jerusalem in the three faiths - muslim perspectives three faiths summer school 2006 ammerdown centre...
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Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
Three Faiths Summer School 2006
Ammerdown Centre
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths
Muslim Perspectives
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
Faith
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
InterfaithFaith
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
Conflict
FaithInterfaith
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
Iliya madinat bayt al-makdis „Aelia, the City of the Temple“Al-Bayt al Mukaddas „the Holy House“Al Bayt al Maqdis „the House of the Sanctuary“Al-Quds „the Holy One“
Jerusalem – The Holy House
Prophet Muhammad praying in front of the Kaaba in Mecca
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
„... take then the place wheronAbraham once stood as yourplace of prayer ...“(Qur‘an 2:125)
Changing the qibla
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
„Limitless in His glory is He who transported His servant by night from the Inviolable House of Worship(al-masjid al-haram )to the Remote House of Worship(al-masjid al-aqsa) ...“(Qur‘an 17:1)
The journey to the farthest mosque
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
- Isra „Night Journey“ and Miraj „Ascension“ of the Prophet Muhammad
- Prophets like David, Salomon, Zacharias and John
- Mary and Jesus
- the Day of Resurrection
Jerusalem as a holy place for Muslims
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
Qubbat al-Sakhra - The Dome of the Rock
Completed 72 AH / 691 CEon the ancient Temple platform
60 years after Jerusalem was taken by the Muslims.
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
The Dome of the Rock – it's mission?
Commemoration of Muhammad‘s ascension?Diverting pilgrims from Mecca to Jerusalem?Demonstration of Islam's superiority?Trying to win converts?Muslim equivalent to the Holy Sepulchre?
Caliph Abd al-Malik
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
The Dome of the Rock – it's inscriptions
There is no God but God alone, without partner.Muhammad is God's messenger.The Messiah Jesus, son of Mary, is only a messengerBlessings on Muhammad and Jesus.
"Say: He is God, One, "Say: He is God, One, God the Everlasting, God the Everlasting, who has not begotten who has not begotten and has not been begotten.and has not been begotten.He is without equal."He is without equal."
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
Haram Al-Sharif "the Noble Sanctuary"
Qubbat al-Sakhra and Al-Aqsa Mosque
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
Hebron – city of Abraham, Khalil al-Rahman, "the friend of the merciful (God)
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
"... ours is the creed of Abraham"
"And they say, 'Be Jews' – or, 'Christians' – and you shall be on the right path.' Say: 'Nay but ours is the creed of Abraham, who turned away from all that is false, and was not of those who ascribe divinity to aught beside God. "
(Qur'an 2:135)
Maqam Ibrahim, "Place of Abraham"
in front of the Kaaba in Mecca
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
"... we make no distinction between any of them"
Tree of Prophets
"Say: We believe in God, and in that which has been bestowed from on high upon us, and that which has been bestowed upon Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and their descendants, and that which has been vouchsafed to Moses and Jesus, and that which has been vouchsafed to all the other prophets by their Sustainer: we make no distinction between any of them. And it is unto Him that we surrender ourselves."
(Qur'an 2:135)
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
Ahl al-Kitab "The People of the Book"
"Unto every one of you have We appointed a law and way of life. And if God had so willed, He could surely have made you all one single community:
but [He willed it otherwise] in order to test you by means of what He has vouchsafed unto you. Vie, then, with one another in doing good works! Unto God you all must return; and then He will make you truly understand all that on which you were wont to differ."
(Qur'an 5:48)
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
Fighting for Muslim superiority
"Fight against those who - despite having been vouchsafed revelation - do not believe either in God or the Last Day, and do not consider forbidden that which God and His Apostle have forbidden, and do not follow the religion of truth till they pay the exemption tax with a willing hand, after having been humbled [in war]."
(Qur'an 9:29)
Arab Cavallry
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
Muslims and Jews
Sephardi Synagogue in Jerusalem 1836
Close contacts since the times of early Islam
Severe confrontations during the stay of the Prophet in Medina
Religious and cultural autonomy was respected
"Convivenza" in Andalusia and Ottoman times
Anti-semitism imported from the west
Israeli-Arab conflict tends to be presented as a Jewish-Muslim conflict
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
Jesus Christ – Isa "al-Masih„
“The Christ Jesus, son of Mary, was but God's Apostle - [the fulfilment of] His promise which He had conveyed unto Mary - and a soul created by Him.
Believe, then, in God and His apostles, and do not say, ‘[God is] a trinity’".
(Quran 4:171)
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
Christian apologetics
St John of Damascus( 676 – 749 )
Islam not as a religion of it's own but a Jewish or Christian heresy
Muslims as "the Children of Ishmael"
Muslims as forerunners of apocalyptic events
Muhammad as a false Prophet
Critic of Muhammad's and Muslims moral compared with Christian chasity
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
Muslims and Christians
High esteem: Christian spiritual and ascetic practises
Acceptance: birth of Jesus, his mission, certain teachings and miracles
Refutation: trinitarian doctrines and death on the cross
Irritation: refusing to accept Islam a continuation of former revelations
Christian delegation in Medina at the times of the prophet
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
Muslim apologetics
Accusations against Jews and Christians:
Altering the divine relevation
Accusations against Christians:
Propagation of errant doctrines
Grievous mistakes in religious practice
Opening the frontiers to polytheism and pagan practises
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
The Covenant of Umar
Patriarch Sophronius of Jerusalem
"This is a letter to the servant of God Umar, Commander of the Faithful, from the Christians of such-and-such a city. When you came against us, we asked you for safe-conduct for ourselves, our descendants, our property, and the people of our community, and we untertook the following obligations toward you: ..."
"We shall not build ... new churches."
"We shall not manifest our religion publicly."
"We shall not seek to resemble the Muslims."
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
Living side by side – everyday life
Jerusalem 1883
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
Festivities and rituals of faith communities
Greek Orthodox Easter procession
Greek Orthodox wedding in Christian Quarter
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
Saint George
St George Khidr – "the Green One"
Qubbat al-Khidr on the Haram
16. century
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
Festival of "Nabi Musa"
Procession of "Nabi Musa" in front of Al-Aqsa around 1920
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
Charity
Ottoman imaret (soup kithcen)
"The Turkish … are just enough not to deprive poor Christians who come there, and these later receive the same amount as the Muslims, but as they go there only rarely the director of the place is not bothered by them."
(French traveller 1705)
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
Praying side by side
Tomb of Mary in Kidron Valley
"Do not come to the Church of Mary … nor go into the two pillars into the church of the Mount of Olives, for they are both idols and whoever enters there in a spirit of devotion, his act shall be annulled."
(Muslim tradition)
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
Pilgrims
"No day passed without foreigners" (Al Muqaddasi – 10. century)
Medieval Pilgrims entering "Outremer"
Russian Pilgrims entering Jerusalem 1905
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
The shade of the Crusades
Richard Lion Heart (London)
Salah al-Din(Damascus)
George W. Bush (Washington) - as seen by Al-Jazeera
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
Crusades
"In the long sequence of interaction and fusion between Orient and Occident out of which our civilization has grown, the Crusades were a tragic and destructive episode"
(Stepen Runciman: The Crusades. 1951)
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
19. Century – conquest, colonialism and civilization
Napoleon in Egypt 1798
French iIllustration 1837
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
Ottoman dilemma
Ottoman coat of Arms
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
Ottoman dilemma
Ottomans recruiting soldiers in Jaffa - 1888
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
Christians under Ottoman rule
Representatives of Christian denominations in Palestine
Kawass of Anglican bishop
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
Tanzimat-i Hayriye – Salutary Reforms
Greek Newspaper illustration – Athens 1858
Hatt-i Humayun 1856 All Ottoman
citizens equal under law
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
Jewish immigration in Jerusalem
Jewish quarters in Jerusalem 1920
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
Jewish dilemma: integration or separation
Shomerim (guards) of a Zionist settlement 1920Jewish soldiers in Ottoman army 1910
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
British rule
British troops in Jaffa Road, Jerusalem, 1929
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
Jerusalem in 20. century
Dome of the Rock and Western Wall 1937
Dome of the Rock and Western Wall today
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
Israeli-Arab confrontation in Jerusalem
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
Jerusalem – her future – two Muslim perspectives
"Ultimately if the entire world truly strives for peace in the city of al-Quds, Muslims must retake the upper hand and regain its rule, as they alone would provide continuously the guarantee of freedom of worship and safety for the citizens of the City and they will re-implement Umar's Covenant for a third time. Only then will al-Quds be, as it is meant to be, a City of Peace."
(Mohammed Abdul Hameed Al-Khateeb. Al-Quds. 1998)
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
Jerusalem – her future – two Muslim perspectives
"The shared heritage and belief in one God summons all believers to be peace-makers. We should affirm the holiness of the Jerusalem for all three faiths and recognize the rights of all to worship in their own way. We should affirm that claims made in the name of tradition cannot exclude or nullify the claims of others." (Muhammad Hourani: A Muslim Approach to Dialogue in Jerusalem in the New Millennium. 2000)
Jerusalem in the Three Faiths - Muslim Perspectives
... and in the end ...
wa Allah a'alam
and God knows best
Wilhelm Sabri Hoffmann
German Muslim League Bonn