Whether your Chîldrėn ask you or not, you must tell them that we *L♡VĖ* Palestine because…
*01:* Palestine has been the land of the Prophets, peace be upon them all.
*02:* Prophet Ibrahim عَــلَيْه السَّـلاَم first migrated to Palestine.
*03:* Allah Ta’ala saved Prophet Lut عَــلَيْه السَّـلاَم from the punishment that had befallen his people in Palestine.
*04:* Prophet Dawood عَــلَيْه السَّـلاَم lived in this land and built a masjid here.
*05:* Prophet Sulaiman عَــلَيْه السَّـلاَم used to sit in this country and rule over the whole world.
*06:* The famous story of the ant and Sulaiman عَــلَيْه السَّـلاَم in the Quran, in which an ant said to the rest of his ants, “O ants, get into your burrows and hide” happened right here in a valley in the city of Ashkelon in this country, which was later named “Wadi al-Naml” – Valley of the Ants”.
*07:* The mihrab/prayer place of Prophet Zakariyya عَــلَيْه السَّـلاَم is also in this city of Jerusalem.
*08:* Prophet Musa عَــلَيْه السَّـلاَم told his companions about this country and to enter this holy city. He called this city holy because of its being free from shirk and being the land of Prophets.
*09:* Many miracles took place in this city, including the blessed birth of Jesus from the blessed and pure virgin Sayyidina Maryam.
*10:* When his people wanted to kill Prophet Isa عَــلَيْه السَّـلاَم
*Âllåh (ﷻ)* took him up to the heavens from Jerusalem.
*11:* After giving birth, when a woman is at the extreme of her physical weakness, Sayyidina Maryam’s shaking of the palm trunk to get dates in such a state is also a divine miracle.
*12:* One of the signs of the Day of Judgement will be the return of Isa to the earth in this city.
*13:* Prophet Isaa عَــلَيْه السَّـلاَم will kill the Dajjal at Bab Lud in this land.
*14:* Palestine is the land where everyone will be raised, resurrected and judged.
*15:* It is from this city that Gog and Magog will start fighting and rioting across the earth.
*16:* One of the Quranic stories that happened in this city is the story of Talut and Goliath and Talut’s triumph over Goliath.
*17:* Palestine also has the honour of being the first Qibla of Muslims after the five prayers became obligatory. After the Hijra, Sayyidina Jibreel عَــلَيْه السَّـلاَم directed our Prophet *ﷺ* to turn his face from Masjid al-Aqsa (Jerusalem) to the Kaaba (Makkah) during prayer. The mosque in which this incident took place is still called the Qiblatin Mosque.
*18:* The Holy Prophet *صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم* was brought here from Makkah to Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) before he was taken to heavens on the night of Ascension.
*19:* All the Prophets عَــلَيْه السَّـلاَم
prayed here behind our Prophet *ﷺ* Thus, Palestine once again became the land of all the Prophets.
*20:* Sayyidina Abu Dharr *رَضِيَ اللّهُ عَنْهُ* says that I asked the Messenger of *Âllåh (ﷻ)* *صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّم* , which was the first mosque built on earth? So he said: Masjid al-Haram (i.e. the Kaaba). I asked which one? (When the mosque was built) he said: Al-Aqsa Mosque (i.e. Bait al-Maqdis). I then asked how much time was there between the two of them? The Prophet *ﷺ* said: “Forty years, and whenever you can, you should pray there”
*21:* After the departure of the Prophet *ﷺ*, Sayyidina Abu Bakr *رَضِيَ اللّهُ عَنْهُ* dealt with the wars of apostasy and false prophets. Despite the dire need of military resources and manpower to deal with these many battlefronts, it is also an unforgettable fact that the army prepared by the Prophet *ﷺ* was still sent by Abubakr *رَضِيَ اللّهُ عَنْهُ* to liberate the land of Palestine.
*22:* In the golden era of Islam, Sayyidina Umar as Khalifah, leaving aside all the other numerous Muslim conquests around the world, solely for the liberation of Palestine, himself went from Madinah and prayed there, highlighting the importance and greatness of this city.
*23:* The re-conquest of this city by Salahudidn Ayyubi on Friday 27th Rajab 583 Hijri on the night of Mi’raj is also a sign of Allah.
24: The name of Jerusalem is also Bait al-Maqdis and Al Quds due to the sanctity and holiness of this city which distinguishes it from all other cities. More than 5000 Companions of the Prophet sacrificed their lives to acquire this city and save it from the oppression and tyranny of the Christian Romans. And that chapter of martyrdom is not closed until this day. This city of Jerusalem is thus also known as the city of martyrs.
