WEBVTT 00:00:00.000 --> 00:00:03.720 In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. 00:00:24.300 --> 00:00:27.300 What a blessed place of prayer. 00:00:28.329 --> 00:00:36.399 How did the status of Al-Aqsa feature in the lives of the Companions? 00:00:36.399 --> 00:00:43.869 The noble Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, realized from the very beginning of their Islam 00:00:43.869 --> 00:00:50.869 the status of the Holy Land, its spiritual importance, and its doctrinal significance, 00:00:50.869 --> 00:00:55.869 until it became a life project for which they sacrificed everything precious and dear. 00:00:55.869 --> 00:00:59.869 They were keen to conquer it and preserve it, 00:00:59.869 --> 00:01:06.870 and this was only due to their intense love for the Prophet, peace be upon him, and their emulation of him 00:01:06.870 --> 00:01:12.870 regarding his circumstances and his profound attachment to that blessed land. 00:01:12.870 --> 00:01:20.349 How could the Companions not love that blessed spot, that holy land, and that virtuous place, 00:01:20.349 --> 00:01:25.349 when they had prayed in difficult circumstances and at a most critical stage 00:01:25.349 --> 00:01:32.349 with the Prophet, peace be upon him, in Makkah before the migration, while their qibla was Bayt al-Maqdis? 00:01:32.349 --> 00:01:36.569 On the authority of Ibn Abbas, may Allah be pleased with them both, who said: 00:01:36.569 --> 00:01:43.569 "The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, used to pray while in Makkah facing Bayt al-Maqdis, 00:01:43.569 --> 00:01:50.599 with the Kaaba in front of him. After he migrated to Madinah, he continued this for sixteen months, 00:01:50.599 --> 00:01:56.920 then it was turned toward the Kaaba." Whoever follows the circumstances and the Prophetic biography of the Companions 00:01:56.920 --> 00:02:00.920 will find wonderful examples and radiant images. 00:02:00.920 --> 00:02:07.959 The noble Companion Abu Dharr al-Ghifari, Jundub ibn Junada, may Allah be pleased with him, 00:02:07.959 --> 00:02:11.960 one of the early pioneers and the elite of the Companions, 00:02:11.960 --> 00:02:15.960 for he was the fifth of four who embraced Islam, 00:02:15.960 --> 00:02:20.960 was not deterred by the injustice, persecution, and hardship of the Makkan era 00:02:20.960 --> 00:02:26.960 from asking about Al-Aqsa Mosque, its status, and its connection to the Sacred Mosque. 00:02:26.960 --> 00:02:30.960 On the authority of Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, who said: 00:02:30.960 --> 00:02:36.960 "I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, which mosque was built first on earth?'" 00:02:36.960 --> 00:02:39.960 He said, "The Sacred Mosque." 00:02:39.960 --> 00:02:42.960 I said, "Then which?" 00:02:43.960 --> 00:02:46.960 He said, "Al-Aqsa Mosque." 00:02:46.960 --> 00:02:49.990 I said, "How much time was between them?" 00:02:49.990 --> 00:02:52.990 He said, "Forty years. 00:02:52.990 --> 00:02:56.990 Then, wherever prayer overtakes you, pray, 00:02:56.990 --> 00:02:58.990 for the merit is in it." 00:02:58.990 --> 00:03:07.370 The love for Al-Aqsa Mosque and its emotional attachment continued in the soul of Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, 00:03:07.370 --> 00:03:13.370 for after their migration to Madinah and the increase in the burdens of the state and responsibilities, 00:03:13.370 --> 00:03:20.719 he did not forget to discuss the status and virtue of that land in the presence of the noble Companions. 00:03:20.719 --> 00:03:24.719 For on the authority of Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, he said: 00:03:24.719 --> 00:03:30.719 "We were discussing, while we were with the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, which is better: 00:03:30.719 --> 00:03:34.719 the Mosque of the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, 00:03:34.719 --> 00:03:37.719 or the Mosque of Bayt al-Maqdis?" 00:03:37.719 --> 00:03:41.719 The Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, said: 00:03:41.719 --> 00:03:47.719 "A prayer in this mosque of mine is better than four prayers in it. 00:03:47.719 --> 00:03:49.719 And what an excellent place of prayer it is! 00:03:49.719 --> 00:03:55.719 A time will soon come when a man will have a piece of land the size of his horse's tether, 00:03:55.719 --> 00:03:58.719 from which he can see Bayt al-Maqdis, 00:03:58.719 --> 00:04:01.719 and that will be better for him than the entire world, 00:04:01.719 --> 00:04:04.719 better than the world and all that is in it." 00:04:04.719 --> 00:04:08.080 The *shatan* is the rope. 00:04:08.080 --> 00:04:10.080 Contemplate this scene; 00:04:10.080 --> 00:04:13.169 it is as if it were a forum and a gathering, 00:04:13.169 --> 00:04:18.170 a Prophetic, Jerusalem-focused council par excellence in Madinah 00:04:18.170 --> 00:04:21.170 in the presence of the noble Companions. 00:04:21.170 --> 00:04:23.170 Amazing aspirations, 00:04:23.170 --> 00:04:28.170 and an unparalleled sense of responsibility for this unique generation. 00:04:29.430 --> 00:04:34.430 Abu Dharr’s attachment to Al-Aqsa Mosque was not 00:04:34.430 --> 00:04:37.430 merely a matter of theory or abstract principles, 00:04:37.430 --> 00:04:40.430 but it was reflected in the course of his life, 00:04:40.430 --> 00:04:44.430 remaining present in his mind and thoughts, 00:04:44.430 --> 00:04:50.430 so that he participated in the army that conquered Bayt al-Maqdis in the year fifteen after the Hijra. 00:04:50.430 --> 00:04:54.649 Indeed, he traveled there to reside and worship. 00:04:54.649 --> 00:04:57.649 Because of their intense religious attachment to that land 00:04:57.649 --> 00:05:03.649 and their knowledge of priorities and virtues ranked by importance, 00:05:03.649 --> 00:05:06.649 Abu Dharr, may Allah be pleased with him, says: 00:05:06.649 --> 00:05:10.649 "The Prophet of Allah, peace be upon him, came to me 00:05:10.649 --> 00:05:13.649 while I was sleeping in the mosque of Madinah, 00:05:13.649 --> 00:05:16.649 and he nudged me with his foot and said, 00:05:16.649 --> 00:05:19.649 'Do I see you sleeping in it?' 00:05:19.649 --> 00:05:22.649 I said, 'O Prophet of Allah, 00:05:22.649 --> 00:05:24.649 my eyes overcame me.' 00:05:24.649 --> 00:05:28.750 He said, 'What will you do when you are expelled from it?' 00:05:28.750 --> 00:05:33.750 I said, 'I will go to Al-Sham, the Holy Land.' 00:05:33.750 --> 00:05:38.910 He said, 'And what will you do when you are expelled from Al-Sham?'" 00:05:38.910 --> 00:05:41.910 He said, "I seek refuge in Allah." 00:05:41.910 --> 00:05:46.319 The best of creation after the Prophets, may the blessings of Allah be upon them, 00:05:46.319 --> 00:05:49.319 Abu Bakr al-Siddiq, may Allah be pleased with him, 00:05:49.319 --> 00:05:52.319 had pivotal stances 00:05:52.319 --> 00:05:56.319 and great concern for that Holy Land, 00:05:56.319 --> 00:06:00.319 among the most prominent of which was the dispatching of the army of Usama ibn Zayd, 00:06:00.319 --> 00:06:05.319 which was the last expedition in the life of the Prophet, peace be upon him, 00:06:05.319 --> 00:06:08.319 to the lands of Al-Sham to meet the Romans, 00:06:08.319 --> 00:06:13.639 and the first expedition in the life of Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him. 00:06:13.639 --> 00:06:17.639 The Caliph Abu Bakr, may Allah be pleased with him, during his life 00:06:17.639 --> 00:06:22.639 hoped that the city of Bayt al-Maqdis would be in the possession of the Muslims, 00:06:22.639 --> 00:06:27.680 and he made the goal of the army led by Amr ibn al-As, may Allah be pleased with him, 00:06:27.680 --> 00:06:30.680 Palestine and Aelia. 00:06:30.680 --> 00:06:36.680 People used to hear Abu Bakr’s instructions to Amr, may Allah be pleased with them both: 00:06:36.680 --> 00:06:39.680 "You must head for Palestine and Aelia." 00:06:39.680 --> 00:06:46.000 And in Abu Bakr’s letter to Khalid ibn al-Walid, may Allah be pleased with them both: 00:06:46.000 --> 00:06:49.000 "Hasten to your brothers in Al-Sham, 00:06:49.000 --> 00:06:55.000 for by Allah, a village of the villages of the Holy Land that Allah conquers for us 00:06:55.000 --> 00:07:00.000 is dearer to us than a district of the districts of Iraq." 00:07:00.000 --> 00:07:07.029 The *rustaq* is a place containing crops, villages, or clustered houses. 00:07:07.029 --> 00:07:11.480 Bayt al-Maqdis was conquered during the era of Umar, may Allah be pleased with him, 00:07:11.480 --> 00:07:13.480 and he received its keys. 00:07:13.480 --> 00:07:16.480 He came himself with his servant, 00:07:16.480 --> 00:07:19.480 and his garment had seventeen patches, 00:07:19.480 --> 00:07:21.480 and he waded through the mud. 00:07:21.480 --> 00:07:25.480 Abu Ubayda, may Allah be pleased with him, said to him, 00:07:25.480 --> 00:07:27.480 "You have done a great thing." 00:07:27.480 --> 00:07:30.569 The Faruq, may Allah be pleased with him, said to him, 00:07:30.569 --> 00:07:34.569 "If anyone other than you had said that, O Abu Ubayda," 00:07:34.569 --> 00:07:36.569 and he struck his chest. 00:07:36.569 --> 00:07:39.639 Then he said his famous statement: 00:07:39.639 --> 00:07:44.670 "We were the most insignificant of people, the most humiliated of people, and the most wretched of people, 00:07:44.670 --> 00:07:47.670 then Allah honored us with Islam. 00:07:47.670 --> 00:07:51.670 And whoever seeks honor in anything else, Allah will humiliate him." 00:07:51.670 --> 00:07:58.180 The doctrinal attachment of the Companions and their spiritual connection to Bayt al-Maqdis 00:07:58.180 --> 00:08:01.180 was reflected practically in their lives, 00:08:01.180 --> 00:08:05.180 for a great number entered it, having traveled there, 00:08:05.180 --> 00:08:08.180 and they intended to reside and worship there, 00:08:08.180 --> 00:08:11.180 as well as to preach, guide, and teach, 00:08:11.180 --> 00:08:13.180 and some of them were buried there. 00:08:13.180 --> 00:08:16.310 Mujir al-Din al-Hanbali said: 00:08:16.310 --> 00:08:21.310 "As for those who entered Bayt al-Maqdis from among the Companions, may Allah be pleased with them, 00:08:21.310 --> 00:08:23.310 they are a great multitude, 00:08:23.310 --> 00:08:27.310 whom none can count except Allah, the Glorified and Exalted." 00:08:27.310 --> 00:08:30.500 Abu Ubayda ibn al-Jarrah, may Allah be pleased with him, 00:08:30.500 --> 00:08:34.500 one of the ten promised Paradise, 00:08:34.500 --> 00:08:38.500 was the commander-in-chief of the conquest armies in Al-Sham. 00:08:38.500 --> 00:08:41.500 And Bilal ibn Rabah, may Allah be pleased with him, 00:08:41.500 --> 00:08:46.500 witnessed the conquest and was the first to call the adhan in Al-Aqsa Mosque. 00:08:46.500 --> 00:08:50.529 Among those who traveled there and resided there from the Companions 00:08:50.529 --> 00:08:55.529 were Mu'adh ibn Jabal and Khalid ibn al-Walid, may Allah be pleased with them both, 00:08:55.529 --> 00:08:58.529 and Ubadah ibn al-Samit, may Allah be pleased with him, 00:08:58.529 --> 00:09:01.529 the first to hold the judiciary of Palestine, 00:09:01.529 --> 00:09:05.529 for he resided in Bayt al-Maqdis and was buried there. 00:09:05.529 --> 00:09:07.529 Among those who resided there were: 00:09:07.529 --> 00:09:09.529 Tamim ibn Aws al-Dari, 00:09:09.529 --> 00:09:11.529 Abdullah ibn Salam, 00:09:11.529 --> 00:09:13.529 Abu Dharr al-Ghifari, 00:09:13.529 --> 00:09:16.529 Shaddad ibn Aws al-Khazraji, 00:09:16.529 --> 00:09:19.529 Anif ibn Malla al-Judhami, 00:09:19.529 --> 00:09:22.529 and Barr ibn Abdullah al-Dari, 00:09:22.529 --> 00:09:26.529 whom the Prophet, peace be upon him, named, 00:09:26.529 --> 00:09:30.720 and others, may Allah be pleased with them all. 00:09:30.720 --> 00:09:35.720 Abdullah ibn Umar, may Allah be pleased with them both, used to travel there 00:09:35.720 --> 00:09:37.720 and pray in Al-Aqsa Mosque, 00:09:37.720 --> 00:09:40.720 and he would intentionally not drink water 00:09:40.720 --> 00:09:44.720 so that his intention would be purely for prayer alone, 00:09:44.720 --> 00:09:48.720 in order to fulfill the supplication of Sulayman, peace be upon him, 00:09:48.720 --> 00:09:51.720 and attain the great reward and forgiveness, 00:09:51.720 --> 00:09:55.720 as the Prophet, peace be upon him, said: 00:09:55.720 --> 00:10:00.720 "When Sulayman ibn Dawud finished building Bayt al-Maqdis, 00:10:00.720 --> 00:10:02.720 he asked Allah for three things: 00:10:02.720 --> 00:10:05.720 a judgment that coincides with His judgment, 00:10:05.720 --> 00:10:09.720 a kingdom that should not be granted to anyone after him, 00:10:09.720 --> 00:10:14.720 and that no one should come to this mosque intending only to pray in it 00:10:14.720 --> 00:10:18.720 without emerging from his sins like the day his mother gave birth to him." 00:10:18.720 --> 00:10:22.519 What an excellent place of prayer! 00:10:22.519 --> 00:10:25.519 We are a sun that does not set; 00:10:25.519 --> 00:10:28.519 if the caller calls, we respond. 00:10:28.519 --> 00:10:31.519 We restore the right, sound and whole; 00:10:31.519 --> 00:10:34.519 we support the beloved Al-Aqsa. 00:10:34.519 --> 00:10:38.519 In it, the best of creation prayed; 00:10:38.519 --> 00:10:41.519 it is truly an excellent place of prayer. 00:10:41.519 --> 00:10:44.519 The landing place of the Trustworthy Revelation, 00:10:44.519 --> 00:10:47.519 the sending place of the Messengers, 00:10:47.519 --> 00:10:50.519 the qibla of the Muslims, 00:10:50.519 --> 00:10:54.519 the destination of the conquerors. 00:10:54.519 --> 00:10:57.519 In it, the best of creation prayed; 00:10:57.519 --> 00:11:00.519 it is truly an excellent place of prayer. 00:11:00.519 --> 00:11:03.519 It is truly an excellent place of prayer.