A Miracle: The Story of Isa ibn Maryam - Hanifa Rahman
A blessed woman with a blessed baby in a blessed land…
The Messenger of Allah, peace and blessings be upon him, told us, 'The Prophets built the Sacred House (Masjid Al-Aqsa) and the Prophets lived therein. There is not a single handspan of space in it except that a Prophet has prayed there or an angel has stood' – Tirmidhi
The people of Palestine tell us they will fight to the death for their land.
The land of Baytul Maqdis has been blessed since the time Prophet Adam (AS) laid the first foundations of Masjid Al-Aqsa. Through the centuries, Prophets have visited, settled or been buried in this blessed land. In the case of Prophet Isa (AS) it was where he was born, where he preached and where he was raised up to the heavens. It shall also be the place where he shall one day descend insha’Allah. The sacred land is also the birth place of his blessed mother, Maryam (AS).
A Prophet! A Miracle!
A sign from Allah.
What a blessing! A mercy!
to the people of al-Aqsa.
The land of Baytul Maqdis plays a significant role from the beginning of time as it does to this present day. From being the first qiblah, to the place of ascension on the night of Mi’raj, to the references made in the Holy Quran; it is no wonder that much discord surrounds this land and no wonder that the Muslims are determined to protect it.
Exalted is He who took His Servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Seeing. (Surah Isra: 1)
The sanctity of this land is not missed in the story, ‘A Miracle’. In fact it is intertwined in the tale of its luscious lands, bearing date and olive trees. With its rich culture and heritage woven into its very fabric; indeed Palestine holds a legacy which no tyrant is capable of erasing.
As we currently witness the reprehensible acts of violation of the sacred land and its people - on an unimaginable scale - we hold firm, as did our pious predecessors, to the belief that Masjid al-Aqsa will return to its rightful owners, will continue to exist and will remain virtuous and blessed.
You shall find in ‘A Miracle’ a depiction of this same message of hope and faith which the people of Palestine still carry today: that as much as they suffer hardship and loss, these noble people remain rooted in their faith – much like the foundations of Masjid al-Aqsa, first laid down by Prophet Adam (AS). We marvel at this majestic masjid which still stands firm in all its glory, awaiting the miraculous coming of Prophet Isa (AS) once again.
From the prayer of Maryam’s mother, Hannah
and the miraculous birth of Maryam’s son,
Allah’s plan is always destined;
to the day we shall see Prophet Isa’s return.
A Miracle The Story of Isa ibn Maryam (AS) by Hanifa Rahman
