After the death of Moses, Joshua led the Israelite tribes in the conquest of Canaan and distributed its lands to the 12 tribes. His story is mentioned in the Old Testament Book of Joshua. The First Fall God sent many Prophets to warn the Israelite kings of the destruction that would come their way if they didn’t return to Him in worship and obedience. Due to continued idolatry and syncretism (mixing elements of true and false worship), failing to honor the covenant the Israelites made with God, and allegedly burning their sons and daughters as offerings and the practice of divination and sorcery, among other sins, divine wrath first ap- peared in the form of Babylonian forces marching into Judah in 604 B.C. The armies of Nebuchadnezzar entered the Holy City on March 15, 597 B.C., and plundered the Temple of Solomon. The wall of Jerusalem was breached on July 9, 587 B.C. Nebuchadnezzar decided to make an exam- ple of the city, and his orders were carried out with cruel thoroughness.

The city walls were demolished. The Temple and the palace were stripped of all valuables and burned to the ground. Thousands were killed, and a large part of the population was taken as captives to Babylonia, more than 500 miles away. The kingdom of Judah itself became a Babylonian province, which presented at that time a deeply scarred look. Everywhere, towns were ransacked and burned, crops destroyed, and villages deserted. The following ayah elucidates this brief history, “Hence when the prediction of the first of those two (periods of iniquity and decline) came true, We roused against you servants of Ours of great might who ravaged (your) country, and so the prediction was fulfilled.” (al-Isra’, 17:5) The Second Rise 4 The Israelites while in captivity repented and God’s mercy came in the shape of Cyrus, king of Persia, who, brought the Babylonian Empire to her knees in 539 B.C. The very next year, Cyrus authorized the Jews in Mesopotamia to return to Jerusalem and rebuild their Temple at the expense of the royal treasury. The sec- ond Temple was completed in 515 B.C. “But then (after your repentance) We allowed you to prevail against your enemy and increased you in wealth and offspring and made you greater in number.” (al-Isra’, 17:6) The Israelites lived in prosperity and were informed, “If you act rightly, it is for your own good, but if you do wrong, it is to your own loss…” (al- Isra’, 17:7) The Second Fall The Israelites zeal and commitment to God began to fade with the passage of time. The love of God was gradually and eventually replaced by the love of the material comforts and possessions.

The spirit of worship of the One God turned into empty forms of rituals, and moral and ethical values declined. The Roman General and political leader, Pompey, who took on the Seleucids in Syria was called to settle internal conflicts by the Jewish people who were fighting over the control of Judah. Pompey decides to take the Holy City by force. Thousands of Jews were killed during the three-month long siege of Jerusalem. Pom- pey breaks into the walls of Jerusalem. After desecrating the temple, Pompey allows the priests to continue their religious practices in the temple. The Romans occupied Jerusalem and the Jewish people had to accept the terms of Rome.

They became a province of the Roman Empire in 64 BC. A century later, in 70 CE, the Romans under the Roman General Titus, and later Emperor, ransacked the city of Jerusalem and destroyed the second temple in retaliation for an ongoing Jewish revolt. Although Jews continued to inhabit the city, at the end of the Bar Kokhba revolt in 135 CE, many of the Jewish people were massacred and Jews were banned from living inside Jerusalem. Indeed, a scriptural prophecy fulfilled, “…And when the prediction of the last (of those two periods of iniqui- ty and decline) came true, (We permitted your enemies, the Romans) to disfigure your faces and to enter the masjid (temple of Solomon) just as they entered it the first time and utterly destroy whatever fell into their power.” (al-Isra’, 17:7) For centuries Jews lived in diaspora. It was during the reign of Omar (RA) in 638 CE, Jewish families were allowed to return to Jerusalem and live in the city. “And We decreed to the Children of Israel in the Scripture, that you will cause corruption (and disorder) twice on Earth, and that you will rise to a great height.” (al-‘Isra, 17:4)

The last statement of the ayah, “and that you will rise to a great height,” or to become elated with extreme arrogance, is what we see today, world domination through the control of media, social media, entertain- ment, political and economic policies. In terms of the plight of the Palestinians, the Zionist regime is oppres- sive. They have no regards for human rights and dozens of UN resolutions for breach of the peace and/or acts of aggression are ignored. Sadly, Jerusalem, the city that was besieged by the Muslims in 636 A.D. and was offered to Omar (RA) by the Patriarch Sophronius, was captured by the Zionists in 1967. Israel’s annexation of occupied Palestinian East Jerusalem is declared illegal by the international communi- ty, including UN Security Council Resolutions 478 (Jerusalem). In 2017, former President Donald Trump, in a historic move officially recognized Jerusalem as the capital of Israel.

In case one wonders how Jerusalem vis-à-vis Palestine was lost to the Zionists, the colonial powers with the aid and influence of the Zionist agenda who saw the Ottomans crumble from within seized an opportunity to not only destroy the institution of the Ottoman Caliphate but pave the way to the creation of the State of Isra- el in Palestine in 1948. And in 1967 it gained East Jerusalem in the Six-Day war with Arab states. 5 The rise and fall of Bani Israel’s discourse ends with, “It is still possible that your Lord may show mercy to you but if you return (to sinning) We will return (to chastising). Indeed, We made Hell a prison for the disbelievers. Surely, this Qur’an guides to that which is most upright and gives the believers who do good deeds glad tidings that for them is a great reward.” (al-Isra’, 17:8,9) The conflict between Israel and Palestine is not only political, but also religious. It is a conflict over land. The following verses from the Bible among other verses are usually cited to claim the land of Palestinians. Genesis 15:7 of the Old Testament explains, “He also said to him, ‘I am the Lord who brought you from Ur of the Chal- deans to give you this land to possess.’” Also, “On that day the Lord made a covenant with Abram and said, ‘To your descendants I give this land, from the Wadi of Egypt to the great river, the Euphrates.’” (15:18)

Similarly, chapter 17 of Genesis asserts, “I will establish my covenant as an everlasting covenant between me and you and your descendants after you for the generations to come, to be your God and the God of your de- scendants after you. The whole land of Canaan, where you now reside as a foreigner, I will give as an everlasting possession to you and your descendants after you; and I will be their God.” (Genesis 17:7-8) The conflict is indeed over land and the Zionist regime’s plan is to control not only Palestine but the entire region between the Euphrates in Iraq all the way to the Nile river in Egypt. They desire to destroy Masjd al-Aqsa and rebuild their temple that was destroyed two millenniums ago. The architectural plans for the reconstruction of Temple Solomon are ready to be executed. The recent attacks on worshippers and the provocations at Masjid al-Aqsa is not the first time and will not be the last. The exercise of attacking the masjid is partly to see the response of the Palestinians, original inhabitants of Palestine and the ummah, Muslims at large. Facts reveal that neither the natives of the land, the Palestinians, nor the ummah have forgotten about the al-Aqsa mosque and the Holy Land. The believers are ready to sacrifice themselves for the protection and preservation of the third holy and sacred mosque, masjid al-Aqsa. Facts also reveal that the oppression of the Zionist regime will not endure. There is a shift in public opinion partly due to independent media and social media. The world is wit- nessing the oppression of the regime and the plight of the oppressed Palestinians, and people of conscience around the world are rising in solidarity with these oppressed. The provocations at Masjid al-Aqsa are a rehearsal for the final show.

The Zionists who are bent upon executing their plan have an option; either turn to righteousness and seek peace with the Palestinians, return the stolen lands beyond the Green Line, pre 1967 border, to their rightful owners, and allow the return of Palestinian refugees to their homeland or else face the final blow. “It is still possible that your Lord may show mercy to you but if you return (to sinning) We will return (to chastising). Surat al-Isra ends with a profound conclusion. “Thereafter, We said unto the Children of Israel: Dwell in the land; but when the last (akhira) of the warnings comes to pass, We shall bring you as a crowd gathered out of various nations.” (al-Isra’, 17:104) Most exegetes of the Quran understand the statement, “the last (akhira) of the warnings,” to mean the hereafter. There are, however, some scholars who have a different interpretation. “The last (akhira) of the warnings,” is understood to mean when Isa (Jesus) returns to earth. The current situation in Palestine and the influx of Jews coming from all over the world to settle in Palestine could be an indication of the end of times and the great war between Truth and Falsehood that will soon take place. Soon is subjective. It could mean years, decades or centuries, God only knows. However, such a claim may be considered as a divine prophecy waiting to be fulfilled.

Oppression is a great sin. The Jews must take lessons from their own history. When they were oppressed under the Egyptian Pharaohs, God stood by the side of the oppressed and eventually liberated them as they enjoyed God’s blessings in the form of security and prosperity. However, when the oppressed becomes the oppressor, God’s manner doesn’t change. He (SWT) remains on the side of the oppressed regardless of who it is. “Never will you find a change to the way of Allah and you will never find any deviation of Allah’s way (of deal- ing).” (Fatir, 35:43) 6 Additionally, the Divine axiom regarding land is, “And, certainly, We wrote down in the Psalms as We did in (earlier) Scripture: ‘My righteous servants will inherit the land.’” (al-Anbiya’, 21:105) We must do whatever we can within our means to ensure Masjid al-Aqsa remains standing until Judgment Day. Jerusalem is ours and we will defend it forever. The Masjid is our third holiest Masjid after Masjid al-Haram in Makkah and the Prophet’s Masjid in Madinah. Muslims and people of conscience are speaking in one voice, “End the apartheid state.” Apartheid is legalized systemic oppression of a racial or cultural group. Call it what it is. Israel is an apartheid state. Human rights watch and Betselem, a Jewish human rights organiza- tion, have called it apartheid. The Irish government has called it apartheid. Jimmy Carter called it an apartheid state. Politicians here and abroad are calling it an apartheid state. It is an apartheid state. May Allah (SWT) save and protect the Palestinians and all people; the souls of the Jewish, Christian, Muslim and all people are precious and sacred. May there be an end to the oppression and bloodshed in Palestine and may our Masjid remain standing until the end of time, Ameen. END

Abdullah Ibn Masoud (RAA) reports, “The Messenger of Allah said, ‘Never had Allah sent a Prophet before me to a nation who had not among his people disciples and companions who hold unto his tradition and carry out his directive. Then, they were succeeded by their descendants who preached what they did not practice and practiced what they were not commanded to do. Whoever strives against them with his hand is a believer, whoever strives against them with his tongue is a believer, and whoever strives against them with his heart is a believer, and beyond that there is no faith not even (the weight of) a mustard seed.’” (Muslim) Therefore, let us take heed and do what we can, individually and collectively, to uphold our duty of enjoining good and forbidding evil solely for the pleasure of Allah and the good of people. To be effective in carrying out this duty, one must take heed of the following: 1) One must be pious, upright, God fearing and possess good character. 4 2)

Sincerity: One must be genuine in his/her endeavor and the motive must always be for the sake and pleasure of Allah and out of love for His servants, not for any worldly gain and/or fame. 3) One must possess the basic knowledge of the Lawful and the Unlawful (halal and haram). The Messenger of Allah states, “Verily, the lawful is clear and the unlawful is clear, and between the two of them are doubtful matters about which many people do not know…” (Bukhari and Muslim) Common Muslims may exercise forbidding the wrong on trivial prohibitions such as cheating, stealing, drinking, gambling, illicit relationships, etc., however, one should not get involved with issues of jurisprudential nature (fiqh issues). Concerns of such nature should be deferred to trained jurists and scholars. 4) One needs to be wise in his/her approach. Although it is a duty, it must be carried out in the most gentle and kind way to ensure good results. The prophetic approach is, “Make things easy and do not make things difficult. Give glad tidings and do not frighten them away.” (Bukhari & Muslim) Use persuasion over arguments and begin with the way the Prophet would when addressing Muslims, “O Muaz, I love you for the sake of Allah…” It is important to win the heart of the person you are addressing in order to achieve good results. 5)

One needs to be patient. This work requires much patience. Results are in the hands of Allah. One must endure the negative reaction be it verbal or physical coming from the person one is trying to correct. Pay heed to Luqman’s golden advice to his son, “O my dear son! Keep up the prayer; command what is right; forbid what is wrong; and bear with patience whatever befalls you. Surely, these matters require great resolve.” (Luqman, 30:17) 6) Remain connected with Allah (SWT) for there is a direct connection between prayers and the noble duty of enjoining what is right and forbidding the wrong. The best way to remain connected with and seek Allah’s help is through the daily obligatory and supererogatory prayers. The Prophet (SAW) said, “The servant is closest to his Lord during prostration, so increase your supplications therein.” 7) Remember you are on the truth (haq), never surrender or reconcile with injustice, wrong and oppression (batil). Always pray that Allah (SWT) gives you tawfeeq and accepts your noble actions. May Allah (SWT) enable us to uphold the duty of enjoining good and forbidding wrong, ameen.

The souls will return to the grave for the final exam. A good soul will have no problem answering simple questions such as who is your Lord? Who is your Prophet? And, what is your Book? As simple as they may sound, a wicked soul that lived in rebel- lion against Allah (SWT) will have a terrible time in the grave and will not be able to answer the posed ques- tions. May Allah (SWT) bestow His Mercy upon all of us, ameen. We must recognize that people take nothing with them to their graves. We learn through a prophetic 3 saying, “When a man dies, his deeds come to an end except for three things, perpetual charity (Sadaqah Jari- yah); knowledge which is beneficial; or a righteous descendant who prays for him (the deceased).” Such admonitions remind us that we should hasten in performing good deeds lest our time expire and our book of deeds be closed forever. The Prophet (SAW) in a hadith said, “An intelligent wise person is one who controls his desires (nafs) and works for that which come after death.” The following admonition speaks volumes, “O you who believe! Be mindful of God, and let every soul look to what it sends for tomorrow (Day of Judgment) and fear God, for God is well aware of everything you do.” (al-Hasr, 59:18) Indeed, “Every soul shall taste death and you will be paid in full (but) only on the Day of Resurrection. Whoever is kept away from the Fire and admitted to Paradise will have triumphed.

The present world is only an illusory pleasure.” (Aal Imran, 3:185) Death is an inescapable reality that everyone must acknowledge. What are we to do about it? How are we going to prepare for it? We should be ready for what is to come after death i.e. the afterlife, resurrection, and Judgment Day. The Messenger of Allah (SAW) in his first public speech stressed, “By Allah! You will die just as you sleep, and you will be resurrected just as you wake up from sleep. You will be recompensed on account of what you do, earning good for good and evil for evil. Verily, it is either Paradise for eternity or the Fire for eternity.” May Allah (SWT) make our good deeds heavy on the Day of Judgment and bestow His Grace and Mercy on all of us, ameen.

          The League or Pact of the Virtuous, hilf al-Fudul, as it is called, is a great example of cooperating with non-Muslims on matters of justice. The Prophet (SAW), in his youth, was present in the house of Abdullah Ibn Jud’an where tribe leaders met and agreed basically on two main clauses. One; respect the principle of Justice and two; collectively intervene in conflicts to establish Justice. The pact was written and placed in the Ka’bah believing that God will protect the pact. Years later, the Prophet (SAW) in his admiration of the pact recalls, (on the authority of Aisha), “I witnessed in the house of Jud’an the pact of al-Fudul and if I were to be invited today (after the establishment of Islam) I would respond.”

The Qur’an and the Sunnah makes it clear that civic engagement with non-Muslims upholding universal values that include freedom, equality and justice and cooperating with them on matters of goodness is a religious obligation. Allah (SWT) commands, “Cooperate with each other in (matters of) goodness and righteousness, and do not cooperate with one another in sin and hostility. And Fear Allah, indeed Allah is severe in punishment.” (al-Ma’idah, 5:2)

And we too must respond to any form of alliance with non-Muslims as long as the objectives and the means to achieving the goals do not contravene the basic teachings of Islam.

With the ongoing ambush on Muslims and Islam in the West and America in particular, Muslims must rise to defend themselves and the faith they claim. We, as Muslims from across the globe residing in America, must come together for the sake of our religion and the future of our children. Challenges are inevitable. However, they can be overcome if we have the desire to civically engage. The Prophet (SAW) sought the support of non-Muslims. We have no choice but to work with and build alliances with individuals and organizations who are sympathetic to our cause and are willing to stand by our side. We must have a clear agenda that addresses the challenges we face today.