Al-Aqsa Mosque, also
referred as Bayt al-Muqaddas and meaning “the Farthest Mosque”, is the third
holiest religious site of Islam. It is situated at the old city of Jerusalem.
The place in and around the silver domed mosque and the Dome of the Rock is
called al-Haram ash-Sharif (the Noble Sanctuary) and the Temple Mount. It is
the holiest site for the Jews as they believe the Temple stood there before
being demolished by the Romans in about 70 CE. Muslims, on the other hand,
believe that Muhammad was taken to al-Aqsa from the Sacred Mosque in Mecca
during the Night Journey, and He led the prayers here for seventeen months
after which He set out for the Kaaba as per God’s instructions.
