By Today is Friday, the Neighborly Day. As we (Muslims) prepare for Jumu’ah today, I anticipate most sermons (Khutbahs) will be dedicated to Hajj and Eidu Adha ahead in few weeks.
This brings me to the point I would like to highlight on this Neighborly Day. Hajj Takes place in Makkah. Edul Adha is connected to Prophet Ibraheem, HS. So the pinnacle of religious connections for Muslims is entering the Ka’aba in Makkah and Prophet’s Mosque in Madinah, two places that had proud, thriving Jewish residents in the past and are now places for Muslims only.
As of today, the following are true:
1. There are 57 nations in the Organization for Islamic Cooperation (OIC).
2. There are 22 nations in the Arab League
3. There are over 1.5 billion Muslims
4. Makkah is now exclusive to Muslims
5. There are less than 20 million Jews in the world
6. The only place they can proudly, religiously, culturally, ethnically and collectively call home is Israel. And
7. The pinnacle of Jewish connections to their heritage is Jerusalem, which the Holy Qu’ran confirmed in the following Verse: Remember Moses said to his people: “O my people! Call in remembrance the favour of Allah unto you, when He produced prophets among you, made you kings, and gave you what He had not given to any other among the peoples. O my people! Enter the holy land which Allah hath assigned unto you, and turn not back ignominiously, for then will ye be overthrown, to your own ruin.” 5:20-21
The neighborly question to my Muslim brothers and sister is, why can’t the Jews have the same feeling entering Jerusalem as Muslims do entering Makkah and Madinah? Happy Neighborly Day! #neighborlyday #lovingforliving #theholyland