“And, in the Book, We declared to the children of Isra’il: ‘You will surely spread disorder on the earth twice, and you will surely show arrogance, a great arrogance. So, when came the time appointed for the first of the two, We sent upon you some servants belonging to us having strong aggressive power, who combed through the houses. And it was a promise bound to be fulfilled. Then We gave you your turn to overpower them, and increased your strength with wealth and sons, and made you greater in number. If you do good, you will do it for yourselves, and if you do evil, it will be for you, too. Later, when came the time appointed for the second, (We sent others) so that they spoil your faces, and so that they enter into the Mosque as the former ones had entered it the first time and destroy what they overpower, totally. Maybe your Lord would bestow mercy upon you. And if you do this again, We shall do that again. And We have made Jahannam a prison for the disbelievers. [Surah Al-Isra, Verses 4-8]

The outcome of the events mentioned above is that Allah Ta’ala decreed that the Bani Isra’il will be successful, having the best of both worlds, the material and the spiritual, as long as they continue to obey Allah. But, whenever they deviate from the dictates of Faith, they shall be put to disgrace, and they would be subjected to punishment at the hands of enemies and disbelievers. Then, not only that the enemies run over them destroying their lives and properties, but it would also happen that their Qiblah, their sacred Baytul-maqdis, would also not remain safe against the onslaught of that enemy. Their disbelieving enemies will barge into the Mosque of Baytul-maqdis and defile and damage it. This too will be a part of the punishment of Bani Isra’il themselves.

The Holy Qur’an has told us about two events relating to them. The first one dates back to the time of Mosaic religious law while the second pertains to the Christian. During both these periods, the Bani Isra’il rebelled against the divine law of the time. In the first case, a disbelieving Magian monarch was made to sit over them, and Baytul-maqdis, who brought great destruction upon them. In the second case, a Roman emperor was set against them who killed and pillaged and made Baytul-maqdis all demolished and rendered desolate. Along with this description, it has also been mentioned that the Bani Isra’il – when, on both occasions, they repented from their misdeeds resolving not to go near them again – Allah Ta’ala reinstated their country, wealth, and children.

After having mentioned these two events, Allah Ta’ala declared His Law in such matters by saying: (If you do this again, We shall do that again – 8). This law which means – ‘if you return to disobedience and contumacy, We shall, once again, make a similar penalty and punishment zoom back upon you’ – has been declared as valid right through the last day of Qiyamah. That its addressees were the people of Bani Isra’il who were present during the blessed time of the Holy Prophet serves as a reminder to them. It is being pointed out to them that they should not forget that they were seized by divine punishment twice when they had first opposed the code of Sayyidna Musa, and then the code of Sayyidna Isa.

Now this was the period of the Code of Laws brought by the Holy Prophet. This was a period that would continue up to the Last Day. Let them, therefore, realize that the fate of those who choose to be hostile to it will turn out to be no different. Consequently, this has actually happened. These people became hostile to Islam and the religious code of laws brought by the Holy Prophet. When they did that, they were expelled and disgraced at the hands of Muslims, and finally Baytul-maqdis, their Qiblah, too came under Muslim control. However, the only difference was that their past conquering kings had treated them disgracefully and had desecrated their Qiblah too. Now when Muslims took over Baytul-maqdis, they reconstructed the great Mosque of al-Quds ash-Sharif which had been demolished and desolate for centuries, and thereby reinstated the honour and reverence of the Qiblah of prophets.

The Events of Bani Isra’il are a Lesson for Muslims and What Has Happened to Baytul-maqdis in Our Time is a Part of the Same Chain. Obviously, the purpose of narrating these events relating to the Bani Isra’il in the Qur’an and making Muslims listen to them is to let Muslims understand that there are no exceptions to this divine law. Be it this mortal world or the eternal universe of their Faith, their honor and ascendancy, possessions, and wealth are inseparably tied with obedience to Allah. Whenever they veer away from their obedience to Allah and the Holy Prophet, their enemies and disbelieving tyrants of all sorts shall be empowered to prevail over them. When this happens, the desecration of their places of worship will also not remain too far.

The calamity of the Jewish usurpation of Baytul-maqdis in our time and the added sacrilege of setting fire to it have thrown the world of Islam into acute anxiety. In reality, it is confirming the Qur’an. Muslims forgot Allah and His Rasul, ignored the life waiting for them in the Hereafter, and opted to scrounge for their share in the glamour and grandeur of the mortal world. When they became aliens to the dictates of the Qur’an, and Sunnah, the same divine law stood activated before them.