The Shiites and Al-Aqsa - What Contemporary shiites said...

Statements of the Contemporary Shiites Concerning the Position of Al-Aqsa Mosque

There are many statements accredited to the Shiites that disparage Al-Aqsa Mosque in order to give their so-called holy places a position far higher than that of the three Mosques unto which Muslims are allowed to undertake a journey for the purpose of worship. The following are some of these statements:

Liberate Karbala before Quds!!

In the editorial of one of the editions of the Shiite Al-Menbar magazine[1], titled, “Before Jerusalem, Liberate Karbala first!” the author wrote: “Indeed, Karbala is the holiest and the nobles place on the surface of the earth – including Makkah and Al-Madeenah – according to the clear statements of the holy imams. This is because Karbala attained its holiness through its embrace of the body of Allah’s revenge and a part of His Messenger, imam Abu ‘Abdullah Husayn whose pure blood has mixed with the dust of that land thereby attaining the highest nobility that a land could ever have. For, it became through this, a direction of the free people, a place of refuge for the hearts, a place frequented by the friends and a point of visit for the poor and the needy.”

The writer added: “Whatever holiness and nobleness that Al-Quds could have, it will remain behind Karbala. The Quds could not be compared to Karbala nor can the Dome of the Rock be compared to Husayn… Al-Quds in not our primary issue! The fundamental issue is Karbala! Before we liberate Al-Quds, we have to liberate Karbala first. It is from there that we can move to Palestine and from there to all other countries with the torches of light and guidance. We have earlier explained that it is impossible for this Ummah to take back Al-Quds as long as the Ummah has not yet returned to Muhammad and ‘Ali – peace be upon them.”!!

He further wrote: “Return to Muhammad and ‘Ali and Al-Quds will be returned to you through the Mahdi (the expected messiah)! Liberate Karbala first and before any other thing; then think of Al-Quds and other matters…”!![2]

Superiority of Najaf over Al-Quds in the poems of Ibn Ma’soom:

Ibn Ma’soom is a poet, who employed his poetry in the service of his creed. This reflects clearly in his work, ‘Salaafah al-‘Asr’. When he made pilgrimage to Najaf, he composed a poetry passage in which he expressed his belief in the superiority of Najaf over Al-Aqsa Mosque.[3]

The Dome of Samarra is More Important than Liberation of Al-Quds!!

In a lecture delivered by the Kuwaiti Shiite, Yaasir Al-Habeeb, at London after the bombing of the Samarra dome in Iraq, he commented on the event saying: “The usurped noble military sanctity still remains demolished with its rubbles on the bodies of the two infallible imams – peace be upon them and there is no one to remove these debris. Also, this sanctuary that is still in the hands of the Nawaasib[4] - the Ahlus-Sunnah – must be taken back. The importance of reclaiming this sanctuary is greater than the importance of reclaiming Al-Quds, for reclaiming this sanctuary is greater in Allah’s estimation!! The body of the infallible imam is greater than the Dome of the Rock even with Allah’s Messenger’s ascension to the heaven from there.”[5]

Samarra and Baqee‘a Al-Gharqad are Greater in Position than Al-Quds in Shiites’ Estimation!!

Some Shiite proselytizers condemn the concern some of their political leaders show for the issue of Al-Quds and regard that as political goals. This is due to the great difference among their scholar regarding the position of Al-Quds in the light of their clear texts and their commentaries. Therefore, they regard such concern as politically motivated and not religious!!

Yaasir Al-Habeeb wrote: “The believers should pay greater attention to the issue of the holiest place. This place supersedes Jerusalem in its nobleness and holiness. In fact, there should not be any comparison between both. Then on which legal basis is this popular Shiite activity on the issue of Jerusalem as if it is our priority?!! No! Though we are not unconcerned with the issue of Jerusalem, we are legally obliged to make the issue of holy Samarra and Baqee‘a al-Gharqad our priority. After that, we can move to the issue of Jerusalem and other issues. We must, first of all, liberate Samarra and Baqee‘a from the grips of the Nawaasib. Liberation of Jerusalem from the hands of the Jews can come after that. However, it is surprising how the Shiites could be oblivious of this fact!!”[6]

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[1] This magazine is published monthly by Khuddam Al-Mahdi organization whose leader in Kuwait is Yaasir Al-Habeeb and whose editor-in-chief is Yusuf Abdul-Haadi. The magazine was in circulation from December 1999 until the Kuwaiti government issued orders proscribing the organization and prosecuting its officials. Yaasir Al-Habeeb was jailed for in Kuwait for insulting the Companions of the Prophet – blessings and peace of Allah be upon him. Their website is: www.14masom.com/menbar

[2] Al-Menbar no. 23, Muharram 1423 A.H. – March 2002. It would be noted that this editorial was written when Iraq, including Karbala, was under the Baath regime and before the fall of Iraq under American occupation.

[3] See: ‘Salaafah al-‘Asr fee Mahaasin ash-Shu‘araa bikulli Misr’, by Ibn Ma ‘soom Al-Hasani; d.1119 A.H.

[4] This is a term used to describe those who hate the fourth rightly guided caliph, ‘Ali ibn Abi Taalib – may Allah be pleased with him.

[5] This lecture is available in text and picture on the website: www.haqeeqa.com and www.d-sunnah.net

[6] www.mezan.net/vb/archive/index.php?t-389.html