www.byzcath.org Forums News & Events Church News Al Aqsa official: Jewish temples existed

Al Aqsa official: Jewish temples existed
Says proof passed down over the centuries by mosque custodians

http://www.worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=50637

This is the closing quote. I hope that everyone reads the article to which you linked.

"As we are the religion who are here to correct everything that was before us there is no need for the Temple. Allah chose Islam as its final and favorite religion."

This is not an astonishing admission. Anyone who has studied Islam knows this. Judaism believed similarly, at least regarding the religions of Canaa. Christians have always believed that Christ is the highest revelation of God. Both Jews and Christians have had periods in which they asserted this claim in the political realm. For that matter not all Muslims assert this claim in the political realm but to one degree or another most do and not just Arab Muslims.

Most of my Muslims students are courteous and tolerate studying other religions. But several times I have had students who would simply not study other religions and even have confronted me about how much they despise Western approaches to relgious study. To them even to study the teachings of Hinduism, Buddhism, or those of China is offensive. Studying Judaism and Christianity is barely tolerable to some students because to them these religions are inferior and corrupt.

CDL, who teaches college level Comparative Religion classes

BTW Toleration is the right word for me as well. I only tolerate teaching about other religions. It's a living, not much of one, but a living. And to some degree it is a stopgap between the conversion of the world to Christ and now. It keeps us from killing each other.

CDL

I'm a bit surprised that no one else has responded to this.

Re the Picture: It seems to be an aerial view from atop the mount of Olives overlooking the Garden of Gethsemene. It's a bit too elevated to have been taken from atop the mount. There's a pretty good cafeteria restaurant on the top of the mountain.

Re. the Issue itself: If modern Jews are truely the rightful descendents of Biblical Judaism imagine having to live next to the ancient temple but not being allowed to move freely about it. Imagine that the people dominating the Temple mount have built two mosque on top of it. Imagine that those who have desecrated your most holy site officially deny that the site was even there. This is even more offensive than what the Muslims have done with Hagia Sophia. It would be more comparable to the destruction of the Church of the Holy Sepulchre by some group, then they would build one of their own temples on the site, not allow Christians to pray at that site and deny that the site ever existed. Imagine.

CDL

At least someone in Islam is finally admitting the fact that the temple was there.

Funny thing, that Temple. Most modern day Jews surprisingly don't want or need that Temple rebuilt. It seems to me the only ones clamouring for the restoration of that Temple are Orthodox Jews (not all, some) and evangelical Christians (who make use of some strange unBiblical eisegesis). In a recent survey of Israeli citizens, 70% are professed atheists. The moderate Conservative to Reconstructionist practicing Jews do not want to start sacrificing of anything (some Reform being against the shedding of animal blood).

To me the positive side of the coin:
At least the space is being put to good use.

Dear CDL,

Actually I'm a little surprised and confused . I had always thought that the temple stood where the Temple of the Mount is today. What is Al Aqsa?

Zenovia

Dear Carson Daniel,

Ofcourse this is all offensive and all so typical.

I love the part where he wants his name hidden out of fear for his life--just for simply revealing a historical fact.

I have said this before, and many who I speak to agree, Islam is NOT a faith and NOT a religion-- it is, sadly... a cult.

In Christ,
Alice

"As we are the religion who are here to correct everything that was before us there is no need for the Temple. Allah chose Islam as its final and favorite religion."

I read an article recently about a well that they go to for worship. It is said from this well their 'leader' will come and Muhamad and Jesus will be with him, and he will set all the Christians straight or something like that. To me it is totally absurd. Coming from a well Sounds to me like 'it' is coming from the place I sure don't want to go.

Zenovia,

I don't know quite how to respond. Are you asking what kind of building Al Aqsa is? It is a mosque. One of the two or three most important in the world. Are you asking if the Jewish Temple still exists? The only part of the Jewish temple that still exists is the remains of the Western or Wailing wall. The rest was destroyed by Titus. Are you making a funny comment on some syntactical error? You may have a point. I do not know.

The Temple and its environs were huge by any standard. Where the temple once was now rests two mospues Al Asqa and the Dome of the Rock with plenty of room surrounding both as the aerial photo shows.

CDL

Have you ever seen the shows where they show Solomon's stables underneath the mosque? I have seen different shows and find it interesting that they are working in these areas. To me the fact that they are there is an indication that the Temple was there also.

Pani Rose & Carson,

I appreciate you guys bringing this up and discussing it.

It seems that some people on the Forum (not necessarily the ones that just posted this specific thread) have harden hearts to accept the fact that Islam is a religion of hate and persecution.

Even if the Koran writes clearly in black and white that Christianity and Judaism is far inferior to Islam and that the Allah commands the Muslims to kill or anniliate Christians and Jews for not following Islam and many more...some people on the forum still are blind and deaf to realize that.

So, it seems it doesn't really matter how many times we shout it out on the rooftop about it or quote it from the very source of Islam..the Koran, no one will accept it.

Only G-d will judge to those who betray the message of G-d.

SPDundas
Deaf Byzantine

Yes. I found the article I was referring to...

the Iranian president emphasized his current theme that the return of the Shiite messiah, the Mahdi, is not far away, and Muslims must prepare for it.

According to Shiites, the 12th imam disappeared as a child in the year 941. When he returns, they believe, he will reign on earth for seven years, before bringing about a final judgment and the end of the world.

Ahmadinejad is urging Iranians to prepare for the coming of the Mahdi by turning the country into a mighty and advanced Islamic society and by avoiding the corruption and excesses of the West.

"We must prepare ourselves to rule the world and the only way to do that is to put forth views on the basis of the Expectation of the Return," Ahmadinejad said. "If we work on the basis of the Expectation of the Return [of the Mahdi], all the affairs of our nation will be streamlined and the administration of the country will become easier."
http://worldnetdaily.com/news/article.asp?ARTICLE_ID=48268

Dear CDL you said: I was wondering:

Exactly how big could the temple have been? The Temple of the Mount is enormous, and I recall seeing it when visiting Jerusalem. I do not remember seeing the Al Asqa mosque and wondered if it might have been the same temple with a different name. Seeing the photo, I couldn't help but imagine that the walls might have been the walls of the city, because of the enormity of the area. Could the Jewish temple have been that big? And then, wasn't it supposed to be in the area of the Temple of the Mount, yet they say that it was in the area of the Al Asqa mosque?

Very confusing, at least to me...but then again, I cannot read aeral photo's that well. Thank you though for your response, at least I know now that there were two Mosque's.

Zenovia

Zenovia,

It's interesting you brought up the question on the size of the temple...it's neat to know that (I THINK) the Sistine Chapel has the same dimension and size as the Temple (Width, length & height).

Somebody, correct me if I'm wrong. But I vaguely remember reading somewhere of that fact.

SPDundas
Deaf Byzantine