History of Al Aqsa Mosque

"The Tunnel of King Je-hoia-chin and Its Religious Significance"

by Kais Al-Kalby with Emad J. Meerza
The patriarch of all the believers of Allah (God), i.e. Jews, Christians, and Muslims is Prophet
Ibrahim (Abraham, PBUH). He built the Kaba in Makkah with his firstborn son Ismael (PBUH).
This was an order from Allah (SWT) that Ibrahim and Ismael (PBUT) construct this Holy House
of Allah (SWT) as a place of worship for all the believers on earth. Ismael (PBUH) was 17 at the
time he and his father built the Kaba. Prophet Muhammad (PB UH), a descendent of the Prophet
Ismael (PBUH), would come nearly 2,500 years after Kaba was built and repurify it as a holy
place of worship according to the teachings of the Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH). As stated in the
Torah and in the Holy Quran "all the generations will be blessed through I brahim (PBUH)"
(Genesis 12 and 18 Holy Bible, Chp 2 Verses 123-141 Holy Quran).
In Jerusalem, Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH) also established a place of worship. This place would
later be known as The House Of Allah (God), or Beteyel. Forty years after the construction of
Kaba, Prophet Ibrahim expanded this place of worship. Isaac (PBUH), Prophet Ibrahim's
younger son, worshipped in Beteyel, but also made journeys to Kaba in Makkah for Hajj
(Pilgrimage) as did Ibrahim (PBUH). Jacob (PBUH) the second son of Isaac (PBUH), extended
Beteyel as a place of worship for all the believers of Allah (God) in the region. The natives of the
land, the Palestinians, believers in the teachings of the Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH), also
worshipped in Beteyel or The House Of Allah (God). Ibrahim (PBUH), referred to Beteyel as
"Masjid Al-Aqsa", which means the farthest place of worship of the One God. Prophet Ibrahim
(PBUH), was stating that Masjid Al-Aqsa was the farthest place of worship west of Kaba in
Makkah.
Some years later, Prophet Joseph (PBUH), the son of Jacob (PBUH) attained a high position of
power in Egypt, he sent for all of his family to come live with him in Egypt away from the
poverty of Palestine. There were 33 in all, Jacob (PBUH), his children and his grandchildren
(Genesis 46 in the Torah). Because there was no one left from Jacob's (PBUH) tribe to care for
Beteyel, Jacob (PBUH), intrusted care of Beteyel or Masjid Al-Aqsa to the natives of the area,
the Palestinians. This was acceptable due to the fact that the natives were also followers of the
Patriarch, the Prophet Ibrahim (PBUH). The Israelites remained in Egypt for four hundred years
as slaves to the Egyptians with no connection to Palestine, the land from which they immigrated
(Genesis 15 Verse 13-17). This choice was not forced on them, they simply chose to leave
Palestine for the sake of the wealth and riches in Egypt.
In the time of Prophet Moses (PBUH), the Israelites were still slaves to the Egyptians. Allah
(God) ordered Moses (PBUH), after freeing the Israelites from bondage, to lead them to
Palestine. The Israelites rejected this order from Allah (God), and preferred to live in the desert
of Sinai, rather than to sacrifice themselves for the sake of Allah (God). They believed this land
belonged to the Palestinians, the natives of the area.
For fourty years, the Israelites wandered in the desert of Sinai. A new generation was born, and
from it came forth Prophet David (PBUH), he would lead this generation of believers to
Palestine. Prophet David (PBUH) established his kingdom in part of Palestine, and controlled
Jerusalem. His son, Prophet Soloman (King Solomon) (PBUH) rebuilt Masjid Al-Aqsa with the
help of the natives, and next to it he built the ruler's palace. After Prophet Solomon's death, his
two sons divided his kingdom amongst themselves. Each son established his own kingdom and
each had its own capital. From both of these kingdoms, Allah (God) raised prophets. According
to Jewish history, these kingdoms existed for nearly two hundred years.
In 586 B.C., King Je-hoia-chin of Jerusalem, saw that he might lose his kingdom. He was the last
Jewish king who tried to resist the Babylonians in Jerusalem. In his struggle, his kingdom was
surrounded by the Babylonians who cut off supplies from the outside world. When the
inhabitants of Jerusalem ran out of food and water, the king made a tunnel to enable his soldiers
to escape and retrieve supplies from the outside world. Part of the tunnel collapsed, the resistance
led by King Je-hoia-chin was defeated, and the Babylonians took over Jerusalem. The tunnel
used by King Je-hoia-chin, is the same tunnel being excavated today in Jerusalem. After the
Babylonians conquered Jerusalem, they took its inhabitants as slaves to Babylon.
The Babylonian King Nebuchadnezzar destroyed what King Solomon had built in Jerusalem
(Kings 2 Chapters 24 and 25 of the Bible). According to the word of God in the Torah, the
Israelites were made to be slaves in both the Nile and in the Euphrates.
After seventy years of slavery in Babylon, King Cyrus of Persea gave the Israelites their
freedom. At that time very few of the Israelites returned to Palestine. These few Israelites
worshipped only in The House Of Allah. For generations, the Israelites took care of Beteyel or
Masjid Al-Aqsa. During the period when the Roman Empire was in constant battle with the
Persean Empire, the Israelites aided the Perseans, and benefited when the Perseans had control of
Jerusalem. Because the Israelites supported the Persean Empire as spies and in other ways, the
Romans treated them as enemies of the Roman Empire.
In 70 A.D., the Romans destroyed (burned) Beteyel, and converted it into a place of Roman idol
worship (Jupitor,etc.). In 315 A.D., when the Roman Emperor Constantine converted to
Christianity, the Romans had no regard for Beteyel. It became a place were the inhabitants of
Jerusalem, including the Jews threw their garbage. The Jews no longer considered Beteyel a
Holy Shrine.
The Persean Empire defeated the Romans in 614 A.D., the Jews were now able to worship where
they wished, but chose not to worship in Beteyel or Masjid Al-Aqsa. The Perseans controlled
Jerusalem until 624 A.D. The Jews, who were in a position of power during this period, tortured
the Arab Christians. Jerusalem was in need of a just ruler. Both the Christians and the Jews had
suffered under different empires, and both knew that the Holy Scriptures promised the coming of
a ruler to save them from all this unjust torture and aggression.
The Israelites were awaiting the coming of the Messiah, who would be king and ruler, and would
defeat all the evil empires, as promised by Allah (God). The only Prophet in history to have
accomplished this task, was Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his
followers defeated all the empires of the time, establishing the Kingdom Of God (Islamic State)
throughout the region. This included Jerusalem as promised by Allah to the Muslims (Daniel 2
Verse 44 and Mathew 21 Verse 43). The Israelites had tried to fulfill this prophecy in 165 B.C.,
under the leadership of Judah Makabi. Within three years, he was defeated by the Romans, who
regained complete control of Jerusalem. Prophet Jesus (PBUH), was also unable to accomplish
this task mentioned in the Holy Scriptures. It was the Prophet from Arabia, Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH) who fulfilled this prophecy.
In 621 A.D., the Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) ascended to the heavens in the night known as
Israa and Mirag to the Muslims (Malachi 3 Verse 1-14). In that night, Prophet Muhammad
(PBUH) led all the Prophets of Allah (PBUT) in prayer in the Holy Mosque (Masjid Al-Aqsa).
For this reason, Masjid Al-Aqsa is a holy place of worship for the Muslims, along with Kaba in
Makkah and The Prophet's (PBUH) Mosque in Medina. These are the three most important
Mosques to the Muslims.
In 637 A.D., the Christian leader of Jerusalem, Snaifors, realized through the holy Scriptures
(Zeckariah 9 Verses 9 and 10), that the second leader of the Islamic State, Umar ibn Al-Khatab,
fits the description of the one who would open Jerusalem and free it from the evil empires.
Snaifors surrendered peacefully. Umar ibn Al-Khatab and the Muslims, after securing Jerusalem,
again established Masjid Al-Aqsa as a holy place of worship. Both the Christians and the Jews
were pleased with the arrival of Umar and the Muslims, and with the just rule under the Islamic
State.
In the eleventh century, the European Christians in the crusades, tortured the Jews and the
Muslims. They burned the Jews in the their Temples and they burned the Muslims in Masjid Al-
Aqsa. The European Christians even tortured the Arab Christians and destroyed their churches.
The Jews fled to Indulis (Spain), to receive protection under Islamic rule or a Muslim society. In
1189 A.D., the leader of the Muslim army, Salah Aldeen Al-Ayobi expelled the European
Christians from Jerusalem, and returned Jerusalem to Islamic rule. The Christian, Jews, and
Muslims lived in harmony under Islamic rule.
In 1948, with the help of the western powers, the Jews were able to fulfill the promise of the
British foreign minister, Bill Ford. This promise was made in 1917 regarding the Jews' return to
the holy land, Palestine. In the time of Moses (PBUH), when ordered by Allah (God) to return to
Palestine, the Israelites disobeyed the will of Allah (God). Once the Jews again controlled
Jerusalem, they expelled and tortured the natives of Palestine from their land, and the area
returned to a state of unrest (Haggie 2 Verse 7-9).
In the 1980's, the Israelis started an archaeological project in the area of the Dome of the Rock
(Masjid Al-Aqsa). They began excavation claiming that they were searching for the Temple Of
King Solomon. They were unable to locate the Temple Of King Solomon, but in the process
discover ed the tunnel of King Je-hoia-chin. The Israelis claimed that the search was a success
only because they discovered the collapsed tunnel of King Je-hoia-chin, which is in no way
related to the Temple of King Solomon. This tunnel has no religious significance, it only has
historical significance. The entrance was then sealed and today has been reopened without
justification. The significance to the Muslims is well understood, they fear for Masjid Al-Aqsa
and its foundation, and that in some way this excavation can damage the Holy Mosque. The
significance of this dig to the Jews is not yet understood, clearly there is no religious
significance. Prime Minister Netanyahu has said this openly is his news conference at the White
House. The question thus remains, why if this archaeological dig can lead to so much unrest, do
the Israelis insist that it remain open?
Conclusion
First - all the children of Israel left Jerusalem in the time of Jacob by their own will.
Second - they were unwilling to support Moses (PBUH) and return to the holy land for the
sake of Allah (God).
Third - King Je-hoia-chin's tunnel has no religious significance to the Jews, it is merely a
historical site. The Israelis continued excavation of the tunnel, may result in damage to Masjid
Al-Aqsa.
Fourth - the Israelites abandoned Beteyel in 614 A.D., while under Persean rule.
Fifth - they took Palestine by force and aggression in 1948, and subsequently tortured many
Palestinians in the process.
Finally - the Jews do not appreciate all the just treatment that they received from the Muslims
throughout history, and as we see today, the Israelis have little concern for the Muslim people,
their places of worship, and their property.

For more information you can obtain the book titled, "Prophet Muhammad The last Messenger
In The Bible," written by Kais Al-Kalby. This can be ordered by mail, fax, or phone. Write to,
P.O. Box 901412 Palmdale, CA 93550. Fax: (805) 266-0450, Phone: (805) 538-9762.
Please, we ask anyone who receives this article, to distribute it to whomever may be interested in
reading it or benefit from it. If you are able to publish it, please know that you have the author's
permission to do so. With everyone's help, we hope that this information can be read by many.
May it please Allah (SWT). Peace, mercy, and the blessings of Allah be upon you all!
ALLAH: The One God
SWT: The Glorified And The Exalted
PBUH: Peace Be Upon Him
PBUT: Peace Be Upon Them
References - The Old Testament, The New Testament, and The Holy Quran

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