The Reasons for the Differences in Interpretations of Some Orientalists and Commentators on the Hadiths About Jerusalem and al-Masjid al-Aqsā

Abstract

Jerusalem and al-Masjid al-Aqsā are among the most sacred places that are considered sacred by the divine religions. So much so that it is emphasized in the Qur'an that al-Aqsā and its surroundings have been blessed, and Jerusalem and its environs are described as “a sacred land”. In addition to the Qur'an, the virtue of these places has also been declared in the hadiths. As a matter of fact, narrations about these two holy places are found in hadith sources; al-Masjid al-Aqsā is the second masjid built on earth after the Kaʻba, it is the place where the prophets lived and carries their memories, prayers and other acts of worship performed in al-Masjid al-Aqsā are rewarded more than those performed in other masjids except al-Masjid al-Harām and al-Masjid al-Nabawī, and al-Masjid al-Aqsā is one of the three masjids that can be traveled to for the purpose of worship, and the conquest, reconstruction and reconstruction of these two places are encouraged. However, there are deep differences of approach between commentators and orientalists in interpreting the narrations on the issue of al-Aqsā and Jerusalem. Therefore, the aim of this study is to determine and evaluate how commentators and orientalists evaluate a hadīth on the same subject, on what evidence and justifications both groups base their views, and what are the main reasons for the differences in their approaches. As a method, the subject and the relevant hadīths will be taken as the basis, rather than a particular orientalist or commentator, and the interpretations of the commentators and the different approaches and evaluations of the orientalists in their own works will be identified and compared with each other, focusing on the differences between their views and their reasons.