THE AL AQSA MOSQUE: AN ISLAMIC CLARIFICATION

It is often reported that the "Al Aqsa" (arabic: "the farthest") mosque in Jerusalem is the "third holiest shrine" in Islam, due to its mention in the Quran and prophetic tradition. There's a bit of historical confusion here, which also gives fodder to islamophobic arguments about the Quran having a questionable origin, since the present mosque at the Jewish holy site was built AFTER Muhammad's death and not completed until 705 CE.

Technically the "Al Aqsa" mosque - the third holiest Islamic site - is the actual site of the Jewish Temple II.

The Quran itself mentions the mystical trip Muhammad took to the "farthest mosque", a reference to the temple site, in 621, which had no structure there since 70 CE. (In Islam, a mosque does not have to have a specific structure, and is technically any place a Muslim regularly prays/prostrates).

One night, Muhammad was transported there by a mystical horse-like creature. There, he prayed and ascended to Heaven, from a spot now venerated and housed within the Dome Of The Rock mosque.

The present "Al Aqsa" mosque, which recently caught on fire, is actually the renovation and expansion of a mosque the caliph Umar built at the holy site in 637. It is NOT the sacred mosque mentioned in the Quran.

Umar built a mosque (later named for him) in order to discourage Muslims from overtaking the use of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre for prayer. (There is a current "mosque of Umar" at the holy site, but this is not the one built by Umar, but built in homage to him in 1193).

It's a little-known fact that churches and synagogues are considered sacred places of worship in Islam, or that the Temple itself is considered a holy mosque - one where a single prayer within is considered as if it were performed 500 times.

When we rise above conflict and animosity, getting closer to God, we find we are closer together as people than we think...