. Just as all the Prophets had united behind Prophet Muhammad ﷺ as their Imam, those who claimed to follow him should also unite behind him and follow his message. He was the first global prophet whereas all the previous prophets were sent to targeted demographics.
- As with the Prophet's ﷺ Imamate at al-Aqsa, the change of the Qiblah from Masjid al-Aqsa to Masjid al-Haram signified that Bani Israel was no longer the chosen people. They had been replaced by the Ummah of Muhammad ﷺ because of their centuries of constant corruption, evil, and disobedience towards Allah. The Muslims prayed towards both al-Aqsa and the Ka'bah. With this, the Ummah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ prayed towards both the holy sites established by Prophet Ibrahim عليه السلام.
Every time the Jews were allowed into Jerusalem, and they lived there peacefully without oppression, it was under Islamic rule. Anyone and everyone else had always chased them away. Even when Europe was oppressing and exiling them en masse for centuries, it was the Ottomans, that gave them refuge.
Another point that we can pick is from a religious angle. As is very clear from their own Zionist leaders' own published documentation, Israel being a Jewish state citing religious reasons is just a facade for gaining power. What they are doing today is no surprise. They have been doing the same for years and have been getting away with it conveniently while the world turns a blind eye to their own ulterior motives. The Muslims on the other hand continue with their own infighting to care seriously about it.
اللَّهُمَّ إِنَّا نَجْعَلُكَ فِي نُحُورِهِمْ، وَنَعُوْذُ بِكَ مِنْ شُرُوْرِهِمْ
اللَّهُمَّ أَنْتَ عَضُدِي، وَأَنْتَ نَصِيْرِي، بِكَ أَجُوْلُ وَبِكَ أَصُوْلُ وَبِكَ أُقَاتِلُ
اللَّهُمَّ إِنِّي أَعُوذُ بِكَ مِنْ ظُلْمِ الْمُلْكِ، وَمِنْ شَرِّ الْقَهَّارِ
نَسَأَلُكَ بِأَنَّنا نَشْهَدُ أَنَّكَ أَنْتَ اللهُ لا إِلهَ إلا أَنْتَ، الأَحَدُ الصَّمَدُ الَّذي لَمْ يَلِدْ وَلَمْ يُولَدْ وَلَمْ يَكُنْ لَهُ كُفُواً أَحَد، أَنْ تَنْصُرَ الإِسْلامَ وَأَهْلَهُ فِي كُلِّ مَكَانٍ، اللهُمُّ اَنْصُرِ الإِسْلامَ وَأَهْلَهُ فِي كُلِّ مَكَانٍ، اللهُمَّ انْصُرِالإِسْلامَ وَأَهْلَهُ فِي كُلِّ مَكَانٍ
اللهُمَّ أَعِزَّ الإِسْلامَ وَالمُسْلِمِينَ، اللهُمَّ أَعِزَّ الإِسْلامَ وَالمُسْلِمِينَ، وَأَذِلَّ الشِّرْكَ وَالمُشْرِكِينَ وَدَمِّرْ أَعْدآءَ الدِّينِ وَاحْمِ حَوْزَةَ الإسْلامِ يَا رَبَّ العَالَمِين
“O Allah, we place You before them and we take refuge in You from their evil.”
“O Allah, You are my supporter and You are my helper, by You I move and by You I attack and by You I battle.”
“O Allah, I seek refuge in You from the injustice of rulers and from the evil of the One who exercises power.”
“We ask You – by virtue of bearing witness that You are Allah, there is no God worthy of worship but You, the One, the Self-Sufficient, Who begets not, nor was He begotten, and there is none who is comparable to Him. – (we ask You) to grant victory to Islam and the Muslims everywhere. O Allah! Grant victory to Islam and the Muslims everywhere. O Allah! Grant victory to Islam and the Muslims everywhere.”
“O Allah! Raise the standing of Islam and the Muslims. O Allah! Raise the standing and the Muslims, and degrade the standing of Kufr and the Kaafireen, and Shirk and the Mushrikeen. Destroy the enemies of the Deen, and protect the lands of Islam, O Lord of the Worlds.”
