The History of the Children of Israel in the Holy Land
Allaah says that which translates as: “We have already written in the book [of Psalms] after the [previous] mention [i.e., in the Torah] that the land [i.e., the Holy Land of Palestine] is inherited by My righteous servants.” (Al-Anbiyaa’: 105). The children of Israel are the descendants of Prophet Ya’qoob (Jacob) who was the son of Prophet Ishaaq (Isaac), son of Prophet Ibraaheem (Abraham), peace be upon them all. Their history in the Holy land started when Prophet Ibraaheem, peace be upon him, migrated from Iraaq to Shaam (which comprises of modern day Syria, Lebanon, Palestine, Jordan and parts of Iraq and Saudi Arabia) where his son Prophet Ishaaq and grandson Prophet Ya’qoob were born.
In Shaam Ya’qoob’s two wives gave birth to twelve of his children, who he subsequently migrated with to Egypt due to Shaam being struck with famine for many years. This migration was in response to the invitation of his son Prophet Yoosuf (Joseph), peace be upon him. Allaah says that which translates as: “And when they entered upon Yoosuf, he took his parents to himself [i.e., embraced them] and said: ‘Enter Egypt, Allaah willing, safe [and secure].’” (Yoosuf: 99). The children of Israel stayed in Egypt for two hundred years and suffered from much oppression from the Pharaohs during that time.
During the end of this two-hundred year period, Allaah sent Prophet Moosaa (Moses), peace be upon him, as His messenger to Pharaoh and his people to call them to the worship of Allaah, but Pharaoh refused arrogantly. Moosaa, peace be upon him, left Egypt along with the children of Israel and headed towards the Holy Land around 1350 BC. However when Moosaa, peace be upon him, commanded the children of Israel to enter the Holy Land, they refused to fight alongside him against the polytheists who were there, as Allaah says that which translates as: “And [mention, O Muhammad], when Moses said to his people: ‘O my people, remember the favour of Allaah upon you when He appointed among you prophets and made you possessors and gave you that which He had not given anyone among the worlds. O my people, enter the Holy Land [i.e., Palestine] which Allaah has assigned to you and do not turn back [from fighting in Allaah’s cause] and [thus] become losers.’ They said: ‘O Moses, indeed within it is a people of tyrannical strength, and indeed, we will never enter it until they leave it, but if they leave it, then we will enter.’ Said two wise men from those who feared [to disobey] upon whom Allaah had bestowed favour: ‘Enter upon them through the gate, for when you have entered it, you will be predominant. And upon Allaah rely, if you should be believers.’ They said: ‘O Moses, indeed we will not enter it, ever, as long as they are within it; so go, you and your Lord, and fight. Indeed, we are remaining right here.’ [Moses] said: ‘My Lord, indeed I do not possess [i.e., control] except myself and my brother, so part us from the defiantly disobedient people.’ [Allaah] said: ‘Then indeed, it is forbidden to them for forty years [in which] they will wander throughout the land. So do not grieve over the defiantly disobedient people.’” (Al-Maa’idah: 20-26).
Therefore, as a punishment from Allaah, the children of Israel were made to wander in the desert with Moosaa, peace be upon him, for forty years. Moosaa, peace be upon him, died during this period without ever entering the Holy Land. Due to the Children of Israel being forbidden by Allaah to enter the Holy Land, Moosaa, peace be upon him, asked Allaah to allow him to be as close to it as possible; in this regard, The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “Moosaa asked Allaah to bring him within a stones throw from the Holy Land” (Bukhaari & Muslim).
After these forty years Yoosha’ Ibn Noon (Joshua), who was appointed by Moosaa, peace be upon him, as his successor, commanded the children of Israel to enter the Holy Land. This time they complied and fought against the polytheists, as the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said in regard to this: “One of the Prophets went to battle, he reached close to the place (of the enemy, i.e., Palestine) at around to the time of the ‘Asr prayer, so he looked at the sun and said, ‘You are commanded (to set) and I am commanded (to fight)’: ‘O Allaah! Stop it from setting.’ So Allaah stopped the sun from setting.” (Bukhaari).
Allaah commanded the children of Israel to enter the Holy Land while prostrating, asking forgiveness and being grateful. The Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “The children of Israel where told: “And [recall] when We said: ‘Enter this city [i.e., Jerusalem] and eat from it wherever you will in [ease and] abundance, and enter the gate bowing humbly [i.e., in gratitude to Allaah and admission of sin] and say: ‘Relieve us of our burdens [i.e., sins]. We will [then] forgive your sins for you, and We will increase the doers of good [in goodness and reward].” (Al-Baqarah: 58) but instead they entered crawling on their buttocks, saying, ‘A grain of barley.’ (something which sounds very similar to what Allaah commanded them to say, which they said in arrogance and rebellion against the command of Allaah.)” (Bukhaari). Allaah says that which translates as: “But those who wronged changed [those words] to a statement other than that which had been said to them, so We sent down upon those who wronged a punishment [i.e., plague] from the sky because they were defiantly disobeying.” (Al-Baqarah: 59).
After this, the Children of Israel lived in the Holy Land for almost four hundred years, until the Palestinian polytheists defeated them in a war. Therefore, the Children of Israel requested from one of their Prophets that he ask Allaah to send a king for them in order that they could all fight under his banner. Regarding this, Allaah says that which translates as: “And their prophet said to them: ‘Indeed, Allaah has sent to you Taaloot (Saul) as a king.’ They said ‘How can he have kingship over us while we are more worthy of kingship than him and he has not been given any measure of wealth?’ He said: ‘Indeed, Allaah has chosen him over you and has increased him abundantly in knowledge and stature. And Allaah gives His sovereignty to whom He wills. And Allaah is all-Encompassing [in favour] and Knowing.” (Al-Baqarah: 247).
After Taaloot, Prophet Daawood (David), peace be upon him, inherited the Kingdom, then his son Prophet Sulaymaan (Solomon), peace be upon him. After this, the Kingdom was divided into two; the Northern Kingdom of Israel with Nablus as its capital, which was named after Prophet Israel (Ya’qoob), peace be upon him; and the Southern Kingdom of Yahoodhaa with Jerusalem as its capital, which was named after Yahoodhaa, son of Prophet Ya’qoob, peace be upon him.
As a result of the children of Israel spreading corruption on the earth, Allaah punished them by sending Sarjoon Al-Aashoori in 721 BC who destroyed the Northern Kingdom.
In 587 BC: The king of Babylon conquered the Southern Kingdom, destroyed Jerusalem, killed many of its people and took those who where not killed as captives back to Babylon. Allaah says that which translates as: “And we conveyed to the Children of Israel in the Scripture that: ‘You will surely cause corruption on earth twice, and you will surely reach [a degree of] great haughtiness.’ So when the [time of] promise came for the first of them, We sent against you servants of Ours – those of great military might, and they probed [even] into the homes, and it was a promise fulfilled.” (Al-Israa’: 4-5).
In 538 BC: Qarroosh the Persian king allowed the Children of Israel to return to Palestine.
In 320 BC: The Children of Israel became subject to the rule of the Greeks and this continued until 63 BC.
After this, Prophet ‘Eesaa (Jesus) peace be upon him, was sent to the children of Israel confirming the messages that came before him and bringing glad tidings of a final and sealing message. Allaah says that which translates as: “And [mention] when ‘Eesaa, the son of Maryam (Mary), said: ‘O Children of Israel, indeed I am the messenger of Allaah to you confirming what came before me of the Torah and bringing good tidings of a messenger to come after me, whose name is Ahmad (i.e., the Prophet Muhammad sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam)’. But when he came to them with clear evidences, they said: ‘This is obvious magic.’” (As-Saff: 6).
‘Eesaa, peace be upon him, faced many difficulties during his mission of calling the Children of Israel to the worship of Allaah. In fact, they even plotted to murder him as they had done with other Prophets, but Allaah rescued him from them. Due to these evils, the Children of Israel became deserving of the punishment from Allaah; and His Prophets conveyed this to them. Allaah says that which translates as: “They (i.e., the Jews) have been put under humiliation [by Allaah] wherever they are overtaken, except for a rope [i.e., covenant] from Allaah and a rope [i.e., treaty] from the people [i.e., the Muslims]. And they have drawn upon themselves anger from Allaah and have been put under destitution. That is because they disbelieved in [i.e., rejected] the verses of Allaah and killed the prophets without right. That is because they disobeyed and [habitually] transgressed.” (Aal ‘Imraan: 112) and also: “…And they were covered with humiliation and poverty and returned with Anger from Allaah [upon them]. That was because they [repeatedly] disbelieved in the signs of Allaah and killed the prophets without right. That was because they disobeyed and were habitually transgressing.” (Al-Baqarah: 61) and also, “And [mention] when your Lord declared that He would surely [continue to] send upon them until the Day or Resurrection those who would afflict them with the worst torment. Indeed your Lord is swift in penalty; but indeed, He is Forgiving and Merciful.” (Al-A’raaf: 167).
Rajab 16 AH: Jerusalem came under Muslim rule and its keys where surrendered to Caliph ‘Umar ibn Al-Khattaab, may Allaah be pleased with him. Its people were given a pledge of security which had a condition requested by the Christians not to allow any of the Jews to live in Jerusalem or even enter it.
Sha’baan 492 AH: The Christian Crusaders conquered Jerusalem, entered Al-Aqsaa, desecrated it and killed nearly seventy thousand Muslims.
Rajab 583 AH: The Muslims retrieved Al-Aqsaa and Palestine remained as Muslim territory until the British captured it from the Muslims in 1923 CE, following the Second World War.
Although Palestine was under the control of Muslims from the years 583 AH until 1923 CE, many events took place during this time:
1600 CE: The Protestant Christians started stating that the Jews must return to Palestine in order to fulfil the promises in the Torah, which was considered by Oliver Cromwell to be a pre-cursor to the return of ‘Eesaa, peace be upon him. This was later confirmed by the German Protestant Paul Hoover in 1655 CE.
1799 CE: Napoleon attempted to occupy Palestine and addressed the Jews in his speech saying: “‘France is giving you the heritage of Israel (Palestine) … This is the right moment; the opportunity of regaining your rights as a nation in the world which might never reoccur in thousands of years.” Napoleon was not the only one calling for this and this effort continued and was repeated by many others.
1897 CE: In Basle, Switzerland during the Convention for Zionist Organisations led by Theodore Herzl, it was decided that a national homeland be established for all Jews in Palestine.
1901 CE: Herzl met Sultan ‘Abdul-Hameed and offered assistance to the Ottoman State during their times of turmoil, in return for the land of Palestine. The Zionists repeated this offer again in the following year but the Sultans answer was: “Advise Dr Herzl not to try again because I cannot give up even a hand-span of this land, as it is not my property. Moreover, my people fought and spilled their blood for this land… Let the Jews keep their millions; when my Empire has vanished then perhaps they will be able to occupy Palestine without having to pay any money for it, but they will have to rip our bodies into pieces first.”
1917 CE: British Foreign Secretary Arthur Balfour announced his decision to allow the Jews to establish their homeland in Palestine and said: “The promises in the Torah are worth the sacrifice of seven hundred thousand Palestinians.”
1923 CE: Palestine came under the control of Great Britain after the Ottoman army was defeated during the Second World War. Before Palestine came under the control of the British, the Jews there only numbered seventy five thousand; but afterwards, due to systematic immigration, their numbers swelled to seven hundred and fifty thousand.
Many revolutions and uprisings occurred against the Jews, like ‘Al-Buraaq’ revolution in 1929 CE but the British rulers along with the Jewish gangs that effectively ran the country defeated them. Others were led by the Mujaahid ‘Izzuddeen Al-Qassaam and his brothers in 1935 CE, and 1936-1939 CE, which was the major Palestinian revolution.
1947 CE: The Jews announced the establishment of their state in Palestine and many countries recognised this state. This was as a result of the Israeli army defeating the armies of seven Arab countries. Thereupon, the ‘Ross’ treaty was drafted and signed and the Arab armies stopped at the borders which where decided by the treaty. After this, a further two peace treaties were signed.
In 1967 CE: The Israeli forces captured the Sinai Peninsula, the Golan Heights, the West Bank of the River Jordan and Gaza. They also captured Eastern Jerusalem which contains Al-Aqsaa and the Dome of The Rock.
8/12/1987 CE: The first uprising began against Israeli occupation. During this, the martyrs numbered two thousand people, plus thirteen thousand injured.
The Future Of The Struggle Against The Jews:
The struggle against the Jews is far from over, they have gathered again in the land of Palestine just as the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam predicted when he said: “The (final) Hour will not occur until the Muslims fight the Jews, and the Jews will hide behind the rocks and the trees which will say: ‘O Muslim! O slave of Allaah! There is a Jew behind me so come and kill him, except the boxthorn (Al-Gharqad) tree, because it is a Jewish tree.” (Bukhaari & Muslim). In another narration Abu Umaamah narrated that the Prophet sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam said: “A group of my nation will continue to prevail upon the truth, defeating their enemy and not being affected by those who fight them, only being affected by the hardship which results from sickness, until the command of Allaah comes (i.e., The Final Hour) while they are still upon the same path.” His companions asked: “Where will they be?” he sallallaahu ‘alaihi wa sallam replied: “Jerusalem and its surroundings.” (Ahmad & Tabaraani).
Many Qur’aanic verses promise victory to the believers if they adhere to the commands of Allaah of supporting and protecting His religion. Allaah says that which translates as: “And Our word [i.e., decree] has already preceded for Our servants, the messengers. [That] indeed, they would be those given victory. And [that] indeed, Our soldiers [i.e., the believers] will be those who overcome.” (As-Saafaat: 171-173) and also: “Permission [to fight] has been given to those who are being fought, because they are wronged. And indeed, Allaah is competent to give them victory. [They are] those who have been evicted from their homes without right – only because they say, ‘Our Lord is Allaah.’ And was it not that Allaah checks the people, some by means of others, there would have been demolished monasteries, churches, synagogues, and mosques in which the name of Allaah is mentioned [i.e., praised]. And Allaah will surely support those who support Him [i.e., His cause]. Indeed, Allaah is Powerful and Exalted in Might.” (Al-Hajj: 39-40) and also: “Indeed, We will support Our Messengers and those who believe during the life of this world and on the Day when the witnesses will stand.” (Ghaafir: 51) and also: “If Allaah should aid you, no one can overcome you; but if He should forsake you, who is there that can aid you after Him? And upon Allaah let the believers rely.” (Aal ’Imraan: 160) and also: “… And if Allaah had willed, He could have taken vengeance upon them [Himself], but [He ordered armed struggle] to test some of you by means of others. And those who are killed in the cause of Allaah – never will He waste their deeds. He will guide them and amend their condition. And admit them to Paradise, which He has made known to them. O you who have believed, if you support Allaah, He will support you and plant firmly your feet. But those who disbelieve – for them is misery, and He will waste their deeds.” (Muhammad: 4-8).
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