MUSLIM TOURISM
May 2023
MUSLIM TOURISM IN THE HOLY LAND
An introduction to the must-see sites that every Muslim will want to visit during his or her visit to the Holy Land
F rom its earliest days, the Land of Israel has been a center of pilgrimage for followers of the religion of Islam. Jerusalem is the third holiest city for the Muslim believer (after Mecca and Medina). According to belief, the Prophet Muhammad ascended to heaven from Jerusalem, and Israel is mentioned several times in the Qur’an as the “Blessed Land” or the “Holy Land”. These beliefs, along with our
region’s rich history spanning thousands of years for the followers of Islam, blend in harmoniously with heritage sites rooted in religious and cultural tradition. As mentioned, these sites and the rich history make Israel an extraordinary and invaluable destination for the approximately 900 million Muslims scattered around the world. In order to simplify the fascinating task of searching for the holy places of Islam throughout Israel, we have
compiled for you some of the prominent places that you must visit during your visit— and the sooner the better! So come on! Are you ready? Let’s get started! Al-Aqsa Mosque - Jerusalem The Al-Aqsa mosque is one of the most revered mosques for members of the Muslim religion (second only to the Al-Haram Mosque in Mecca, and the Mosque of the Prophet in Israel). Al-Aqsa is
located in the southern part of the Temple Mount, near the Solomon Stables. The mosque is considered sacred given that its name appears in the Qur’an in verses describing the nocturnal journey that Muhammad made to heaven with the angel Gabriel, from the “central” Mecca to the “far- end” Jerusalem. In this sense, Islam defines the mosque as the edge of the “sacred world,” since Muhammad reached as far as it. Al Aqsa was first established
Israel Travel News • 3
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