Muslim and Jewish argument over the Land of Israel (A Sample)

As you know my platform is based on a lack of education by Muslims. I endeavor to expose the ignorance of my Muslim brethren so that they can try to educate themselves about important matters which lead to Peace. In this context, I have prepared a sample of an often repeated debate about the land of Israel between Muslims and Jews. What Jews try to prove is debunked by Muslims in a such a way as you can see below.

Muslim versus Jew

Jewish Argument: The Land of Israel belongs to the Jewish people. God gave it to the children of Israel. Even your Qur’an confirms this fact in numerous verses.

Muslim POV: The Qur’an might be saying this, but we don’t really know. We can’t understand those verses, because only our scholars can understand the Qur’an. We are not allowed to use common sense or wisdom when we read the Qur’an. However, we have been told it is a fact that Prophet Mohammad visited the Aqsa Mosque on Accession (Miraj) night, so that land belongs to us.

Jewish Argument: But there was no Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem during the life of the Prophet and there was no Muslim there. At that time, Islam was not even out of Makkah, and Jerusalem was occupied by the Byzantine regime. So how could there have been an Aqsa Mosque at the time when you claim your prophet was supposed to have visited there? It was only after the death of your prophet that your second caliph, Omer Bin Khattab, conquered the land. Then, after many years of conquering, Umayyad Caliph Abdul Malik built the Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem — and that was about 70 years after your prophet died. This is from your own history. So how is it possible that your prophet prayed in the Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem when there were no Muslims and there was no mosque in Jerusalem during his entire lifetime? There were only Churches during the time of the Byzantine rule, and Mohammad never left Arabia.

Muslim POV: But the Qur’an says, in Surah Bani Israel, that “We took you O Mohammad from Masjid ul Haram to Masjid Aqsa,” and this verse was revealed in his life time… It means the Aqsa Mosque existed during his life time.

Jewish Argument: We have nothing to do with what your Qur’an says. This is our land, given to us by God… However, many scholars have translated “Masjid Aqsa” in this verse to mean the “farthest mosque”. Therefore, based on the mosques in existence at that time, it would be referring to the Haram Mosque, which was the farthest mosque of that time. The Qur’an, therefore, is describing the property belonging to the Haram Mosque, because it was the farthest mosque from Masjid ul Haram to where the prophet was carried. It is not the name of the mosque, Aqsa, since there was no mosque anywhere at that time named “Aqsa” nor was there a mosque in Jerusalem at that time. Thus, the farthest mosque described can only be where Muslims could be found at that time. As such, it could not have been in Jerusalem, because there were no Muslims in Jerusalem at that time and thus no mosque there…

Muslim POV: Oh, you are mistranslating the Qur’an… Our scholars never told any of this to us. That means you are lying. We will nuke Israel!

Jewish Argument: But you can read for yourself in your own books and the Qur’an and educate yourselves about history…

Muslim POV: No! No! Only our scholars can understand the Qur’an. We told you… Aqsa is the “name of the mosque”, and it was in Jerusalem during the life of the prophet. It does not matter that Islam was not out of Makkah at that time… It does not matter that the Byzantines ruled Jerusalem and there was no Muslim there at that time… We can’t read our own history. We can’t translate the Qur’an by ourselves… We are naive… Whatever our scholars say, that is the true history… Now shut your mouth or we will smite your neck…

By Naveed Anjum

Editing: James Capers