By Nur Atiq Maisarah Suhaimi
KUALA LUMPUR, Aug 18 (Bernama) -- The historical status quo at the Al-Aqsa Mosque has deteriorated in recent years, with growing restrictions on Muslim worshippers and increasing challenges to the longstanding arrangement governing the holy site.
Deputy Chairman of the Islamic Waqf (endowment) Council in Jerusalem Dr Mustafa Abu Sway said Israeli security forces could be seen daily turning people away, including youngsters, women, and sometimes even the elderly, depriving them of their right to be at the mosque.
“So there is no freedom of movement, there is no freedom of worship, really, at Al-Aqsa Mosque,” he said during a live video interview from Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock on Bernama TV’s Bernama World programme recently.
He was speaking on the topic ‘Palestine Beyond The Headlines: Protecting The Sanctity And Future Of Al-Aqsa Mosque.’
Abu Sway was appointed as the first holder of the Integral Chair for the Study of Imam Ghazali’s Work at the Holy Al-Aqsa and at Al-Quds University in 2012.
In addition to the Islamic Waqf Council in Jerusalem, he is a member of the Hashemite Fund for the Restoration of Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock.
He said the historical status quo, established by a 19th-century Ottoman decree, allowed Muslim worshippers to pray at Al-Aqsa, while other communities could visit under the administration of the Islamic Awqaf, which is part of the Jordanian Ministry of Awqaf.
He said the arrangement had increasingly come under challenge since 2000, when then-Israeli opposition leader Ariel Sharon paid a contentious visit to Al-Aqsa accompanied by security forces. Abu Sway said the visit instigated the second intifada (uprising) by the Palestinians.
“Slowly, within the last few years, under the leadership of Ben-Gvir, the Israeli Minister of National Security, he did change the situation, allowing those settlers to pray.
“In fact, certain parts of the mosque are not permitted to Muslims during their incursions,” he said.
Abu Sway said the developments posed “great challenges and risks” to the historical status quo of the mosque.
“Those political leaders, whenever they would like to boost their numbers at the ballot boxes, they either do or say something irresponsible about Al-Aqsa mosque, and this is why there is a rise in those extremist elements that storm into Al-Aqsa mosque.
“There is really no recognition of Al-Aqsa mosque in their narrative. So, when they petition the Israeli High Court, there is no mention of Al-Aqsa mosque at all. They speak only about the Temple Mount. So, it is a very serious issue, and it could cause a conflict that goes beyond the region,” he said.
Abu Sway said Al-Aqsa is part of the faith and identity of Muslims worldwide, including those in Southeast Asia. It is associated with Prophet Muhammad's Isra' (night journey) from Makkah to Jerusalem. In Jerusalem, he led the other prophets in prayer at the mosque.
Abu Sway believed Malaysia can play an important role in the preservation of Al-Aqsa.
“The whole Al-Aqsa compound is part of Al-Aqsa mosque and not one specific building,” he said, adding that Muslim countries and states have a responsibility to rally behind Jordan’s Hashemite custodianship over the Muslim and Christian holy sites in Jerusalem at international forums.
“We need all the Arab and Muslim world, and in fact, the international community, to recognise the Hashemite custodianship.
“We would like to see a more active role of the Arab and Islamic countries and friendly countries for the sake of peace and stability,” he said, calling on foreign ministers and top leaders to speak about Al-Aqsa and bring the violations to a stop.
On the broader situation, Abu Sway said ending the occupation and returning to the two-state solution requires a major plan, stressing that there can be no peace without recognition of the religious, historical, and political rights of the Palestinian people.
-- BERNAMA