The Shiites and Al-Aqsa - Falsehood in a Book!!

“Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa, Ilaa Ayna”[1] is the title of a book written by the Shiite scholar, Jaafar Murtadha Al-‘Amili.[2] He wrote: “A number of facts have been clear to us concerning that Al-Aqsa Mosque. It is now definitely known that it is not the mosque that is in Palestine.”!! He then mentioned many statements and narrations that support his interpretation of the incidence of Israa and that explicitly mentioned that Al-Aqsa Mosque is a mosque in the heaven!! These statements are narrations are quoted from authorized Shiite sources and their books of Tafseer.

He concluded that Al-Aqsa is a mosque in the heaven and not what the generality of Muslims believe to be Al-Aqsa Mosque.

In his book, ‘As-Saheeh fee Seerah An-Nabiyy Al-A‘zam’[3], Al-‘Aamili claimed that when ‘Umar – may Allah be pleased with him – entered Jerusalem, there was no mosque there, let alone Al-Aqsa’[4] and that Al-Aqsa Mosque unto which the Prophet, blessings and peace of Allah be upon him took a night journey and the surroundings of which Allah blessed was in the heaven.[5]

While mentioning the opinions concerning the Jewish’s mischief-making in Jerusalem twice as mentioned in Surah Al-Israaa, he describes the opinion that the mosque referred to in the Surah is Al-Aqsa Mosque as mere claims.[6]

One of the proofs he quoted in support of the view that Al-Aqsa Mosque is a mosque in the heaven is a report recorded in a book, ‘Bihaar Al-Anwaar’ by Al-Majlisi. The report goes thus: “I asked Abu Abdullah about the meritorious mosques and he said: ‘The Sacred Mosque (in Makkah) and the Prophet’s Mosque in Al-Madeenah.’ I asked him: ‘What about Al-Aqsa Mosque, may I be your ransom?’ He answered: ‘That one is in the heaven. It was unto there that the Messenger of Allah, blessings and peace of Allah be upon him took a night journey.’ I then said: ‘But the people say it is the one that is in Jerusalem?’ He said: ‘The mosque that is in Kufah (in Iraq) is more meritorious than it.’”[7]

Now, the question is: Can the claim made by Al-‘Amili be regarded as heresy in the estimation of the Shiites? Or it is a firm-rooted doctrine of theirs? Let us go to their books of Tafseer and see the position of Al-Aqsa Mosque in them.

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[1] Meaning: “Al-Aqsa: To Where?”

[2] He is Ja’afar Murtadha Al-‘Amili. He was born in the year 1945 at Jabal ‘Amil, Southern Lebanon. He studied at Najaf and Qom.

[3] This is one of Al-‘Amili’s greatest works. Instead of being refuted for the falsehood that he wrote about Al-Aqsa Mosque, the book earned him the Iranian Literary Award which was conferred on him personally by the Iranian president, Ahmadi Nejad!

[4] See: As-Saheeh fee Seerah An-Nabiyy Al-A’zam 3/137, published by Al-Markaz Al-Islami Liddiraasaat, 5^th edition.

[5] Ibid. 3/106

[6] Ibid. 3/139

[7] ‘Bihaar Al-Anwaar by Al-Majlisi 22/90