The Masjid al-Aqsa Sanctuary

This is an aerial view of the al-Aqsa Sanctuary with the al-Aqsa mosque on the left. It is not just the al-Aqsa mosque and the Dome of the Rock which are blessed; the whole region on which the mosque is located is regarded as sacred to Muslims and known as Al-Haram al-Sharif (the Noble Sanctuary).
Masjid al-Aqsa is no ordinary masjid. The Prophet (s.a.) dedicated a great deal of his life nurturing his companions to appreciate the excellent qualities of Masjid al-Aqsa. Some of the reasons why Masjid al-Aqsa should form an important aspect of a believer’s dedication are that it is:

The first Qibla for Muslims;
The station of al-Isra and al-Mi’raj;
The second house of Allah built on earth;
The place where hundreds of Messengers of Allah are buried;
A place where miracles were shown by Allah’s will;
A place which Allah Himself calls a ‘blessed place’;
Referred to directly and indirectly, 70 times in the Holy Quran;
The place where angels have descended with Allah’s message;
The only place on earth where all the Messengers of Allah prayed at the same time led by the Prophet Muhammad (s.a.);
The only Masjid mentioned by name in the Holy Quran apart from the Kaaba.

Most religious Jews regard entry into the Sanctuary (which they call the Temple Mount) as a violation of Jewish law. This restriction is based on the belief that even though the Temple (of Solomon) was destroyed centuries ago, the precise location of the Holy of Holies, the sanctuary that was once entered by the High Priest, is not known. Hence the restriction is applied to the entire compound. They feel that the Temple should only be built after the coming of their Messiah, and it is their belief that it would be presumptuous of people to force God’s hand. However, there are several Jewish groups who differ from this opinion. Many Evangelical Christians consider it to be a prerequisite to Armageddon and the Second Coming (of Jesus), and both are actively encouraging the rebuilding of the Temple on the al-Aqsa Sanctuary.