The closure of the Al-Aqsa Mosque during Ramadan caused strong protests.
Medianews.az cites Lent.az as reporting that Qatar, Jordan, Indonesia, Turkey, Pakistan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt, and the United Arab Emirates condemned Israel for keeping the Al-Aqsa Mosque closed for the 12th consecutive day during the Muslims' holy month of Ramadan.
Let's begin first by understanding what this mosque means for the Islamic world?
The Al-Aqsa Mosque is considered one of the most sacred places in the Islamic world and is located in the city of Jerusalem. According to Islamic belief, this mosque is the third holiest place of worship after the Kaaba in Mecca and the Prophet's Mosque in Medina.
Islamic sources recount that during the event of the "Isra and Mi'raj," Prophet Muhammad was transported from Mecca to Jerusalem and prayed at the Al-Aqsa Mosque. For this reason, the mosque holds special religious and spiritual significance for Muslims. Hence, the Al-Haram al-Sharif complex where the mosque is situated holds great importance in terms of both religious worship and historical monuments.
This place is considered an important religious area not only for Muslims but also for representatives of other religions, which is why the city of Jerusalem has remained a center of religious and political disputes for many years.
In a joint statement issued regarding this mosque, the foreign ministers of eight Arab and Islamic countries declared that Israel’s restriction on Palestinians’ access to the Old City of Jerusalem and its places of worship constitutes a clear violation of international law, including international humanitarian law, as well as the existing historical and legal status quo and the principle of free access to places of worship.
The statement notes that the ministers firmly reject and condemn this illegal and unjustified action. They also condemned Israel’s ongoing provocative measures against the Al-Aqsa Mosque (Al-Haram al-Sharif) and worshippers. The ministers emphasized that Israel has no sovereignty over occupied Jerusalem or over its Islamic and Christian holy sites.
The statement added that the entire Al-Aqsa Mosque area belongs exclusively to Muslims, and the Jerusalem Awqaf and Al-Aqsa Mosque Affairs Department, which is affiliated with Jordan’s Ministry of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs, is the sole legal authority with exclusive jurisdiction over this site.