اسلام اور یہودیت میں ارض مقدس کی حیثیت: مسئلہ فلسطین کے تناظر میں ایک تحقیقی وتاریخی مطالعہ

The Position of Sacred Land in Islam and Judaism: A Historical and Analytical Study in the Context of Palestinian Conflict

Abstract

This study explores the religious‑theological and historical grounds through which the land of Palestine — most notably Jerusalem and its sacred precincts — attains sanctity in both the Islamic and Judaic traditions. In Islamic discourse, Palestine is celebrated as a “blessed and sacred land,” deeply tied to prophetic history: it is identified as the land of many prophets (e.g. Ibrāhīm, Mūsā, ʿĪsā, among others) and consecrated by the presence of Al-Aqsa Mosque and Dome of the Rock — the site from which the Night Journey (Isrāʾ and Miʿrāj) of Muhammad is believed to have begun.From the Judaic perspective, the same geography is viewed as the divinely promised heritage for the descendants of Abraham: the “Promised Land.” The Hebrew Bible and related sacred texts ascribe to it a covenantal, historical, and messianic significance, with Jerusalem — and sites such as the  location of the ancient temples and the western retaining wall (the Western Wall) — forming the axis of Jewish spiritual and national identity. The analysis demonstrates that understanding the Palestinian conflict only through legal, political or territorial frameworks neglects the central role of sacred‑land theology and history. Genuine discourse on reconciliation, justice, and lasting peace requires acknowledging and engaging with the multilayered religious‑historical dimensions of the dispute.