300,000 attend Ramadan overnight prayers at Al-Aksa Mosque

Over 300,000 Muslims from east Jerusalem, the West Bank and several countries peacefully gathered overnight Wednesday at Al-Aksa Mosque on the Temple Mount to observe Laylat al-Qadr, one of Ramadan’s holiest nights. Based on Muslim liturgy, prayer on the holy night is said to be better than 1,000 months of prayers due to “the abundance […]

Over 300,000 Muslims from east Jerusalem, the West Bank and several countries peacefully gathered overnight Wednesday at Al-Aksa Mosque on the Temple Mount to observe Laylat al-Qadr, one of Ramadan’s holiest nights.

Based on Muslim liturgy, prayer on the holy night is said to be better than 1,000 months of prayers due to “the abundance of mercy and blessings shown by Allah” during a time when the Qur’an was first revealed to the Prophet Muhammad. Al-Aksa Mosque is the third holiest site in Islam after Mecca and Medina in Saudi Arabia.

According to the Jordanian Islamic Wakf, which administers the contested holy site, parishioners ascended the compound from Malaysia, Turkey, South Africa, France, Russia, the United Kingdom, Jordan and Indonesia.

During a sermon, Sheikh Omar Kiswani, the mosque’s director, said the masses of worshipers who attended the overnight prayers “confirms to the entire world that they came here to reaffirm the Islamic nature of this mosque and defend it,” WAFA reported.

Police have implemented enhanced security measures for the final Friday prayers at Al-Aksa Mosque, one week after a terrorist murdered female Border Police officer St.-Sgt-Maj. Hadas Malka, 23, by Damascus Gate. (jpost.com)