Portal:Islam/Selected Location
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Al-Aqsa Mosque (The Farthest Mosque) (Arabic: المسجد الاقصى, [IPA /'ælmæsʤıd ælæqəsɒː/, Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa ), commonly refers to the southern congregational mosque that is part of the complex of religious buildings in Jerusalem known as Al-Haram al-Qudsi al-Sharif (the Noble Sanctuary) to Arabs and Muslims, although the whole area of the Noble Sanctuary is considered Al-Aqsa Mosque according to Islamic law. It is known as Har ha-Bayit (the Temple Mount) to Jews and Christians. It is located in East Jerusalem, a disputed territory governed as part of Israel since its annexation in 1967 but claimed by the Palestinian Authority as part of a future State of Palestine. The largest and most ancient mosque in Palestine, its congregation building can accommodate about 5,000 people worshipping inside it, while the whole Al-Aqsa Mosque compound area may accommodate hundreds of thousands. The government of Israel has granted a Muslim Council, Waqf, full administration of the site. Since the beginning of the Al-Aqsa Intifada in 2000, non-Muslims are barred from entering the site.
The congregation building of Al-Aqsa Mosque is referred to as Jami al-Masjid al-Aqsa or al-Masjid al-Qibli. The term al-Masjid Al-Aqsa proper is the general and oldest name for the precinct of al-Haram al-Qudsi al-Sharif. The name al-Haram al-Qudsi al-Sharif was coined later by the Mamluks.
The historical significance of Al-Aqsa Mosque is further emphasised by the fact that Muslims used to turn towards Al-Haram al-Sharif when they prayed. As it was the place at which Muhammad performed the first commanded prayer after Isra and Mi'raj, it became the qibla (direction) that Muslims faced during prayer and continued to be so for sixteen or seventeen months. After a revelation recorded in the Qur'an the qibla was then turned towards Mecca.
