jerusalem

The Importance of Masjid Al-Aqsa

July 3, 2010 By Basem 3 Comments

Glorified (and Exalted) be He (Allah) Who took His slave (Muhammad SAW) for a journey by night from Al-Masjid-al-Haram (at Makkah) to the farthest mosque (in Jerusalem), the neighbourhood whereof We have blessed, in order that We might show him (Muhammad SAW) of Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, lessons, signs, etc.). Verily, He (Allah) is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer.
[Qur’an 17:1]

Of all the symbols of Islam, the most neglected in our time is Masjid Al-Aqsa, in Jerusalem. The Ummah for various reasons, from political compromise to appeasement, has ignored not only the virtues but also the plight of this Holy site.

It is with the intention to rekindle the love, affection and devotion of Muslims to Masjid Al-Aqsa that we present these Ahadith. Since the Prophet (saw) showed such great concern and inculcated into the Companions (ra – may Allah be pleased with them all), the need to liberate Masjid Al-Aqsa and Jerusalem. I hope that we can adorn the teachings of our noble Prophet (saw) and take the urgent practical steps required to safeguard Masjid Al-Aqsa.

Masjid Al-Aqsa is no ordinary Masjid; it forms the basis of our history and it is the cornerstone of mankind’s foundation. The noble Prophet (saw) dedicated a great deal of his life in nurturing the Companions to appreciate the excellent qualities of Masjid Al-Aqsa and prepared them to embark on an expedition to liberate Jerusalem which at the time was in the hands of the mighty Roman empire.

Some of the reasons why Masjid Al-Aqsa should form an important aspect of a believer’s dedication, where many pious individuals have given their wealth and lives, include the fact that Masjid Al-Aqsa is:

the first Qiblah of the Muslims
the station of Al-Isra and Al-Miraj (the miraculous journey of Mohammed saw)
the second house of Allah built on earth
the place where hundreds of Messengers of Allah are buried
the place where many companions are buried
a place where miracles were shown by Allah’s will
a place which Allah Himself calls a ‘blessed place’
referred to directly and indirectly, 70 times in the Holy Quran
the place where Angels have descended with Allah’s message
the only place on earth where all the Messengers of Allah prayed at the same time led by Mohammed (saw)
the only Masjid mentioned by name in the Holy Quran, apart from the Ka’bah

It is for the above mentioned reasons and many more that we need to understand our responsibilities regarding safeguarding Masjid Al-Aqsa which is in great danger of being demolished by extremist jews.

Masjid Al-Aqsa – The Second House of Allah on Earth

1, Abu Dharr (ra) reported that he asked the Prophet (saw), “O Messenger of Allah, which Masjid was built first on earth”? The Prophet (saw) replied, “The Sacred Masjid of Makkah”. Abu Dharr (ra) again asked, “Which was next”? The Prophet (saw) said, “Masjid Al-Aqsa”. Abu Dharr (ra) further asked, “How long was the period between the building of the two Masjids”? The Prophet (saw) said, “Forty years”. Apart from these, offer your prayer anywhere when it is time to pray, although excellence is in praying in these Masjids”. (Bukhari :: Book 4 :: Volume 55 :: Hadith 585, Muslim :: Book 4 : Hadith 1056)

The Importance of Visiting Masjid Al-Aqsa

2, Abu Hurayrah (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, “You should not undertake a special journey to visit any place other than the following three Masjids with the expectations of getting greater reward: the Sacred Masjid of Makkah (Ka’bah), this Masjid of mine (the Prophet’s Masjid in Madinah), and Masjid Al-Aqsa (of Jerusalem)”. In another narration the words are, “For three Masjids a special journey may be undertaken: The Sacred Masjid (Ka’bah), my Masjid and Masjid of Jerusalem (Al-Aqsa). (Muslim, Bukhari, Abu Dawud)

Greater Virtue of praying in Masjid Al-Aqsa

3, Abu Darda (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, “A prayed in Makkah (Ka’bah) is worth 1000,000 times (reward), a prayer in my Masjid (Madinah) is worth 1,000 times and a prayer in Al-Aqsa Sanctuary is worth 500 times more reward than anywhere else”. (Tabarani, Bayhaqi, Suyuti)

4, Anas Ibn Malik (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, ” The prayer of a person in his house is a single prayer; his prayer in the Masjid of his people has the reward of 27 prayers; his prayer in the Masjid in which the Friday prayer is observed has the reward of 500; his prayer in Masjid Al-Aqsa (i.e. Al-Aqsa Sanctuary) has a reward of 5,000 prayers; his prayer in my Masjid (the Prophet’s Masjid in Madinah) has a reward of 50,000 prayers, and the prayer in the Sacred Masjid (Ka’bah) has the reward of 100,000 prayers”. (Tirmidhi, Ibn Majah)

The Importance of Donating to Masjid Al-Aqsa

5, Abdullah Ibn Umar (ra) relates, I asked the Prophet (saw), “Apostle of Allah, tell us the legal injunction about (visiting) Bayt Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem).” The Apostle of Allah (saw) said, ” Go and pray there. If you cannot visit it and pray there, then send some oil to be used in the lamps”. (Bukhari)

6, Maymunah Bint Sa’d (ra) relates that she asked the Prophet (saw), “O Messenger of Allah, inform us about Bayt Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem)”. He said, “Visit it for prayer “. She further asked, “If one of us cannot visit it, what should we do”? He said, “If you cannot go for prayer then send some oil to be used for its lamps, will be as if he has prayed in it”. (Ahmad, Ibn Majah, Abu Dawud, Tabarani)

The Virtues of Wearing Ihram From Masjid Al-Aqsa

7, Umm Salamah (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, “If anyone puts on Ihram for Hajj or Umrah from Masjid Al-Aqsa and then proceeds to the Sacred Masjid (Ka’bah), their past and future sins will be forgiven, or they will be entered into Paradise”. (Abu Dawud)

The Blessed Land of Masjid Al-Aqsa

8, Zaid Ibn Thabit (ra) reports that the Prophet (saw) said, “How blessed is Al-Sham”! The Companions (ra) asked, “Why is that”? The Messenger (saw) replied, “I see the Angels of Allah spreading their wings over Al-Sham”. Ibn Abbas (ra) added, “And the Prophets lived therein. There is not a single inch in Al-Quds (Jerusalem) where a Prophet has not prayed or an Angel not stood”. (Tirmidhi, Ahmad)

9, The Prophet Mohammed (saw) said, “Allah has blessed what lies between Al-‘Arish (in Egypt) and the Euphrates and has made Palestine particularly Holy”. (Kanz Al-Umal)

Masjid Al-Aqsa – The First Qiblah (direction of prayer)

10, Abdullah Ibn Umar (ra) narrates, “We prayed along with the Prophet (saw) facing Al-Quds (Jerusalem) for 16 or 17 months. Then Allah ordered him saw) to turn his face towards the Ka’bah (in Makkah). (Bukhari)

11, Al-Bara (ra) added, “Before we changed our direction towards the Ka’bah in prayer, some Muslims had died or had been killed and we did not know what to say about them (regarding their prayers). Allah then revealed: And Allah would never make your faith (prayers) to be lost (i.e. the prayers of those Muslims facing Bayt Al-Maqdis were valid) {2:143} (Bukhari)

Masjid Al-Aqsa – The Station of Al-Isra and Al-Miraj

12, Abu Hurayrah (ra) narrates that the Prophet (saw) said, “On the night journey Allah’s Apostle (saw) was taken on a night journey (Al-Isra and Al-Miraj), two cups, one containing wine and the other containing milk were presented to him (saw) at Al-Quds (Jerusalem). He looked at them and took the cup of milk. Angel Gabriel said, “Praise be to Allah, who guided you to Al-Fitrah (the right path); if you had taken (the cup of) wine, your Ummah would have gone astray”. (Bukhari)

13, Regarding the statement of Allah in the Holy Quran, “And We granted the vision (ascension to the Heavens) which we made you see (as an actual eye witness) was only made as a trial for the people”. (17:60) Ibn Abbas (ra) said, “The sights which Allah’s Apostle was shown on the Night journey where he was taken to Bayt Al-Maqdis (i.e. Jerusalem) were actual sights, (not dreams). And the Cursed tree (mentioned) in the Quran is the tree of Zaqqum. (Bukhari)

14, Jabir Ibn Abdullah (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, “When the people of Quraysh did not believe me (i.e. the story of his Miraculous Night Journey), I stood up in Al-Hijr and Allah displayed Bayt Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem in front of me, and I began describing it to them while I was looking at it”. (Bukhari)

15, Abdullah Ibn Hawwala (ra) reports that the Prophet (saw) said, “I saw on the night of Al-Isra and Al-Miraj (the Night Journey) a white column resembling a pearl which the Angels were carrying . I asked them, “What are you carrying”? They said, “The Column of the Book, we have been ordered to place it in Al-Sham. Later in my sleep, I saw the Column of the Book being taken away from under my headrest. I began to fear lest Allah the Almighty had abandoned the people of the earth. My eyes followed the Column of the Book. It was a brilliant light in front of me. Then I saw it was placed in A;-Sham. (Tabarani)

16, Anas (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, “I was brought the Buraq, a tall white beast, bigger than a donkey, smaller than a mule. It could place his hooves at the farthest boundary of his gaze. I mounted it until I arrived at Bayt Al-Maqdis. I tied it at the ring where the Prophets tied it before (i.e. Buraq Wall or the Western Wall). I entered Masjid Al-Aqsa Sanctuary and prayed 2 rak’ah there…” (Muslim)

Masjid Al-Aqsa – The Place for Major Events

17, Mujamma Ibn Al-Harith (ra) narrates that the Prophet (saw) said, “Ibn Maryam (Jesus) will kill Al-Dajjal (the Anti-Christ) at the door of Ludd (a town in Palestine)”. (Ahmad, Tirmidhi)

18, The Messenger of Allah (saw) said regarding Al-Dajjal: “He will stay in the land forty days; he will enter every place on earth except the Ka’bah, the Prophet’s Masjid, Al-Aqsa Sanctuary and Mount Sinai”. (Ahmad)

19, Nahik Ibn Suraym Al-Sakuni (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, “You will fight the pagans until the remnant of you fights on the river of Jordan, you to the east of it (present day Jordan) and they to the west of it (occupied Palestine)”. (Ibn Hajar Al-Asqalani)

20, Maymunah Bint Sa’d (ra) reports that she asked the Prophet (saw), “O Messenger of Allah, give us a pronouncement about Al-Quds (Jerusalem)”. The Prophet (saw) replied, “It is the land where they will be raised (Al-Hashr) and gathered (Al-Mahshar)”. (Ahmad, Tabarani)

21, Muadh Ibn Jabal (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, “The Flourishing state of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) (under the non-Muslims) will be taken when Yathrib is in ruins, the ruined state of Yathrib will be when the Great War comes, the outbreak of the Great War will be at the conquest of Constantinople and the conquest of Constantinople when Al-Dajjal (Anti-Christ) comes forth”. He (the Prophet) struck his thigh with his hand and said, “This is as true as you are here or as you are sitting (meaning Muadh Ibn Jabal). (Abu Dawud)

22, Awf Ibn Malik (ra) reports that the Prophet (saw) said, “The rest of the world will be destroyed forty years before Al-Sham is”. (Ibn Asakir)

23, The Messenger of Allah (saw) said regarding the inhabitants of the blessed land, “They and their wives, children and slaves (male and female) are in ribat (guardians, literally a fort) in the cause of Allah”. (Tabarani)

24, Al-Nawwas Ibn Saman Alkalbi (ra) narrates that the Prophet (saw) said, “If Al-Dajjal comes forth while I am amongst you then I shall dispute with him on your behalf, but if he comes after I am not with you, a man must dispute on his own behalf, and Allah will take to protecting every Muslim. Those of you who live up to his time should recite over him the opening verses of Surah Kahf, for they are your protection from his trial”. We asked, “How long will he remain on earth”? He (saw) replied, “Forty days, one like a year (1 day will be equivalent to 1 year), one like a month, one like a week and the rest of his days like yours”? We asked, “Will one day’s prayer suffice us in the day which will be like a year”? He replied, “No, you must estimate of its extent. Then Isa (Jesus), son of Maryam (Virgin Mary) will descend at the white minaret to the east of Damascus. He will then catch Al-Dajjal up at the gates of Ludd and kill him”. (Abu Dawud)

Masjid Al-Aqsa – The place of Mujahideen

25, Umamah Al-Bahili (ra) reports that the Prophet (saw) said, “A group of my Ummah will remain on truth, they will vanquish their enemy and those who disagree with them will not be able to harm them until Allah commands”. “Where are these people”? The Companions (ra) asked. The Prophet (saw) said, “In and around Al-Quds (Jerusalem). (Ahmad)

26, Muawiyah Ibn Sufyan (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, “There is a group among my followers who will continue to be openly on the truth. No one who opposes them can harm them until the coming of the Hour”. The Companions (ra) asked, “Where will they be”? The Messenger of Allah said, “They will be in and around Bayt Al-Maqdis (i.e. Jerusalem)”. (Ahmad)

27, Abu Hurayrah (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, “A group of my Ummah will not cease to fight at the gates of Damascus and at the gates of Al-Quds (Jerusalem) and its surroundings. The betrayal or desertion of whoever deserts them will not harm them in the least. They will remain victorious, standing for the truth, until the Final Hour rises”. (Tabarani)

Masjid Al-Aqsa – The Best Place of Residence

28, Abdullah Ibn Umar (ra) reports that the Prophet (saw) said, There will be migration upon migration. The best of the inhabitants of earth will reside where Prophet Ibrahim (Abraham) migrated (Jerusalem)”. (Abu Dawud)

Masjid Al-Aqsa – The Desired Site of Musa (Moses)

29, Abu Hurayrah (ra) reports that the Prophet (saw) said, “The Angel of death was sent to Musa. When he came to Musa, Musa punched him on the eye. The Angel returned to Allah and said, “You sent me to a servant who does not want to die”. Allah ordered the Angel, ‘Return to him and tell him to put his hand on the back of an ox and for every hair that will come under it, he will be granted one year of life’. Musa asked, “O Lord! What will happen after that”? Allah replied, ‘Then death’. Musa decided, let it be now’. Musa then requested Allah to let him die close to the Sacred Land (near Masjid Al-Aqsa) so much so that he would be at a distance of a stone’s throw form it”. Abu Hurayrah (ra) added, the Prophet (saw) then said, “If I were there, I would show you his grave below the red sand hill on the side of the road”. (Bukhari)

Liberation of Masjid Al-Aqsa Prophesied

30, Awf Ibn Malik relates, “I went to the Prophet (saw) during the battle of Tabuk while he was sitting in a leather tent. He said, ‘Awf, Count six signs, between now and the approach of the Hour (Qiyamah/Doomsday): my death, the conquest of Al-Quds (Jerusalem); a plague that will afflict you (and kill you in great numbers) as the plague that afflicts sheep; the increase of wealth to such an extent that even if one is given 100 hundred Dinars (Arabian currency), he will not be satisfied; then an affliction which no Arab house will escape; and then a truce between you and Banu Asfar (i.e. Byzantines) who will betray you and attack you under eighty flags. Under each flag will be twelve thousand soldiers”. (Bukhari)

31, Shadad Ibn Aws (ra) reports that the Prophet (saw) said, “l-Sham will be conquered and Al-Quds (Jerusalem) will be conquered and you or your sons will be Imams there, if Allah will”. (Tabarani)

The Preference of Masjid Al-Aqsa

32, Once the Prophet (saw) advised Abdullah Ibn Hawwala (ra) to join the army in al-Sham, over any other. However, the Prophet (saw), noticing Ibn Hawwala’s indifference said, “Do you know what Allah says about Al-Sham? Allah said, ‘Al-Sham you are the quintessence of My lands (safwati min biladi) and I shall inhabit you with the chosen ones among My servants'”. (Tabarani)

33, Abdullah Ibn Amr (ra) reports that the Prophet (saw) repeated the following statement three times: “When the dissension takes place belief shall be in Al-Sham”. One version of hadith states, “safety will be in Al-Sham”. (Tabarani)

34, Abdullah Ibn Hawwala reports that the Prophet (saw) said, “At some point you will be (split into) standing armies: one army in Al-Sham, on in Yemen and one in Iraq”. Abdullah Ibn Hawala asked he Prophet (saw), “Choose for me, Messenger of Allah in case I live to see that day”. The Prophet (Saw) replied, “You must go to Al-Sham, for it is the chosen land of Allah in all His earth. He protects, by sending them there, the chosen ones among His servants. If you do not wish to go there, then go to Yemen. Allah has given me guarantee concerning Al-Sham and its people. (Abu Dawud, Ahmad)

Masjid Al-Aqsa – The Site of the Future Caliphate

35, Abdullah Ibn Hawwala Al-Azdi (ra) reported, the Prophet (saw) put his hand on my head and said, “Ibn Hawwala if you see that the Caliphate has taken abode in the Holy Land then the earthquakes and tribulations and great events are at hand. The last Hour on that day will be closer to people than my hand is to your head”. (Ahmad, Abu Dawud)

36, Yunus Ibn Maysarah (r) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, “This matter (the Caliphate) will be after me in Madinah, then Al-Sham, then Al-Jazira, then Iraq, then in Madinah, then in AL-quds (Jerusalem). If it is in Al-Quds, its home country is there, and if any people expel it, it will not return there forever”. (Ibn Asakir)

37, Al-Numan Ibn Bashir (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, “Prophethood will last with you for as long as Allah wants it. Then Allah will end it if He wishes to end it. Then there will be the Rightly Guided Caliphs according to the method of Prophethood and things will be as Allah wishes them. Then Allah will end it if He wishes it. Then there will be a voracious kingdom and things will be as Allah wishes them. Then Allah will end it if He wishes. Then there will be Khilafah (Caliphate) according to the method of Prophethood. Thereafter the Prophet (saw) fell silent”. (Ahmad)

38, Abd Al-Rahman Ibn Abi Umayrah (ra) relates that the Prophet (saw) said, “There will be an oath of allegiance according to guidance in Al-Quds (Jerusalem)”. (Bukhari, Muslim)

Masjid Al-Aqsa – The Place Where Allah’s Revelation Descended

39, Abu Umama (ra) reports that the Prophet (saw) said, “Prophethood descended upon me in three places: Makkah, Madinah and Al-Sham. Once it is brought out from any of them, it shall never return to it”. (Abu Dawud) In another narration it states, “The Quran was revealed in three places – Makkah, Madinah and Al-Sham”. (Tabarani) Ibn Kathir, the great scholar of Islam, said, “Al-Sham here means Bayt Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem). (Abu Dawud, Tabarani)

Masjid Al-Aqsa – Mentioned By Name In The Holy Quran

40, Aishah (ra) reports that the Prophet (saw) used to recite Surah Al-Isra every night in his prayer:
Glorified (and Exalted) be He (Allah) Who took His slave (Muhammad SAW) for a journey by night from Al-Masjid-al-Haram (at Makkah) to the farthest mosque (in Jerusalem), the neighbourhood whereof We have blessed, in order that We might show him (Muhammad SAW) of Our Ayat (proofs, evidences, lessons, signs, etc.). Verily, He is the All-Hearer, the All-Seer. (17:1)

Source: “40 Ahadith Concerning Masjid al-Aqsa” by Ismail Adam Patel

Excellent slideshow by Asif Raza!

Jerusalem – What the Zionists Are Doing… And Do You Know Why?

REELThursdays: Sleepless in Gaza…and Jerusalem

May 13, 2010 By Sarah Leave a Comment

Name: Sleepless in Gaza…and Jerusalem
Year: 2010
Duration: Appx. 30 mins. per episode

If you haven’t heard of this show, please do yourself a favor and watch at least one episode. Sleepless in Gaza…and Jerusalem is a reality-style show shot exclusively in Occupied Palestine and broadcast exclusively on the show’s YouTube Channel. They began shooting on March 1st, 2010 and plan to do 90 shows in 90 days (currently, they are on episode 73). Every episode is shot, edited, translated (when necessary), and uploaded onto YouTube on the same day!

From their channel:

Sleepless in Gaza…and Jerusalem is a video diary about young Palestinian women, Muslim and Christian, living in Gaza, Jerusalem and the rest of The West Bank. We will make 90 films in 90 days, non-stop, no scripts and no intervention! The idea here is to show you the real life of Palestinians through the daily activities of the Sleepless Girls!…..The intention of this series is neither rant nor rhetoric. It is rather an opportunity for those who do not live in Palestine to grasp how real people live out their daily lives, precisely because their lives are stories that journalists are too often told by their editors to think of almost dismissively as human interest and almost necessarily conflict driven.

You can watch the series at the following link:

Sleepless in Gaza….and Jerusalem

Our tax dollars hard at work: Attacking shepherds in the South Hebron Hills (VIDEO)

February 21, 2010 By Sarah Leave a Comment

Last month, the Israeli army attacked a Palestinian shepherd and his family in the Al-Tuwani village of South Hebron. IDF soldiers attacked Musab Musa Raba’i and his family as they were complying with the soldiers’ orders to move their flock off the their family-owned land.

Musab was later arrested, detained, and tortured for hours. His hands and feet were tied, he was beaten on his back and face, slammed into walls, spat on and cursed at; he wasn’t even allowed to pray while he was in custody. The entire time, Musab refused to answer any questions or speak to the soldiers in Hebrew, which infuriated them. Soldiers also threatened Musab, telling him that if he didn’t comply they would show up at his house in the coming days and beat and/or kill him and his brothers.

After four hours of this interrogation and torture, he was driven out to a location unknown to him, and thrown out of the jeep on the side of the road; hands and feet still bound, and still blindfolded.

No charges were ever filed against Musab. His only crime? Trying to feed his sheep!

Christian Peacemaker Teams, which does amazing work, was there during the incident and caught the whole thing on tape. Here is their video footage from that day:

[youtube -u6TF-Dzw8w IDF soldiers attack shepherds in Hebron]

TAKE ACTION:

(From US Campaign to End the Israeli Occupation)

1) This attack on At-Tuwani appears to be part of a recent increase in repression of Palestinian grassroots nonviolent resistance to Israeli occupation and apartheid. Click here to read more about some of the Palestinian grassroots leaders who have been targeted by this campaign. You can also click here to send an email to the U.S. Consulate in East Jerusalem demanding the release of Palestinians who are imprisoned for their dissent. You can edit the letter to include information about the attack on At-Tuwani and to ask Daniel Rubinstein, the U.S. Consul General in East Jerusalem, to demand that those involved in this crime be brought to justice. Click here to send an email.

2) U.S. tax dollars aid and abet the human rights abuses committed by the Israeli army, including this most recent attack on At-Tuwani. Organize to oppose U.S. military aid to Israel in your Congressional district by clicking here, and join us in Washington D.C. in March for a Grassroots Advocacy Training and Lobby Day.

3) Motorola produces communications and surveillance equipment for the Israeli military as well as for settlements like the ones that are encroaching on At-Tuwani’s land. Sign a boycott pledge, send an email to Moto’s management, and order a Motorola organizing kit.

Denied Entry into Jerusalem

January 5, 2010 By Sarah Leave a Comment

Our last day in Cairo was the 3rd of January. Our original plan was to fly to Amman then cross over into Jerusalem and spend a couple days there before heading back to Amman on the 6th to fly back to Canada. Our main goal was to visit and pray in Masjid Al-Aqsa. After everything that happened in Cairo, we left Cairo with the intention to just find the earliest flight out of Amman and get home as quickly as possible, completely bypassing our plans for Jerusalem.

Once we arrived in Amman and realized that all flights were overbooked, we decided on a whim to just go ahead and try to get to Jerusalem anyways. We took a taxi to the King Hussein bridge (about $30 JD). Once at the bridge entrance, we gave our passports to the departures clerk who then told us to get on the charter bus. We got our passports back on the bus with a white stamped paper tucked inside. We paid for our luggage/bus fare ($8 JD) and were on our way. The bus went through a couple checkpoints, one of which someone came on the bus and collected those white stamped papers. The bus then finally made it to the Allenby Terminal where we and our luggage were unloaded from the bus. The baggage clerk took our luggage and put a white sticker on our passports. Then a window clerk looked at our passports and put a red sticker on the back.

After all this, we were finally inside the terminal and went through the security check. The clerk held onto our passports and motioned us off to the side and told us to wait a few minutes for questioning. There were a few other people waiting as well and they said this was normal if you had recently been to other areas in the middle east. After about 2 minutes, we were taken into individual questioning: who we are, where we just came from, why we were there, how come we came through Amman (and not another crossing), how long we were staying, if we planned to visit any other areas, etc. After about 10 minutes of questioning, they gave us back our passports and told us to wait in line to get our entry visas. Five minutes later, we were at the visa window and were asked some more redundant questions. The clerk asked if she could stamp our passport and we asked her to stamp a separate paper instead.

She then gave us a tourism information sheet to fill out. It had basic questions which mirrored those that were asked of us earlier. When they asked where we were coming from, we wrote “Egypt” and when asked what we were there for, we wrote “tourism”. We didn’t disclose the fact that we were there for GFM because that whole plan ended up not happening. After we turned in the form, we were told to wait in the waiting area for further questioning.

It was probably about an hour and a half before we heard anything. First Basem was called in for questioning. The agent seemed really hung up on the fact that we looked completely different from our passport pictures; I now wear the hijab and Basem now wears his beard long and a kufi on his head. Basem was asked about our religiosity and what happened that changed our level of spirituality. After this, Basem came back and said that I did not have to go in.

We waited for another two hours before we heard anything. Finally, they asked us to come into the next waiting area with our bags. We brought our bags into the baggage check area and were told to leave them there for further security checks. We waited just outside this area and had a clear view of what they were doing inside. We saw them completely emptying our bags and checking EVERYTHING inside. Anything that could have been opened and dumped was opened and dumped. They didn’t just search our bags, they ransacked all of our belongings…it was quite the sight!

We again waited for another hour before they asked me to come in for some questioning. By this time they had found our Gaza Freedom March t-shirts and were aware of our activities in Egypt. The agent, Shabak, asked me again why were in Egypt and I told him matter-of-factly that we were there for one reason, which didn’t happen, and were forced to stay in Cairo for 5 days for tourism purposes. He said that we lied by saying we were just there for tourism and should have disclosed the GFM information. I clarified again that GFM didn’t happen and we stated tourism because that is what we put on our Egypt visas as well. I also explained to him that our Jerusalem plans were completely unrelated to the Cairo visit and that we were here on our own personal spiritual journey which we’d been planning for a long time. He said ok, and that now this process would take “an awful long time”, which I accepted and went back to the waiting area.

During all this time, I must say the agents were all very kind and polite to us; they offered us an area to pray when we asked them, they offered us water, they constantly checked on us to make sure we were alright, and one younger person came up to us to ask why we were ther for so long and expressed his condolences for the fact that we were still there after nearly 7 hours.

After about 7 hours of being at the entrance terminal, Shabak asked us to come back into the baggage check area and repack all of our stuff into our bags. After that, they told us that we could have all our stuff back, that there would be no problems, but that that we would be transferred over to the border police who would then make the decision of whether or not to let us into Israel. Just 10 minutes later, we were told to go back to the previous waiting area, where the border police would cooridinate a bus to take us back to the Amman-side of the King Hussein bridge. This was obviously embarrassing since we were the only ones going backwards in the through the terminal. Our passports, which had already been stamped with a visa, were then marked up in a red ink stamp “ENTRY DENIED from Allenby Crossing” — fairly large and obvious. We waited outside for the bus that would take us back to Amman. We asked if this meant we would never be allowed back into Israel; we didn’t get a conclusive answer, but the general idea was most likely NO.

Waiting for the bus, then on the ride back to Amman, it all started to hit me that I may very well never get the chance to enter Jerusalem or pray in Masjid Al-Aqsa. It was very depressing and saddening. I felt personally deprived of Jerusalem and the holy land. Not only were we not allowed to enter Gaza through Rafah, but we were now being denied entry into Jerusalem through Israel. All I could think about was how stupid we were for not disclosing the GFM information on our information form. Why we didn’t completely rid our bags of GFM paraphernelia. Why we didn’t just tell the truth! But then after my head cleared a little, I realized something. In retrospect, remembering everything that happened and the way that it happened made me realize that we were probably never going to be allowed in anyways.

From the second they saw our passports at the first indoor security check, they immediately held onto our passports. I think this was not only because we were just in Cairo, but also the dates we were in Cairo were the exact dates of the GFM trip, which they are obviously well aware of. Also, looking back at all the questions they asked us, it became very clear that not only did they know that we were part of GFM, but they were trying to fish that information out of us. They knew exactly who we were, why we were in Cairo, and that we didn’t get into Gaza as we’d hoped. So now we were trying to enter into Jerusalem, looking completely different from our passport pictures; they thought we had disguised ourselves to look like we were religious so they would let us into Jerusalem. I think they thought we wanted to attempt to get to Gaza through Jerusalem or the West Bank, which is completely ludicrous but I understand where they were coming from. After all we did in Cairo, they obviously didn’t want any trouble in Jerusalem or anywhere in Israel. The troubles and challanges GFM caused the Egyptian government was all over the news by then!

After my initial depression, then completely understanding exactly what happened and why, now we’re at a place where we both feel personally and spiritually deprived of Jerusalem, Palestine, and the Holy Land as a whole. Before this, we both were very passionate about the Palestinian cause, but after being denied entry into both Gaza and the West Bank, we have a much more personal passion for all of this. We now feel like the numerous Palestinians all over the world who cannot even enter back into their own homes! It’s definitely a personal struggle now. It’s a positive thing though because it gives us that real fire in our hearts to motivate us and push us even harder to fight for this issue of liberating the Holy Land, insha’Allah.

The many things we did in Cairo and the many more that will come out of our meetings in Cairo will have much more purpose and substance for us personally, and we can’t wait to get started on all of those initiatives. It would be an understatement if we said that this trip didn’t go as planned! Not one thing went as planned and our trip took on a whole new direction, meaning, and purpose! We found out that Gaza is not only under siege by Israel, but also Egypt! We learned that before we liberate Gaza from the Israelis, we must raise a revolution in Egypt to allow us to break the siege from that side first.

We learned so much about the Egyptian mind-set and just how much work there is to be done in Egypt, but we also come away from this trip with a heightened sense of accomplishment. We really riled up emotions and opened up hearts and minds in Egypt. We planted little seeds in everyone’s consciousness about the Palesinian cause and the fact that so many internationals were willing to converge on a foreign country and rally and protest against that country’s government and policies. So many locals voiced their support of what we were doing and were so happy to see that foreigners could now see the plight of the Egyptian people as well.

El horriya li Ghaza, el horriya li Masr! El shab el masry ma’ana!

(Freedom for Gaza, freedom for Egypt! The Egyptian people are with us!)