ummtaalib

Places of worship not safe One of the oldest churches in Gaza is the "Church of St. Porphyrius," which is an ancient Orthodox Christian church. The construction of this church dates back to the Middle Ages, specifically the 15th century. The Church of St. Porphyrius is considered an important historical landmark in Gaza and a site for prayers and religious activities. www.instagram.com/p/CynGjz2IwAB/ The Israeli warplanes destroy the historical mosque of Al Omari in Gaza which was built 1,400 years ago. 20.10.23

As atrocities continue in Gaza....

Latest updates of the casualties of the ongoing Israeli aggression across occupied Palestine

The UN agency dedicated to Palestinian refugees, Unrwa, says it is no longer able to help the more than two million people trapped in the Gaza Strip. “Gaza is running out of water, and Gaza is running out of life.  Soon, I believe, with this, there will be no food or medicine either,” Unrwa Commissioner General Philippe Lazzarini said in a statement. “In fact, Gaza is being strangled and it seems that the world right now has lost its humanity.” At least 14 Unrwa staff members have been killed and most of their 13,000-person staff in Gaza are displaced or out of their homes, he added. “There is not one drop of water, not one grain of wheat, not a litre of fuel that has been allowed into the Gaza Strip for the last eight days,” he said. “The number of people seeking shelter in our schools and other Unrwa facilities in the south is absolutely overwhelming, and we do not have any more the capacity to deal with them.” middleeasteye

On October 7, Gaza broke out of prison What the images of the Gaza border fence coming down meant for Palestinians. Mariam Barghouti Palestinian American writer based in Ramallah In the early morning hours of Saturday, October 7, Palestinians across the West Bank woke up to the sound of explosions. No one really knew what was happening until reports started trickling in that fighters from Gaza had taken control of Beit Hanoun crossing – the only one through which Gaza residents may reach the rest of historic Palestine on the extremely rare occasions the occupier allows them to. Soon information appeared on social media that the wall that Israel had erected around the Gaza Strip to keep its 2.3 million people permanently imprisoned had been breached. And then came the images and footage of the broken wall. In one video, showing a bulldozer bringing down the wall, a Palestinian man can be heard chanting in exhilaration: “Yes, go! Allahu Akbar [God is the Greatest]! Hit it, guys! Rest in peace, wall!” It was unbelievable. It felt surreal. We wondered how it was possible that the people of Gaza had broken out of their prison. Few in the world would understand our feelings in that moment. Perhaps political prisoners might. The vast majority of the Palestinian population remaining in historic Palestine has been born in prison and only knows prison. Gaza is completely sealed off from the rest of the world by Israel’s apartheid wall and subjected to a debilitating siege, in which its neighbour Egypt happily partakes. In the occupied West Bank, all entry and exit points of every Palestinian village, town, and city are controlled by the Israeli occupation forces; Palestinians – unlike the Israeli settlers stealing their land – have no freedom of movement. Our imprisonment also features prison labour. With the Israeli occupation suffocating the Palestinian economy and the resulting high unemployment rate, Palestinians are forced to seek work from their prison wardens. The Israeli authorities, of course, strictly control this process, issuing Palestinians “work permits” and often arbitrarily revoking them. As in a real prison, we are also subjected to round-the-clock surveillance through cameras in public places, drones, the tapping of phones and telecommunications, a network of infiltrators and spies, etc. And of course, just like prisoners, we are “punished” for “misbehaving”. In Gaza, punishment means indiscriminate bombardment of densely populated areas that always results in the mass killing of civilians. In the West Bank, we are subjected to “search-and-arrest raids” on a nightly basis, where occupiers invade our homes, brutalise our loved ones in front of terrified children and take them away (sometimes the children themselves) to detain them indefinitely without charge. Shooting dead Palestinian civilians in those raids is, of course, a regular occurrence. In this context, seeing those images and videos of the prison wall torn down in Gaza is liberating. Their symbolic power cannot be overstated. We felt the same exhilaration back in 2021 when we heard the news that six Palestinian political prisoners had broken out of Israeli prison. They had dug a tunnel out of jail using spoons, pieces of metal, and loads of patience. That prison break became an emblem of Palestinian perseverance. Palestinians cheered on the prisoners as they evaded their prison wardens for days. We celebrated their simple acts of savouring freedom – eating a prickly pear for the first time in 20 years, hugging a cow, walking in the hills of Nazareth. We breathed freedom with them, as if we were also free. The liberating feeling of breaking out of prison has also come from our brave imprisoned hunger strikers. In 2011, Khader Adnan, who had been detained by the Israelis on and off without a charge for a decade, started a hunger strike against yet another unjust detention. He was joined by hundreds of Palestinian prisoners. Despite threats and mistreatment, he persevered until enough pressure built up and Israel was forced to release him. We also celebrated Adnan’s freedom as if it were our own. These brief moments of rupture in our reality of imprisonment are at once terrifying and exhilarating. Of course, they are always short-lived – brief instances of Palestinian triumph before the unbearable weight of Israeli military domination comes back crushing us. The initial euphoria of seeing the apartheid wall come down in Gaza was quickly overtaken by the terrifying realisation of what would come next. We knew war broke out the moment Palestinians in Gaza broke out of their Israeli prison. My conversations with peers and friends, my group chats, phone calls – all were dominated by the same dark premonition: “They are going to kill us all.” We know, from direct experience, what Israel’s policy of revenge means. We also know that no matter what savagery its army commits, the West would “stand by” it and point to “Palestinian crimes”. Israel had waged five wars on Gaza, each time mass killing Palestinian civilians as Western leaders justified the slaughter with the familiar mantra “Israel has the right to defend itself.” And of course, that is exactly what is happening now. Israel is carpet bombing Gaza. It has imposed a full blockade on Gaza, with no water, electricity, food or medicine entering the Strip. Telecommunications infrastructure has been bombarded, effectively cutting off Palestinians in Gaza from the rest of the world. Meanwhile, the West Bank has been completely blocked; checkpoints closed all across, effectively paralysing the whole territory. Israeli soldiers are shooting Palestinians and encouraging settlers to do so as well. And yet, the West is “standing by” its ally, Israel, and its “right to defend itself” from the people it brutally occupies and oppresses. Western nations are lapping up Israeli propaganda, that it is fighting “Islamic terrorism”, that “Hamas is ISIS”, that Palestinians are “sub-human”, that they are “beheading babies”. All pretences of morality, logic and truth have been dropped in order to justify the mass killing of Palestinians. In the past seven days, the Israeli army has killed more than 2,200 Palestinians in Gaza, including 600 children. Its soldiers have murdered at least 53 Palestinians in the West Bank. Since the start of the year, 250 others have been killed, making it the most lethal year since the United Nations began documenting fatalities in 2004-2005. All of this we expected. All of this still is painful and horrifying. All of this will go down into Palestinian history as yet another episode of resistance by the Palestinians and mass slaughter and ethnic cleansing by Israel. However, unlike other moments in Palestinian history, something is different this time. Not only did Palestinians manage to break free from their prison in Gaza – albeit for a short while – but also for the first time, they dealt a blow that will have a far-reaching impact. The Palestinians have struck Israel where it has struck Palestinians for more than 75 years: lives and land. The Israeli arrogance and sense of security that it can oppress, kill and steal land with impunity have been shattered. We’ve been held hostage by Israel for decades. We’ve been prisoners in our land for generations. But this October, the wimpy kid finally got his punch and the bully is now shaken. As our oppressors are out killing indiscriminately in blind rage, an uncomfortable feeling is creeping in among them that the prison they are holding us in is starting to crumble. Source

“There has never been a clearer sign that not only is Israel prepared to commit war crimes, it is about to commit a crime against humanity” Israel’s military on Friday ordered all civilians in northern Gaza, more than 1 million people, to move to the south of the besieged enclave within 24 hours. Jan Egeland, secretary general of the Norwegian Refugee Council, said “absent of any guarantees or safety or return”, the Israeli demand would amount to the war crime of forcible transfer. “It must be reversed,” he said. Tayab Ali, director of the International Centre of Justice for Palestinians (ICJP), told Good Morning Scotland: “One million people are being told to leave or die from what is effectively an open-air prison camp.” There is already clear evidence that war crimes have been committed over the past week in Israel and the Gaza Strip, legal experts and human rights groups have said. So what crimes may have already been committed and what prospects are there for accountability? Middle East Eye (@middleeasteye) • Instagram photos and videos

‘israel's’ latest b*mbing of Gaza has accompanied a serious disinformation campaign. Here are four examples: 1. It was claimed that ‘israeli’ soldier Shani Louk was r*ped and kiIIed by Palestinian fighters. It turns out she is alive and in hospital in Gaza. 2. It was claimed that H*mas had beh*aded up to 40 babies but turned out that the ‘israeli’ Army had no evidence of it. 3. It was claimed that Palestinians had captured ‘israeli’ children and kept them in cages but actually the footage was of ‘israeli’ soldiers keeping Palestinian children in cages. 4. A tweet went viral claiming that Palestinians had cut open a pregnant woman's stomach and left the baby to die but it turns out that was a story from the massacre at Sabra and Shatila in 1982 committed by ‘israel’ against a Palestinian Woman. Post from @mintpress

The Palestinian Resistance bombed Haifa with an R160 missile (154 aerial km), which is the furthest range the missiles have reached since the start of the Battle, which indicates a specific missile capability that the Resistance is using and gradually revealing. 💢For the fifth day, the Palestinian Resistance clashed with the Occupation inside the Gaza envelope settlements, some of them in Sderot, and others moved from the Zikim base to Ashkelon, casting doubt on the claims of regaining the Occupation’s control over the Envelope. 💢The death toll of the Israelis has risen to 1,300 since the start of Al-Aqsa Flood Battle. 💢The Israeli Occupation aircraft continues its extermination war on Gaza, targeting residential buildings, and committing 23 massacres that caused the martyrdom of about 160 Palestinians, most being children and women. 💢The death toll of Palestinians, as a result of the continued violent and intense Israeli bombardment on various areas of Gaza, rose to about 1,100 and 5,339 injured. 💢Medical teams warned of losing the ability to deal with the injured due to the Occupation deliberately targeting hospitals and their surroundings, killing 11 of the medical teams. 💢In addition to the shortage of medicines and medical materials, and most importantly, of electricity and water, it is expected that fuel stocks for electricity generators will run out and stop working tomorrow, Thursday. 💢The Israeli Occupation’s violent and insanely intense bombing in several areas, targeted 75 schools and 10 mosques, completely destructed the infrastructure, destroyed 535 buildings, and demolished 2,152 apartments and houses. 💢Four Palestinians were killed, and 13 others were injured in a settler attack on the village of Qasra-Nablus in the West Bank, raising the death toll in the West Bank since the start of the Battle to 29. 💢Despite the Israeli Occupation’s continued closing of main roads and city entrances to besiege the expansion of resistance in the West Bank, Palestinians carried out 567 resistance operations since the beginning of the Battle in 190 confrontation points.

Under this title, the Hebrew newspaper “Haaretz” published an article by the famous Zionist writer (Ari Shavit) in which he says: It seems that we are facing the most difficult people in history, and there is no solution for them but to recognize their rights and end the occupation. Shabit began his article by saying: It seems that we have passed the point of no return, and it may no longer be possible for “Israel” to end the occupation, stop settlement, and achieve peace. It seems that it is no longer possible to reform Zionism, save democracy, and divide the people in this country. He added, if the situation is like this, then there is no taste for living in this country, and there is no taste for writing in “Haaretz,” and there is no taste for reading “Haaretz.” We must do what Rogel Alfer suggested two years ago, which is to leave the country. If "Israeliness" and Jewishness are not a vital factor in identity, and if every "Israeli" citizen has a foreign passport, not only in the technical sense, but also in the psychological sense, then the matter is over. You must say goodbye to friends and move to San Francisco, Berlin or Paris. From there, from the lands of the new German extreme nationalism, or the lands of the new American extreme nationalism, one must look calmly and watch the "State of Israel" take its last breath. We must take three steps back and watch the Jewish democratic state sink. The issue may not have been resolved yet. We may not have passed the point of no return yet. It may still be possible to end the occupation, stop settlement, reform Zionism, save democracy, and divide the country. The writer continued, “I put my finger in the eyes of Netanyahu, Lieberman, and the neo-Nazis, to wake them up from their Zionist delirium, that Trump, Kushner, Biden, Barack Obama, and Hillary Clinton are not the ones who will end the occupation.” It is not the United Nations and the European Union that will stop settlements. The only force in the world capable of saving Israel from itself is the Israelis themselves, by creating a new political language that recognizes reality and that the Palestinians are rooted in this land. I urge you to look for the third way in order to survive here and not die. The writer in Haaretz newspaper confirms: Since they came to Palestine, the “Israelis” have realized that they are the result of a lie created by the Zionist movement, during which it used all deception on the Jewish character throughout history. By exploiting and exaggerating what Hitler called the Holocaust, the movement was able to convince the world that Palestine is the “Promised Land” and that the alleged temple is located under the Al-Aqsa Mosque. Thus, the wolf was transformed into a lamb that was suckled by the money of American and European taxpayers, until it became A nuclear monster. The writer sought help from Western and Jewish archaeologists, the most famous of whom is “Israel Flintstein” from Tel Aviv University, who confirmed that “the Temple is also a lie and a fairy tale that does not exist, and all excavations have proven that it completely disappeared thousands of years ago, and this was stated explicitly in a large number of Jewish references.” , and many Western archaeologists have confirmedthat ... The last of them was in 1968 AD, the British archaeologist Dr. Caitlin Kabinos, when she was director of excavations at the British School of Archeology in Jerusalem. She carried out excavations in Jerusalem, and was expelled from Palestine because of her exposure of “Israeli” myths about the presence of traces of Solomon’s Temple under Al-Aqsa Mosque. .. Where I decided that there were no traces of the Temple of Solomon at all, and I discovered that what the Israelis call “Solomon’s Stables Building” has nothing to do with Solomon or stables in the first place. Rather, it is an architectural model of a palace commonly built in several areas of Palestine. This is despite the fact that “Kathleen Kenyon” came from the Palestine Exploration Fund Society, for the purpose of clarifying what was mentioned in the biblical narratives, because it There was great activity in Britain in the mid-19th century around history"Near East". He stressed that the curse of lying is what haunts the "Israelis", day after day, slapping them in the face in the form of a knife in the hands of Maqdisi, Khalili and Nabulsi, or with a stone or a stone or a bus driver from Jaffa, Haifa and Acre. The "Israelis" realize that they have no future in Palestine, as it is not a land without people as they lied to. Here is another writer who acknowledges, not only the existence of the Palestinian people, but rather their superiority over the “Israelis” - Gideon Levy, the leftist Zionist, when he says: It seems that the Palestinians have a different nature from the rest of humanity. We occupied their land, and we called their youth prostitutes, prostitutes, and drug addicts. We said that a few years would pass, and they would forget their homeland and their land, and then their young generation exploded the 1987 Intifada. We put them in prisons and said, “We will raise them in prisons.” Years later, after we thought they had learned their lesson, they returned to us with an armed uprising in the year 2000, devouring the land. We said we would demolishو their homes and besiege them for many years, and then they extracted impossible missiles to hit us with, despite the siege and destruction. So we began planning for them with walls and barbed wire. . And then they came to us from underground and through tunnels, until they killed us in the last war. We fought them with our minds, and then they seized the "Israeli" satellite (Amos)? They bring terror into every home in “Israel” by broadcasting threats and threats, as happened when their youth were able to seize control of the “Israeli” Channel 2. In summary, it seems that we are facing the most difficult people in history, and there is no solution for them but to recognize their rights and end the occupation. Article title: “Israel” takes its last breath Writer: Ari Shavit Source: Hebrew newspaper Haaretz.

Gaza is home to 2 million Palestinians, half of whom are children. Israel is massacring them, bombing their neighborhoods to rubble – and top Israeli politicians are using genocidal language to justify it. It’s only been 4 days since Israel started bombing Gaza. Israel is telling the world they will attack Gaza for months. Instead of doing everything he can to stop the violence and save lives, President Biden is giving Israel the greenlight to commit war crimes and further atrocities. All while Members of Congress cheer Israel on from the sidelines and call for more Palestinian blood. The scale of Israel’s destruction is already sickening. Palestinians can’t go on like this. IMEU (@theimeu) • Instagram photos and videos

Peace of mind, contentment, happiness and freedom from worries and anxiety – this is what everyone is searching for to have a good life and find complete happiness and joy. Looking after your emotional health is just as important as caring for your physical health. People who are emotionally healthy are in control of their emotions and behaviour and are able to handle life’s inevitable challenges, build strong relationships, and lead productive, fulfilling lives. Being emotionally and mentally healthy doesn’t mean never going through bad times or not experiencing emotional problems… The difference is that people with good emotional health have an ability to bounce back from adversity, trauma, and stress. People with positive outlook remain focused, flexible, and creative even in bad times. However, it is not easy to maintain a healthy, positive emotional state as people often misjudge what will make them happy and content! What is Emotional health? Mental or emotional health refers to your overall psychological well-being. It includes the way you feel about yourself, the quality of your relationships, and your ability to manage your feelings and deal with difficulties. It is a sense of contentment, a zest for living and the ability to enjoy life, and a sense of meaning and purpose in both your activities and relationships. The flexibility to learn new things and adapt to changes. Having self-confidence and high self-esteem. How to achieve good emotional health? 1. Pray with complete devotion and sincerity: Performing acts of worship (Ibadah) with perfection and seeking forgiveness from Allah Ta’ala helps one to achieve good emotional balance. 2. Manage your stress levels: Stress takes a heavy toll on mental and emotional health, so it’s important to keep it under control. While not all stress can be avoided, stress management strategies can help you bring things back into balance. Try to avoid becoming absorbed by repetitive mental habits; negative thoughts about yourself and the world around you drain your energy and trigger feelings of anxiety, fear, and depression. 3. Do things that positively impact others: Being useful to others regardless of what community they belong to and being valued for what you did for them can help build self-esteem. Make people feel your absence! Rasulullah Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam said, “The most beloved people to Allah are those who are most beneficial to people. The most beloved deed to Allah is to make a Muslim happy, to remove his troubles, to forgive his debt or to feed his hunger.”(Al-Mujam Al-Awsat) 4. Realize your values and capabilities: When you are living your life in harmony with your values, you naturally have more energy, fulfilment, balance and stress-free living. Your values represent your unique and individual essence and your way of being and relating to others. We should discover our unique capabilities with which we can positively change the world around us. 5. Clear the clutter: Clutter is not just those physical things hoarded for years. It includes relationships, time commitments and other things that use up more of your energy than you can afford to give them. Cleaning up your life and just keeping things that support you in your chosen lifestyle boosts your energy levels, gives you joy and protects your values since you are no longer wasting time and mental thoughts on things not of importance to you. You can now focus on the things that really matter. De-cluttering means to eliminate the things that cause worry and to achieve the things that bring happiness. It may be done by forgetting about bad things in the past which cannot be changed, and realizing that dwelling on them is a waste of time. A person must strive to stop himself from feeling anxious about the future like imagination of poverty, fear and other bad things that might happen to him. 6. Enjoy the beauty of nature: A simple walk through a garden can lower blood pressure and reduce stress. 7. Express your emotions: To be emotionally healthy you must express your emotions in a healthy and assertive way. 8. Exercise: Regular exercise assists in boosting one’s emotional well-being. These positive characteristics allow you to participate in life to the fullest extent possible through productive, meaningful activities and strong relationships. They also help you cope when faced with life’s challenges and stresses. Positive emotions are linked with better health and greater well-being. On the other hand, chronic anger, worry, and hostility increases the risk of developing heart diseases, as people react to these feelings with raised blood pressure and stiffening of blood vessels. Jamiatul Ulama (KZN) Council of Muslim Theologians

The latest from the third day of Al-Aqsa Flood Operation (9 Oct. 2023) from early Monday morning until 10:00 a.m. (Jerusalem time): 💢 The Occupation Military confirms engaging in clashes with the Palestinian Resistance in approximately 8 locations inside the Gaza Envelope settlements, the most intense being in Sderot settlement. 💢During the confrontations, the Palestinian Resistance captured hostages of Israeli settlers and forces. 💢 The Occupation Air Forces launched hundreds of violent airstrikes in the early morning hours on residential towers, houses, and mosques across Gaza. 💢38 Palestinian martyrs, at least, have been killed by the Occupation, nearly half of them are from Abu Hilal family, and 80 others have been injured, most being children and women. 💢The toll of Palestinian martyrs since the beginning of Al-Aqsa Operation has reached 493 martyrs, with +2,751 injured. 💢The Occupation Air Forces assassinated one of the Palestinian Resistance leaders, Ra’afat Abu Hilal, after launching an airstrike on a house in Rafah. 💢The Palestinian Resistance managed to reach 20 Israeli settlements and 11 military sites of the Occupation since the beginning of Al-Aqsa Flood Operation. 💢The Israeli Army Spokesperson stated that Israeli planes have dropped +1,000 tons of bombs on Gaza since the start of Al-Aqsa Flood Operation. 💢UNRWA announced the forced displacement of 74,000 Palestinians to 64 schools and shelters under its administration. 💢14 martyrs in the West Bank have been killed by the Occupation in confrontations with the Israeli Forces since the beginning of the Al-Aqsa Flood Operation, the latest is a young man who attempted to break through an Israeli barrier in Al-Khalil, as well as four martyrs in clashes at Qalandia checkpoint. MetrasGlobal (@metras_global) • Instagram photos and videos

The latest from the second day of Al-Aqsa Flood Operation (8 Oct. 2023) from early Sunday morning until 12:00 p.m. (Jerusalem time): 💢 +24 hours of ongoing armed confrontations between the Occupation Forces and the Palestinian Resistance within Gaza envelope settlements. 💢Hezbollah announces its liability for targeting three “Israeli sites” in north Palestine. The Israeli Occupation Forces responded by bombing empty military tents on the Lebanese borders. 💢Ministry of Health in Gaza announces an increase in the number of martyrs from Saturday morning to 313 martyrs and 1,990 wounded with different injuries. 💢The Palestinian Resistance bombed “Sderot” Israeli settlement with a missile barrage of +100 missiles in response to the Occupation bombing of residential buildings in Gaza. 💢The Occupation aircraft bombed homes and residential buildings in the areas of “Rafah”, “Jabalia”, “Abasan”, “Al-Qarara”, “al-Zaytoun Neighborhood”, and “Khuza’a”. 💢The Occupation announced the killing of 350 Israelis by the Palestinian Resistance in the Gaza envelope settlements, among them 26 Israeli soldiers, the Commander of the Nahal Brigade, the Deputy Commander of the Magellan Unit, the Commander of the Communications Battalion, officers of the Home Front, 51st Battalion, 77th Battalion, and the Duvdovan. In addition to the killing of about 30 Occupation police officers. 💢Israeli Ministry of Health announced 1,864 injuries among Israeli settlers in the Occupation hospitals, 19 of which are in clinical deaths, and 326 are in critical condition. 💢A resistance shooting operation in Egypt targets a group of Israelis, killing at least two of them according to a preliminary outturn. 💢The Israeli media announces the killing of 15 settlers during clashes with resistance fighters in the "Mafkim" settlement, south of Asqalan. 💢The Israeli death toll rose to six, in a shooting operation that targeted a bus carrying Israeli tourists in Alexandria. 💢Military spokesman for Al-Qassam Brigades, Abu ‘Ubaida: “Al-Qassam leadership carried out a new infiltration operation during the last hours, and we provided the fighters with weapons, missiles, and equipment.” 13 m

Headline on Mahyar Tousi TV!!

The words can be heard on the video Quds News Network (@qudsnen) • Instagram photos and videos

BREAKING As of 9:30 AM Jerusalem time, here is a summary of what happened: On Saturday, October 7, 2023, at 6:45 AM, alarm sirens resonated across 160 Israeli settlements, commencing from the Gaza envelope settlements and extending to Tel Aviv. Subsequently, the Palestinian Resistance launched 5,000 rockets, resulting in casualties and injuries among the settlers. Members of the Resistance executed parachute landings, while others seized military vehicles and engaged in confrontations with both soldiers and settlers within the outskirts of the Gaza strip. Mohammed Dhaif, the military leader of the Al-Qass**am Brigades, declared the commencement of the 'Al-Aqsa Flood' war in a televised address. This was in response to escalating Israeli attacks on Al-Aqsa Mosque, as well as aggressions by the Occupation Forces and settlers in the West Bank The Resistance released numerous photographs depicting casualties inflicted upon Israeli soldiers and settlers, accompanied by videos showing the retrieval of some bodies to the Gaza Strip Additionally, the Resistance targeted and set fire to Israeli military vehicles, capturing military equipment and transporting it to Gaza There are anticipations of the Palestinian Resistance capturing Israeli soldiers and transferring them to Gaza. In the 'Ofakim' settlement, resistance fighters took hostages. Israeli media reported that the resistance had gained control of 'Kibbutz Baree' and the Sderot police station www.instagram.com/p/CyFyQB-N6Fp/

Masjid al-Qibli Located to the western most side of the compound, this grey domed masjid can accommodate 5000 people and is considered the largest masjid in Jerusalem. Originally built by Umar ibn al-Khattab, it has undergone several modifications, expansions and reconstructions having experienced several dynasties as well as two earthquakes. The Crusaders conquered Jerusalem in 1099 and renamed the Masjid as Solomon’s Temple - it was used as a palace while the Dome of the Rock was used as a church. You can still see some remnants of Christian architecture today, such as the Mihrab/Musallah of Zakariyya. However, the great Salah ad-Din had an intense yearning to regain the holy city. Ibn Shaddad mentions "the Sultan was so keen for Jerusalem that the hills would have shrunk from bearing the burden he carried in his heart." (Saviours of the Islamic Spirit, page 214) On Friday 2 October 1187, Jerusalem was recaptured and Salah ad-Din bought a magnificent wooden pulpit his uncle Nur ad-Din Zangi had designed under his orders twenty years prior. It was bought from Aleppo and erected it the masjid. Unfortunately, this mimbar was burnt down in 1969 in an arson attack by an Australian Christian Fundamentalist. Inside If you look closely at the windows (in the second picture), you can see they have been broken due to recent violence in the masjid. There is so much history overflowing in every inch of Jerusalem. Insha'Allah next week I hope to share other less-well known structures located in and around al-Masjid al-Aqsa. May Allah allow us to learn about, visit and protect the Holy Lands.

The Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace) said: One should not undertake journeys seeking to gain Allah’s reward except to three masjids: al-Masjid al-Haram, al-Masjid al-Aqsa or this masjid [the prophet’s mosque in Madina]. What exactly is al-Masjid al-Aqsa? Contrary to popular belief, al-Masjid al-Aqsa refers to the entire walled compound also known as al-Haram ash-Sharif (the Noble Sanctuary), not just the famous Qubbat as-Sakhrah (the Dome of the Rock) or Masjid al-Qibli (also known as Al-Aqsa Mosque). The compound is also home to hundreds of olive trees, a museum, madrassas, four minarets and several domes and musallas. Qubbat as-Sakhrah The Dome of the Rock was built by the Umayyad ruler Abdul Malik ibn Marwan in 691. It was originally wooden with a lead or ceramic cover and the iconic Gold dome was built almost a millennium years later during the reign of the Ottoman ruler, Sulayman the Magnificent. It is claimed that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace) stood on the rock located inside the building before being raised to the Heavens during Mi'raj. However, this is not absolutely certain. Just outside there is also a small commemorative structure called 'Dome of an-Nabi' where it is believed that the Prophet (may Allah bless him and give him peace) led all the prophets in congregational prayer on that blessed

From White Thread Press Assalamu ‘alaykum wa rahmat Allahi wa barakatuh, Alhamdulillah I was blessed to travel to Palestine, the land of the Prophets. It was a spiritually enlightening and awe inspiring trip, connecting us to our Islamic history. It is a place where Allah's blessings descend. From praying in the masjid wherein each prayer is worth 5,000, feeling the acceptance of duas in the chambers of Maryam, offering salams to Ibrahim, Ishaq and Yunus (upon them all be peace), we came as honoured guests and left with teary eyes. Insha'Allah over the next few weeks I hope to share my experience of visiting Palestine, discussing the historical and spiritual significance of some of the places I visited to encourage you to also visit the Holy Land. But first, Where exactly is the 'Holy/Blessed Land'? There is a difference of opinion about the boundaries of the 'Blessed Land'. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and al-Qurtubi consider it to be the whole area of Sham (modern-day Palestine, Jordan, Syria and Lebanon). Other scholars believe there are pockets of 'blessed land' scattered throughout the area of the modern Middle East such as Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem, Masjid al-Haram in Makkah and Masjid an-Nabawi in Madina. Some say it is contiguous from Hijaz, through Sham to Egypt However, (in all opinions) there is no doubt that Masjid al-Aqsa is located within the Blessed Land. Mention in the Qur'an: It is clearly and directly mentioned in Surah al-Isra that Masjid al-Aqsa as well as its surrounding area has been blessed by Allah Most High for mankind to reap spiritual and material benefit: سُبْحَـٰنَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أَسْرَىٰ بِعَبْدِهِۦ لَيْلًۭا مِّنَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ إِلَى ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْأَقْصَا ٱلَّذِى بَـٰرَكْنَا حَوْلَهُۥ لِنُرِيَهُۥ مِنْ ءَايَـٰتِنَآ ۚ إِنَّهُۥ هُوَ ٱلسَّمِيعُ ٱلْبَصِيرُ Glorious is He who made His servant travel by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa whose environs We have blessed, so that We let him see some of Our signs. Surely, He is the All-Hearing, All-Seeing. Surah Ma'idah mentions when Musa (upon him be peace) left Egypt with Bani Isra'il he said: يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱدْخُلُوا۟ ٱلْأَرْضَ ٱلْمُقَدَّسَةَ ٱلَّتِى كَتَبَ ٱللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَلَا تَرْتَدُّوا۟ عَلَىٰٓ أَدْبَارِكُمْ فَتَنقَلِبُوا۟ خَـٰسِرِينَ O my people! Enter the holy land which Allah has destined for you; and do not turn back, lest you should turn losers. Mufti Taqi Usmani mentions in the footnotes of his new edition of The Noble Qur’an: Meaning with Explanatory Notes that 'the reference here is to Syria and Palestine that were occupied by Amalekites, and after Pharaoh drowned, the Israelites were directed to liberate those lands from them.' Mention in Hadiths The Prophet ﷺ said: "Allah has blessed what lies between al-Arish (in Egypt) and the Euphrates and has made Palestine particularly holy." [Kanz al-Ummal] Zaid ibn Thabit reports that the Prophet ﷺ said: “How blessed is Sham!" The Companions asked, “Why is that?” The Messenger ﷺ replied, “I see the angels of Allah spreading their wings over Sham." Ibn Abbas 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] May Allah allow us all to visit the Blessed Land and reap benefit from the blessings therein.

Short Summary His arrival heralded a new dawn for the whole universe after a long dark night: The noblest of Allah’s creation, the leader of His creation, and the Seal of His Messengers. None from Allah’s servants are equal to him. He won hearts through his character. He captivated souls through his love. And He made mankind cry out of yearning for him. He is Muḥammad b. ʿAbdillāh: Allah’s final and most beloved Messenger, sent as a mercy to mankind till the Last Day. He was the best of the best. His worship was the best. His character and interactions with others were the best. His family relations were the best. His leadership was the best. Read this free eBook to learn more about this great man. This FREE E-Book contains: His Iman & Love for Allah His Sublime Character The Messenger: A Grateful Servant The Messenger: The Murabbi The Messenger: A Family Man Loved By Allah’s Creation The Messenger & His Love for The Ummah Do We Truly Love Our Prophet ﷺ? Download, read, print and share with family and friends Loving-Allahs-Beloved-by-Life-With-Allah.pdf