Third Temple & Its Destruction by an Islamic Army

The Quran in a couple of ayahs of Surah Bani Israel clearly implies that Israelis will commit aggression and corruption in the holy land and will be punished exactly as their predecessors experienced during the 1st and 2nd temple. For those who are unaware, 1st & 2nd Temple is commonly referred to the two times that Israelis in their history build their temple and state, and twice both were destroyed due to the divine punishment. Despite having all blessings, revelation and prophets to guide them, they abused their political authority, continuously disobeyed Allah ﷻ and spread corruption in the holy land, exactly as they are doing today, and so they were punished. In both instances of divine punishment, it was an invasion from an enemy that was mighty in warfare, which attacked Israel, killed thousands of them and took thousands as prisoners. This writing aims to briefly explain how the 1st and 2nd temple happened and how today's Zionist Israel with its existing behavior will face a 3rd divine punishment, another army, in the light of Quran and the prophetic predictions.

It should also be noted that Surah Bani Bani Israel begins with an invitation to Prophet Muhammad ﷺ to visit Masjid al Aqsa during the famous event of Isra Wa'al Mi'raj (Al Quran 17:01) “Exalted is He who took His Servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haram (in Makkah) to al-Masjid al- Aqsa (in Jerusalem)..." - The first part of the journey includes his visit to Al Aqsa where he led all prophets and messengers that came before him as an Imam in salah (prayer) which signifies his leadership status among them. It was during the 2nd part when he ascended the heavens and knowledge of the future of Islam and the world was revealed to him. He learned about Dajjal, the false messiah, who will be a powerful Jewish leader of a Jewish state, and he also met Isa ibn Maryam, the real messiah, who will descend to kill the false messiah,. This is important to keep in mind as a major Zionist plan is to demolish Al Aqsa and build a Jewish temple over it, called the third temple which will usher in the messiah that they are waiting for.

The First Temple Period

The First Temple period was considered to be a golden age of the Jews that began around 1000 till 920 BCE when Kingdom of Israel, under the authority of Prophet Sueliman (alaihi salaam), for the first time built its temple on the holy site of where Masjid Al Aqsa stands today. It was during these years that Israel reached the zenith of its territorial size and political power, enjoying an era of peace and affluence. Their kingdom stretched from river Nile (Egypt) to river Euphrates (Iraq). After death of Prophet Sueliman (alaihi salaam) their decline began when the Kingdom was divided among the twelve tribes in to 2 states: Northern Kingdom ruled by ten tribes with its capital in Samaria and Kingdom of Judah in the South ruled by 2 tribes with its capital and temple in Jerusalem. The Israelis became politically weak due to internal strifes, they adopted idol-worship, transgressed the divine law, becoming more and more corrupt with every passing generation. This is recorded in the Bible when Prophet Isaiah (alaihi salaam) rose and tried to reform them during the period 740 - 700 BCE. His prophecies and warning are following:

You sinful nation, a people weighed down with iniquity,
a race of evildoers, children whose lives are depraved,
who have deserted the Lord, spurned the Holy One of Israel,
and turned your backs on him!
Why do you invite more punishment, why persist in your
defection? (Book of Isaiah 1:4,5)

Then came Prophet Jeremiah (alaihi salaam), who also tried to shake his people out of their perverted ways, idolatry, and apostasy, during the period 627- 587 BCE. He met with an intense opposition from a society that was addicted to corrupt ways.

but when you entered my land you defiled it
and made loathsome the home I gave you.
The priests no longer asked, ‘Where is the Lord?’
Those who handled the law had no real knowledge of me,
the shepherds of the people rebelled against me (Book of Jeremiah 2)

Israel, I am bringing against you a distant nation,
an ancient people established long ago, says the Lord…..
….They will beat down with the sword
the walled cities in which you trust (Book of Jeremiah 5:15–17)

The distant nation warned by Prophet Jeremiah (alaihi salaam) was the Babylonian Army under king Nebuchadnezzar II that attacked the Kingdom of Judah, destroyed Jerusalem and temple, killed thousands and took thousands as prisoners to Babylonia. The Quran reminds the modern Israelis of that punishment: (Al Quran 17:4–5) And We warned the Children of Israel in the Scripture, “You will certainly cause corruption in the land twice, and you will become extremely arrogant. When the first of the two warnings would come to pass, We would send against you some of Our servants of great might, who would ravage your homes. This would be a warning fulfilled.

The Second Temple Period

During their exile and imprisonment in Babylonia they repented and Allah ﷻ accepted and allowed them to return to the holy land. This period is called the 2nd Temple which started with their return during the reign of Cyrus, the Persian emperor, who assisted them in resettlement and rebuilding their temple, as confirmed in the Quran: (Al Quran 17:6) Then after your repentance We would give you the upper hand over them and aid you with wealth and offspring, causing you to outnumber them.

Then it was during Prophet Isa ibn Maryam (alaihi salaam) time that the Israelis fell from Allah’s grace once again. They adopted the paganist practices of the Greek, once again committing injustice and corruption in the holy land. Prophet Isa (alaihi salaam) warned them about their perverted ways, to give up sinful and unethical practices, to repent with the true spirit of repentance, and purify themselves from all spiritual and moral corruption. He severely criticized the pretentious religiosity, the emphasis on hollow legal rituals, and their adherence to the letter of the law with no regard to its spirit --

“You snakes! You brood of vipers!
How will you escape being condemned to hell?
Therefore I am sending you prophets and sages and teachers.
Some of them you will kill and crucify;
others you will flog in your synagogues and
pursue from town to town. And so upon you
will come all the righteous blood that has been
shed on earth, from the blood of righteous Abel
to the blood of Zechariah son of Berekiah, whom
you murdered between the temple and the altar.
…You clean the outside of the cup and dish,
but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. (Book of Matthew 23)

But the Israelis did not heed and even tried to kill Prophet Isa (alaihi salaam), but Allah ﷻ saved him by raising him alive to return in the end of times. Allah ﷻ then sent destruction over them in the form of Roman armies that attacked Jerusalem under the generalship of Titus in 70 CE and destroyed the city and the temple. The loss of life among the Jews was incredibly high, as 133 thousand are reported to have been killed in Jerusalem alone. Thousands were made slaves, starved to death etc. Allah ﷻ reminds them of this: (Al Quran 17:7) And when the second warning would come to pass, your enemies would be left to totally disgrace you and enter the Temple of Jerusalem as they (their predecessors) entered it the first time, and utterly destroy whatever would fall into their hands.

​Third Temple & Its Destruction by an Islamic Army – Are Zionists Planning to build one over Masjid Al Aqsa?

And so Allah ﷻ reminds the Bani Israel how their criminal behavior in the holy land caused two instances of great divine punishments, and in both cases it was a powerful army that attacked and decimated their rule. Then, further in the same set of ayahs Allah ﷻ warns: (Al Quran 17:8) Perhaps your Lord will have mercy on you if you repent, but if you return to sin, We will return to punishment (by sending another army).

Hence it is in the background of the Bani Israeli history, the Bible and the what is mentioned in the Quran that we believe punishment on them will return as they break the law of God, if they don’t repent from their corrupt and unjust ways, if they do not stop oppressing and massacring the innocent Muslims living under their authority in the holy land. The ayah number 8 confirms what Prophet Muhammad ﷺ said about the Muslims fighting and defeating Jews in the last hour: “The last hour would not come unless the Muslims will fight against the Jews and the Muslims would kill them until the Jews would hide themselves behind a stone or a tree and a stone or a tree would say: "Muslim, or the servant of Allah, there is a Jew behind me; come and kill him"; but the tree Gharqad would not say, for it is the tree of the Jews.” (Sahih Muslim 2922). With Zionist Israel's more than 70 years brutal occupation of holy land, their suppression of the rights of Palestinians and their killing and ethnic cleansing, in addition to military threat it poses to regional Muslim states, this prophecy is as true as a daylight today. In Islamic history Jews were never fought by Muslims except for a few battles during the Prophet’s time 14 centuries back. For almost entire Islamic history, Jews have lived under Muslims peacefully. They sought shelter with us in Islamic Spain and Ottoman Empire, escaping European persecution. The following 2 narrations inform us about the Islamic army that would come for the assistance of the Arab Muslims fighting the Israelis, the Prophet ﷺ said "Black standards will come from Khurasan, nothing shall turn them back until they are planted in Jerusalem." (Tirmidhi 2269) and "Armies emerging from the East shall advance, and after conquering one country after another, they shall help and strengthen the authority of Mahdi.” (Ibn Majah) - These 2 narrations speak about an army from the East i.e. Khurasaan, the historic land that lies somewhere in between modern-day Iran, Afghanistan, Pakistan. They will be under the command of Imam Mahdi (alaihi salaam), a descendant of the Prophet ﷺ. These narrations are very important, especially in the light of the 1979 Islamic revolution and uprising in Iran which actively opposes Zionism and supports Palestinian cause and resistance groups such as Hezbollah, which worries Israel. Likewise, they could also imply Afghanistan, where the greatest armies of the 20th and 21st century have suffered their most astonishing defeats. The British Empire suffered defeat in the three attempts during Ango-Afghan wars. After British, the USSR Soviet Union and USA/NATO, despite their technological superiority, have suffered defeat in the last 40 years by the resistance and struggle of the Afghans. Today, it is this land where Islamic Emirate of the Taliban movement is struggling for the establishment of a government that will be purely based on Islam, for which the world powers, in particular the West, is trying its best to stop from happening. The recent 20 year struggle of the Taliban movement might bear the fruit of an upcoming regional Islamic force that will shape history. To understand the genesis of an upcoming Islamic State please read: US Withdrawal from Afghanistan & the Resurgence of Taliban - Islamic Emirate in the Heart of Asia

Hence, these prophetic narrations inform us that first, the Jews committing oppression will be dealt with and killed. Secondly, the Muslim army that would come to rescue their Arab brothers and attack Zionist Israel will be the end of that monstrous regime in the Middle East. As per late Dr. Israar Ahmed, the famous 20th century Pakistan Islamic philosopher & theologian, a primary Zionist agenda is the formation of a Greater Israel on the footsteps of 1st Temple era of Prophet Suleiman (alaihi salaam), whose borders stretched from River Euphrates (Iraq) to River Nile (Egypt), and rebuilding of a third temple on the site of Bayt Al Maqdis or Masjid Al Aqsa. Therefore, we see Israeli illegal settlements and forceful expulsions of Palestinians continuing in Occupied East Jerusalem (such as Sheikh Jarrah incident) which also houses Masjid Al Aqsa. The attack and takeover of Al Aqsa by Israeli occupied forces this Ramadaan, barring Muslim worship and forcing Israeli settlers inside the masjid, are seen as gradual steps towards their ultimate demolition plan. This is essential for the completion of a Jewish state as envisioned and planned by the “Elders of Zion” with the emergence of political Zionism of Theodore Herzel in 1897. As per CJPME report on ‘Jewish Terrorism under British Mandate’ ultra-nationalist Zionist organizations from early 1930s and 1940s, that assisted in displacing and massacres of indigenous Palestinians, voiced their support of a Greater Israel. Zionist militant groups such as Irgun (Etzel), the Haganah, the Lehi, Stern Gang, by Avraham Stern noted for “Eighteen Principles of National Renewal” articulated a Jewish state from Nile to Euphrates. After creation of Israel in 1948 these groups and their leadership joined the mainstream politics and Israeli military, some even served as Prime Ministers and many continue to serve the Zionist ambition. In fact, in 1984 one of the affiliated Zionist group even attempted to blow up the Dome of the Rock and initiate the construction of the Third Temple. This belief of a Greater Israel and rebuilding of the 3rd temple actually lies in traditional Judaism which Zionism has hijacked for their own ultra-nationalist agenda. Traditional Judaic belief says not to rebel against the divinely decreed exile from the land that began after 2nd Temple and being patient because the Kingdom of Israel for all Jews would not be restored till advent of Messiah. Since Zionism is now claiming to lead the fulfillment of that agenda for all Jews contrary to the non-violent Judiac belief, and if they succeeded then we realize that the Messiah they will introduce will be none other than Al Masih Al Dajjal – the False Messiah, a Jewish leader as prophesied for us in hadith. After the arrival of Dajjal, Isa ibn Maryam (alaihi salaam), the Real Messiah (Al Quran 3:45 calls him Messiah) will descend for the assistance of the people of Ash Shaam (includes Palestinian territories), especially for those living around Bayt Al Maqdis. This fight between truth vs falsehood supports the prophecy of an Islamic army from the East or Khurasaan, attacking Israel and destroying the 3rd Temple. Prophet Muhammad ﷺ informed us about the honorable status of these Muslims living around the Bayt Al Maqdis and their divine assistance from Isa (alaihi salaam), Imam Mahdi (alaihi salaam) and their army: “There will always be a party from my Ummah triumphant upon the Truth, victorious over their enemies; there will be no harm from those who oppose them and they will not be harmed until the order of Allah comes and they will be like that [victorious].' They (companions) asked ‘Messenger of Allah! Where are they?’ He replied, “’In Bayt al-Maqdis and the precincts of Bayt al-Maqdis’…” (recorded in Ahmad & Al Mujam Al Kabir) – The “until the order of Allah ﷻ comes” is the descent of Isa ibn Maryam (alaihi salaam) as mentioned in another hadith on the same topic: “A party of my ummah will not cease fighting for the Truth and will be victorious till the Day of Resurrection. Jesus son of Mary would then descend and their (Muslims) commander would invite him to come and lead them in prayer, but he would say: ‘No, some amongst you are commanders over some (amongst you). This is the honour from Allah for this Ummah.’” (Sahih Muslim 156)

It is these people, their commander who according to Islamic scholars is Imam Mahdi (alaihi salaam) and Isa (alaihi salaam) who will catch up with Dajjal near Ludd (Lydda), a city in Israel, and kill him there as the Prophet ﷺ also told us: “Isa bin Maryam will kill the Dajjal at the gate of Ludd.'" (Jami at-Tirmidhi 2244) With the death of this false messiah will be the end of Zionist Israel, once and for all inshA’Allah.

References:

Lessons from History, Reflections on the Past, Present, and Future of Two Muslim Communities, By Dr. Israr Ahmed, Markazi Anjuman Khuddam-ul-Qur’an Lahore

http://data.quranacademy.com/BOOKS/Tarajim/Lessons_From_History.pdf

CJPME, Jewish Terrorism Under British Mandate, Factsheet Series No. 23, March 2007, https://d3n8a8pro7vhmx.cloudfront.net/cjpme/pages/2211/attachments/original/1471975203/23-En-Jewish-Terrorism-under-British-Mandate.pdf?1471975203

www.sunnah.com - Online Hadith Database

Jewish Terrorism, History News Network, Columbian College of Arts & Sciences, by Judith Apter Klinghoffer

Bible Gateway - Online Bible

Past & Future of Palestine by Dr. Israr Ahmed. فلسطین کا ماضی اور مستقبل Quran.com - Online Quran

​As per Jews, a Jewish Third Temple belongs at the site of Al-Aqsa Mosque and process of ‘reclaiming’ it has already begun, TFI Home, Akshay Narang, 12 Aug, 2020