AqsaWeek, celebrated globally between 24 February and 2 March is bringing to the fore the significance of Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem. Al-Aqsa forms the thread that runs through the historicity of Muslims. It is the fabric that keeps connected the past with the present and the future.
There are few places that connect the major prophets with a single site as al-Aqsa does. Al-Aqsa Masjid is the only place known to us where all the prophets gathered together to perform Salāh. It is also the only place where the Prophet Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) led all the prophets in prayer. This bringing of all the prophets together is a sign of inclusivity and a metaphor for al-Aqsa.
The inclusive symbolism of al-Aqsa is also appreciated today by Palestinian Christians and other peoples. Father Manuel of Jerusalem is recorded as saying that al-Aqsa is our symbol of resistance and unity. Al-Aqsa binds the Palestinians of all faiths as it binds Muslims from across the globe with different nationalities.
https://twitter.com/FriendsofAlAqsa/status/1496801580909305869?s=20&t=-nOgChgvNTceLjDCI1TLOA
Al-Aqsa exceeds what we can express in words because, in one way, it is part of Muslim historicity, but in other ways, it is a site of faith. Al-Aqsa tests the īmān of a believer and at the same time, promises a greater reward to the sincere believer. It is a place of barakah, but for the neglectful, a place of more significant deprivation. Thus, al-Aqsa is a source of a gift from which a believer can benefit.
However, neglecting the plight of al-Aqsa has its repercussions. And in recent years, al-Aqsa has been under significant threat, from Israeli politicians who support the eviction of Muslims from al-Aqsa to Jewish extremists calling for its destruction. Between these two extreme dangers, al-Aqsa faces almost daily violations by extremists. There are also tunnels dug under al-Aqsa that threaten the safety of buildings within the al-Aqsa Masjid (Haram Shareef).
In this sense, AqsaWeek is an initiative to revive its heritage. Organisations and individuals from South Africa to Australia and Indonesia to Canada are organising events to highlight al-Aqsa’s significance. They have come up with creative ideas ranging from football tournaments to talks, poetry recitals, rallies and art exhibitions.
✨#LoveAqsa Twitter Storm - 27th Feb 3pm (UK)✨
— Friends of Al Aqsa (@FriendsofAlAqsa) February 24, 2022
Join us on Sunday for the global twitter storm to show your love for Masjid Al-Aqsa.
Tell everyone you know on twitter about it! pic.twitter.com/7Cju7ACXUj
Social media is also being utilised, and on Sunday 27 at 3 pm (UK Time), hashtag #LoveAqsa is requested to go all over the globe. The hashtag promoting the love of al-Aqsa is an appropriate metaphor for the first qibla of Muslims, the station of al-Isrā wal-Mi’rāj and the greatest Masājid in Jerusalem where the reward for a prayer is multiplied by over 500 times.
There is also a children’s competition for the third year running, as part of Friends of Al-Aqsa’s “Aqsa Week Kids”. Children as young as five will answer why they love al-Aqsa by either designing a poster, making a model or writing a poem.
https://twitter.com/FriendsofAlAqsa/status/1495844365129949185?s=20&t=tV_WXlSQkwmujWi8TvAilw
Join the #AqsaWeek and use the #LoveAqsa to show your love for al-Aqsa.
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Source: Islam21c
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