Al Aqsa: White washing the history with Archaeology and Propaganda
When history is the battleground, illegal excavation is a weapon of war. As the genocide in Gaza is going on for more than two years, the occupation forces in Israel are secretly waging another war on the history of al-Haram al-Sharif itself. Located in the old city of Jerusalem, Al Aqsa compound has always been targeted by the occupying Zionist forces, resulting in the first and the second intifada in 1987 and 2000 respectively.
The illegal excavation work also has always been carried out in certain measure by the Zionists, but the recent increase in their activity around the compound is very alarming. The recent reports in New Arab news revealed in Aug 2025, that Israel has accelerated its illegal excavations through a 550 meter long tunnel under the old city, causing a direct threat to the foundation of Al Aqsa. This operation has been going on in secret since last nine months, due to the area being a UNESCO World Heritage site.
When US Secretary of State Marco Rubio visited occupied East Jerusalem in September this year, he inaugurated a contentious archaeological site which is a tunnel excavated under the Palestinian homes in Old city. It is promoted as a tourist destination. These tunnels aim to destroy the foundation of the holy mosque and to plant false historical evidences to support the cause of Zionism.
Built 40 years after Masjid Al haram, in Mecca, which of course is the first ever mosque built, Al Masjid Al Aqsa holds a sacred position in Islamic tradition and history.
Narrated Abu Dhar:
I said, “O Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ)! Which mosque was first built on the surface of the earth?” He said, “Al- Masjid-ul-,Haram (in Mecca).” I said, “Which was built next?” He replied “The mosque of Al-Aqsa (in Jerusalem).” I said, “What was the period of construction between the two?” He said, “Forty years.” – Sahih Bukhari
It is considered the third holiest site in Islam, after Masjid al-Haram in Makkah and Masjid an-Nabawi in Madinah.
“Glory be to Him Who took His servant by night from Al-Masjid Al-Haram to Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Seeing.”
(Surah Al-Isra 17:1)
The above ayah from Surah Al-Isra, revealed regarding the Isra and Mi’raj, the miraculous night journey of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, in which he traveled from Makkah to Jerusalem, lead all prophets in prayer and ascended to the heavens, established Al-Aqsa as a blessed place, highlighting its divine significance. The surrounding land—Palestine and greater Sham—is described as blessed, making it one of the holiest regions in Islam.
Its history stretches back thousands of years, intertwining religious reverence, political struggles, and architectural transformation. Imagine the blessing of a place which was inhabited by so many prophets of Allah SWT. Built by Ibrahim (as) as a place of worship, where he, his son Prophet Ishaq (as) and his grandson Prophet Yaqub (as) prayed regularly and where Prophet Yusuf (as) spent his childhood before migrating to Egypt.
After almost four centuries, when Prophet Musa (as) rescued the Israelite from Firaun, by the will of Allah SWT. They were ordered by Allah SWT to move to Palestine but they refused to fight the mighty Cananites. So Allah made them wander in the desert for 40 years.
Later Prophet Dawood (as) established his kingdom in Jerusalem, and his son Suleiman (as) rebuilt Al Masjid Al Aqsa with the help of the local indigenous population. After approximately two centuries, the mosque was destroyed by Babylonians. Within next century, it was rebuilt and destroyed again by Romans.
When the Roman emperor Constantine converted to Christianity and the region came under the control of Roman, they stopped treating the place as sacred. The sanctity of al-Haram al-Sharif was revived at the time of Prophet ﷺ: Muslim prayed facing Al Aqsa for 16 or 17 months before they were ordered to turn their faces towards K’abah in Mecca.
Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said:
“Do not set out on a journey except for three mosques: this mosque of mine, al-Masjid al-Haram, and al-Masjid al-Aqsa.” -Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim
This hadith establishes that Al-Aqsa is among the three holiest mosques in Islam, where traveling specifically for worship is encouraged and rewarded.
Al Aqsa remained under Islamic rule since Umar ibn Khattab RA liberated the city of Jerusalem in 636 AD, until it fell to Crusaders in 1099 AD when they committed incomparable atrocities on the Muslim inhabitant of the city. But just after 88 years, great leader Salahuddin Ayyubi reclaimed it again and it stayed under Islamic rule until the fall of Ottomons after world war 1 in 1923.
The Zionist mission of excavation is an effort to whitewash many centuries of Islamic history of the holy land. The visit of Marco Rubio was in conflict with the International law but he described the site as “an extraordinary archaeological site”.
Amidst the ongoing Genocide, the incidents of Jewish settlers regularly storming the Al Aqsa compound are threatening the status quo. At present the King of Jordan is the official custodian of the holy sites in Jerusalem and a law designates Al Aqsa as an exclusive Muslim site with only Islamic worship allowed within the compound while the western wall (wailing wall or Buraq wall) of the compound is the place where Jewish people have gathered and prayed since 1930.
The violations of the status quo have increased so rapidly this year that Middle East Eye has quoted an Israeli research report last week saying ‘Under the guise of religious Jewish connection, Israel is steadily taking control of the holy site’. In May this year, over 2000 Israelis stormed the Mosque.
As recently as last week, Settlers stormed the courtyards of the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque under heavy protection from the Israeli occupation police on Yom Kippur. The recognition of Palestinian state by many European countries has done nothing to change the situation on ground. The foundation of Al Aqsa is been eaten by the termites of Zionism while Jordan, Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and the likes look on.
