EP 12: Peace in United Jerusalem
So far, the Battle of Yarmouk helped the Muslims spread Islam peacefully in Syria,
Lebanon, and Jordan. Now there were two major places that were
left - Egypt and Palestine. Since Palestine was closer, they decided to go there first,
specifically Jerusalem. At that point, the Muslims were very strong, and the people of Jerusalem
already liked Islam. But the Roman soldiers and some Christian leaders did not like the Muslims.
Caliph Umar (r) ordered the Muslim army not to have any war in that holy land. Muslims very much
respected Jerusalem as their holy land, because Allah (SWT) sent many, many prophets in that land.
Even the Muslims' first prayer direction was to Jerusalem. Prophet Muhammad
(s) was taken to the 7th sky during the night of the Miraj from this holy land.
In order to have a peaceful agreement with the Christian Roman soldiers of Jerusalem,
the Muslims were waiting around 4 months outside the town. It was hard for the Muslims,
but still, they decided not to attack the holy land because Islam always wants peace.
The leader of Jerusalem became very surprised to see the Muslim’s kindness to the Christian
people. They started to think that King Heraclius was the one that was very bad.
He was the one who forced the poor people to pay high taxes and did not give them any
freedom of religion. They were thinking that God was picking the Muslims to rule this holy land.
So, the leaders of Jerusalem were ready to make a peace agreement with the Muslims.
Normally, the commanders in chiefs are the ones who usually sign peace agreements. But
they wanted Caliph Umar (r) to sign the peace agreement and give him the key
to this holy land. Right away, commander in chief Abu Ubaidah sent a letter to Medina.
Some of Umar's (r) advisors told him not to go to Jerusalem. Ali (r) was very smart and intelligent,
and he advised Umar (r) to go to Jerusalem because that was a holy land for all Muslims,
Christians, and even Jews. If the caliph goes there, the different religious people would feel
safe. They would know that the caliph was on their side even though they follow a different religion.
Umar (r) liked Ali (r)'s advice and started his journey to the holy city of Jerusalem.
Even though by this time the Muslims became very powerful, Umar (r) traveled in an extremely
simple way. For his journey, the caliph of Islam only took a camel, some barley for food,
a wooden cup, and a servant. The journey from Medina to Jerusalem was very long.
Umar (r) was on top of the camel but when he realized that his servant was getting tired from
walking in the hot desert sun, immediately Caliph Umar (r) got down from the camel and told the
servant to ride on the camel instead. The servant was shocked to see how the caliph of Islam, or the
king of Muslim Ummah, was giving such respect to a servant. During their entire journey, Umar (r)
and the servant took turns riding the camel. When they were close to Jerusalem, it was the servant's
turn to ride the camel. The servant felt really bad and requested Umar (r) to ride the camel.
But Caliph Umar (r) said it was the servant's turn, so the servant should ride the camel.
The people of Jerusalem and the Christian leaders were waiting to welcome the most powerful Muslim
leader or king. They saw two people were coming, one was walking, and another was riding a camel.
They thought the servant was the Caliph. When Muslim commanders Abu Ubaidah and Khalid bin
Walid were showing respect to the person who was walking, the people of Jerusalem were confused.
They could not recognize the Muslims' most powerful leader.
They were surprised to see how a leader or the king had such simple clothes and best behavior.
They were really happy to have such a leader. Outside of the city, Umar (r) signed the peace
agreement. He promised the people of Jerusalem that they could live peacefully and safely.
They would have the freedom of religion, keep their lands, keep their churches, and all of
their religious items were safe. Finally, in the year 637, Caliph Umar (r) entered the holy city
of Jerusalem. The Christian leader or priest welcomed and gave him the key to Jerusalem. When
the Christian leader saw Umar (r)'s simple clothes and politeness, he understood the greatness of the
Muslim leader and gave him the highest level of respect. He showed Umar (r) all around the city
and took him to their holy Church. The Christian leader offered him to pray in their Church.
Umar (r) thought if he prayed inside the holy Church, many years later,
some Muslims might break the peace agreement and take away the Church from the Christians.
So, to protect the Christian holy place, he did not pray there but still respected the place
very much. The Christian leader was shocked at the Muslims’ kindness and understood the
situation. He then took Umar (r) to the famous place, the Bait-ul-Muqaddas, which was the
direction where the Muslims used to pray during the beginning of Islam. But unfortunately, it was
ruined by the Roman soldiers because remember, they did not have the freedom of religion.
Seeing that place, the Muslims became very sad. Umar (r) started to pick up the rocks
and clean the place. The Christian leader was shocked again to see the leader of the Muslim
world picking up the pieces and cleaning the area. In a short time, the Muslims cleaned the place and
called the Athan for prayer. The Muslims' eyes were filled with tears of joy and happiness and
thanked Allah (SWT) in their prayer. After all, this was the 3rd most Islamic holy place.
The first one is Makkah where the Kabbah is, the second is Medina, where the prophet’s mosque is,
and this was the third place, the Bait-ul-Muqaddas.
For many years only Christians were allowed to live in Jerusalem. But after the Muslims
were in control of Jerusalem, Umar (r) allowed everyone, the Muslims, Christians,
and the Jews to live in that place and practice their own religion. It was a very emotional day
for the Jews because, for almost 500 years, the Christians were very cruel and bad to the Jews.
But under the Muslims' rule, the Jews finally were able to live peacefully
and practice their religion in Jerusalem. Alhamdulilah, under Caliph Umar (r),
the Muslims, Christians, and the Jews lived peacefully together in Jerusalem, the holy city.