Jerusalem's Importance in Early Islam
Everyone has heard the familiar mantra— Jerusalem is the center of the three monotheistic religions: Judaism, Christianity, and Islam. It begs the questions, what are the various claims to the ancient city and how does one weigh these claims to the holiest place in Judaism and the third holiest site in Islam?
The purpose of this paper is to examine Jerusalem’s importance in early Islam by focusing on the historical, religious, and political contexts. In order to draw conclusions one must focus on the historical context that gave rise to the religion. The methods used for drawing a conclusion include exploring scholarly historical, political and religious discourse, comparing the texts of the Qur˒ān with the texts of the Old and New Testament, and examining the relevant Hadiths (Islamic oral tradition).
The purpose of this paper is to examine Jerusalem’s importance in early Islam by focusing on the historical, religious, and political contexts. In order to draw conclusions one must focus on the historical context that gave rise to the religion. The methods used for drawing a conclusion include exploring scholarly historical, political and religious discourse, comparing the texts of the Qur˒ān with the texts of the Old and New Testament, and examining the relevant Hadiths (Islamic oral tradition).
