been driven out of their homes. Both the Al - Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock had sustained damage from the crossfire of mortars and bombs.

The Israelis commenced on their plans for the capture of Al - Quds. Their opportunity to do so finally arrive in the year 1967. On 7th June, the Israelis took Al - Quds. The over taking the Al - Aqsa Mosque by the Jews was called the 'Six Day War' as it lasted only for six days. Israeli tanks and soldiers entered the Noble Sanctuary. Jerusalem was seized. With the capture of East Jerusalem, all of the elements seemed to be in place for the realization of the Zionist national dream, the rebuilding of the second temple.

The only hitch to their dream is due to the international recognition of the Muslims right to the existence of the Al - Aqsa Mosque and of the Dome of the Rock. Seeking to establish the principle of the Noble Sanctuary as a place of Jewish worship, extremist groups began performing Jewish prayer ceremonies in the area of the Sanctuary.

Fearing retribution from the Muslim world, the Attorney General banned such acts in the spring of 1969. Four months later the entire south wing of the Al - Aqsa Mosque was destroyed by fire. The parts; the Qiblah wall, mihraab and dome, in which was custom build by Nuradeen over seven hundred years earlier; installed by Salahudeen Ayubi in the twelfth century (when the crusaders were driven out), were all destroyed. Upon investigation, an Australian visitor was arrested that night for starting the blaze. An Israeli court ruled that the Australian could not be held responsible for his actions due to mental imbalance. After treatment in Israel, he returned to Australia.

Two decades later, work on the restoration of the damage caused by this fire continued with the support of Muslims from around the world. Although the work has won numerous international awards for excellence, the restoration has, nonetheless, disrupted worship in Al - Aqsa since 1969.

Courtesy of: Nurul Atiqah