In the name of Allah, the Entirely Merciful, the Especially Merciful.
We are a sun that never sets.
If a caller calls, we respond.
We restore justice, whole and sound.
We support the beloved Al-Aqsa.
In it is the best of creation, may the peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
It is indeed an excellent place of prayer.
An excellent place of prayer.
What are the most important divine and prophetic glad tidings concerning Jerusalem?
Among the merits and characteristics of that blessed, good land
is that Allah, glory be to Him, revealed many glad tidings within it,
until it became a gathering place and a land of glad tidings.
This provides a clear indication and sign of what a Muslim should be,
and the optimism and anticipation of Allah’s victory and conquest he should carry,
as well as the liberation of that land from occupation and usurpation.
In this segment, we will mention two categories and divisions of these glad tidings.
The first: the glad tidings that Allah, glory be to Him, gave to His prophets, peace be upon them, therein.
The second: the glad tidings that our Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, gave
concerning this blessed land.
Among the divine glad tidings in the Holy Land
is that Allah, the Almighty, gave glad tidings to Abraham, peace be upon him, after he settled there, of righteous offspring.
He made them prophets and leaders for those who would come after them.
The Almighty said regarding Abraham, peace be upon him:
"My Lord, grant me [a child] from among the righteous."
"So We gave him good tidings of a forbearing boy."
This was Ishmael, peace be upon him.
A "forbearing" (halim) person is one who is broad-minded, patient, and forgiving in every matter.
Forbearance is the pinnacle of righteousness and the root of all virtues.
While the angels were on their way to bring down punishment and retribution upon the people of Lot,
they passed by as honored guests to Abraham, peace be upon him, in Jerusalem.
As Allah, glory be to Him, informed us in His saying:
And the Almighty said in another Surah, giving glad tidings to Abraham, peace be upon him:
"And there came Our messengers to Abraham with good tidings."
And in the same context, the same glad tidings were given to Sarah regarding Isaac and Jacob.
“And his wife, standing by laughed when We gave her good tidings (of the birth) of Isaac, and, after Isaac, of Jacob.” (11:71)
“And his wife, standing by laughed when We gave her good tidings (of the birth) of Isaac, and, after Isaac, of Jacob.” (11:71)
Meaning, a child of hers who would himself have children, descendants, and progeny.
For Jacob was the son of Isaac.
Among the subtle and wonderful glad tidings in the Holy Land
is the glad tidings given to the Prophet of Allah, Zechariah, regarding his son John (Yahya), peace be upon them both.
Zechariah had reached an advanced age,
and his soul longed for a child to inherit from him prophethood, knowledge, and wisdom,
and to establish servitude to Allah with his people in that blessed spot.
Zechariah, peace be upon him, prayed to his Lord, even though his wife was barren.
“And Zachariah, when he cried unto his Lord: My Lord! Leave me not childless, though Thou art the Best of inheritors.” (21:89)
“And Zachariah, when he cried unto his Lord: My Lord! Leave me not childless, though Thou art the Best of inheritors.” (21:89)
“Then We heard his prayer, and bestowed upon him John, and adjusted his wife (to bear a child) for him. Lo! they used to vie one with the other in good deeds, and they cried unto Us in longing and in fear, and were submissive unto Us.” (21:90)
After she had been barren, her womb unfit for childbirth,
Allah restored her womb for pregnancy.
Allah, the Exalted, mentioned this wonderful story at the beginning of Surah Maryam:
"A mention of the mercy of your Lord to His servant Zechariah."
“When he cried unto his Lord a cry in secret,” (19:3)
“Saying: My Lord! Lo! the bones of me wax feeble and my head is shining with grey hair, and I have never been unblest in prayer to Thee, my Lord.” (19:4)
"And the head has flared with white hair."
“Saying: My Lord! Lo! the bones of me wax feeble and my head is shining with grey hair, and I have never been unblest in prayer to Thee, my Lord.” (19:4)
“Lo! I fear my kinsfolk after me, since my wife is barren. Oh, give me from Thy presence a successor” (19:5)
"And my wife has been barren."
“Lo! I fear my kinsfolk after me, since my wife is barren. Oh, give me from Thy presence a successor” (19:5)
“Who shall inherit of me and inherit (also) of the house of Jacob. And make him, my Lord, acceptable (unto Thee).” (19:6)
"And make him, my Lord, pleasing [to You]."
"O Zechariah, indeed We give you good tidings of a boy whose name will be John."
"Indeed We give you good tidings of a boy whose name will be John."
“(It was said unto him): O Zachariah! Lo! We bring thee tidings of a son whose name is John; we have given the same name to none before (him).” (19:7)
This boy possessed many qualities, characteristics, and merits.
Allah, glory be to Him, mentioned him in Surahs Al 'Imran and Maryam:
"O John, take the Scripture with determination."
"And We gave him judgment [while yet] a boy."
“And compassion from Our presence, and purity; and he was devout,” (19:13)
And he was righteous.
And dutiful to his parents, and he was not a disobedient tyrant.
“Peace on him the day he was born, and the day he dieth and the day he shall be raised alive!” (19:15)
And the Almighty said:
“And the angels called to him as he stood praying in the sanctuary: Allah giveth thee glad tidings of (a son whose name is) John, (who cometh) to confirm a word from Allah lordly, chaste, a prophet of the righteous.” (3:39)
“And the angels called to him as he stood praying in the sanctuary: Allah giveth thee glad tidings of (a son whose name is) John, (who cometh) to confirm a word from Allah lordly, chaste, a prophet of the righteous.” (3:39)
Just as Allah, glory be to Him, gave glad tidings to Mary, peace be upon her, the Virgin,
the devout, the worshiper, the humble, the truthful, the chaste,
regarding the last of the prophets of the Children of Israel,
the Word of Allah and His Spirit, Jesus the Messiah, son of Mary, peace be upon him.
His birth was a dazzling miracle.
“She said: Lo! I seek refuge in the Beneficent One from thee, if thou art Allah-fearing.” (19:18)
“He said: I am only a messenger of thy Lord, that I may bestow on thee a faultless son.” (19:19)
As for the greatest glad tidings that occurred on the soil of that blessed land,
it is that which came from the tongue of Jesus, peace be upon him,
giving glad tidings of the best of creation, the Prophet of mercy and honors, Muhammad, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him.
Our Lord, glory be to Him, said:
“And when Jesus son of Mary said: O Children of Israel! Lo! I am the messenger of Allah unto you, confirming that which was (revealed) before me in the Torah, and bringing good tidings of a messenger who cometh after me, whose name is the Praised One. Yet when he hath come unto them with clear proofs, they say: This is mere magic.” (61:6)
“And when Jesus son of Mary said: O Children of Israel! Lo! I am the messenger of Allah unto you, confirming that which was (revealed) before me in the Torah, and bringing good tidings of a messenger who cometh after me, whose name is the Praised One. Yet when he hath come unto them with clear proofs, they say: This is mere magic.” (61:6)
“And when Jesus son of Mary said: O Children of Israel! Lo! I am the messenger of Allah unto you, confirming that which was (revealed) before me in the Torah, and bringing good tidings of a messenger who cometh after me, whose name is the Praised One. Yet when he hath come unto them with clear proofs, they say: This is mere magic.” (61:6)
And from the hadith of Al-'Irbad Ibn Sariyah, may Allah be pleased with him,
the Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, said:
"I am recorded with Allah as the Seal of the Prophets,
while Adam was still kneaded in his clay.
I will tell you the beginning of my affair: the prayer of Abraham and the glad tidings of Jesus,
and the vision of my mother, which she saw when she gave birth to me,
when a light emerged from her that illuminated the palaces of Ash-Sham for her."
Here is a subtle indication and a beautiful, strong link to the universality of his mission, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
and the close relationship between the Sacred Mosque (Al-Masjid Al-Haram),
in which Abraham prayed for the sending of the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
and Jerusalem, in which were the glad tidings of Jesus.
They are united by the light that illuminated the palaces of Ash-Sham; so reflect upon this.
Among the important glad tidings
is his, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, glad tidings of the conquest of Jerusalem.
As he, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, says:
"Count six things before the Hour:
my death, then the conquest of Jerusalem..."
The hadith.
He, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him, also gave glad tidings of fighting the Jews at the end of time and being victorious over them.
Ibn Baz, may Allah have mercy on him, says:
"Jesus, peace be upon him, will fight him,"
meaning the Antichrist (Dajjal),
"and the Muslims will be with him,
and he will kill him at the Gate of Ludd,"
a gate there in Palestine near Jerusalem.
"He will kill him with his spear, as stated in the authentic hadith,
and the Muslims with him
will kill the Jews in a great slaughter."
It came in the hadith from the Prophet, peace and blessings of Allah be upon him,
that the Muslims will fight the Jews,
and they will kill them and be given power over them,
until the trees and stones will call out:
"O Muslim, O servant of Allah,
this is a Jew, come and kill him."
Then Jesus will kill the Dajjal,
and his affair will end.
An excellent place of prayer
for the Muslims,
the destination of the conquerors.
In it is the best of creation, may the peace of Allah be upon him.
It is indeed an excellent place of prayer.
It is indeed an excellent place of prayer.