As Israel is defending its land and people against the unprovoked attacks by terrorist group Hamas, there is a certain section of Islamists in India who are posting provocative messages proclaiming ‘Quds’ as a site belonging to ‘them’. Quds is the Arabic name for Jerusalem, which is the holy site for Jews, Christians and Muslims.
Indian Islamists are trending a hashtag Quds_हमारा_है on the social media platforms. Interestingly, several Islamists political parties have also jumped in to earn brownie points using the trend.
One Tipu Sultan Party tweeted, “The biggest mistake of Arab was to give Jews a place to live in Palestine.”
The biggest mistake of Arab was to give Jews a place to live in Palestine.#Quds_हमारा_है
— Tipu Sultan Party ٹیپو سلطان پارٹی (@TSP4India) May 18, 2021
It must be noted that Jerusalem is currently in Israel and Palestine has also laid claims on it.
One Md Zahid had quoted AAP leader Amanatullah Khan and wrote, “We will cut off every nefarious hand that rises towards Masjid-e-Aqsa, remembering that Masjid-e-Aqsa is not a building, it is our heartbeat.” It has to be noted while Aam Aadmi Party’s leader had not used the hashtag, his tweet that was quoted by Zahid was inflammatory. He wrote, “We are against the persecution on Palestine, the way Israel is destroying innocent lives by bombing the people of Palestine. It is intolerable. These anti-Islam forces will be destroyed one day.”
मस्जिद ए अक्सा की तरफ उठने वाले हर नापाक हाथ को हम काट डालेंगे, ये याद रखना मस्जिद ए अक्सा कोई इमारत नहीं है, ये हमारे दिलों धडकने वाली धडकन है।जब तक ये है तो हम हैं अगर ये नहीं तो हम भी नहीं!#Quds_हमारा_है https://t.co/sOzuBuEATg pic.twitter.com/ypkEZRKWrP
— Md Zahid (@MdZahid99962077) May 19, 2021
While Quds is the Arabic name for Jerusalem, Al Aqsa mosque is also known as Al Quds. The mosque is located very close to the holy sites for Jews and Christians. The site with historical significance has often been the flashpoint in the Israel Palestine conflict including the latest one.
Another user quoted Mufti Ismail Qasmi, AIMIM MLA from Malegaon, and used the hashtag. Qasmi had posted a tweet from his unverified Twitter handle in which he urged UNO (which is now known as UN) to declare Israel a terrorist state on behalf of Demand of Darul Uloom Deoband.
#Quds_हमारा_है https://t.co/ynpRwwo3Sw
— Abu-khaula Siddiqui (@khaula_siddiqui) May 19, 2021
There are thousands of such tweets making rounds on Social media platforms.
Young men raise the flag of Palestine over a military tower of the occupation forces after violent confrontations at the Shuafat camp checkpoint in occupied Jerusalem.#GazaUnderAttackk#Quds_हमारा_है pic.twitter.com/jrxUhVzWJZ
— Detective Doo (@DooDetective) May 19, 2021
InshaAllah one day Israel and Israeli Supporters Will Meet their Fate Soon
— Armanपठान🇮🇳🇵🇸 (@Armankh09652552) May 18, 2021
Spit on you you are just 11 or 12% Of the World you all are not Humans you are Devil's
I Repeat Efffin ugly Horrible from of Humans!! #Quds_हमारा_है #IndiaStandsWithPalestine #SavePalestine #SaveGaza pic.twitter.com/tVSwe5J38e
One Twitter user Arman Pathan with Indian and Palestinian flag in his profile wished death upon Israel and supporters of Israel. “Spit on you, you are just 11 or 12# of the world, you are not humans, you are devils,” he said calling them all ‘ugly horrible form of humans’.
Today we want to tell the Jews from India that we cannot deal with the Quds at any cost, the Quds were ours, and will remain
— Muhammad Waseem Tyagi (@Muhd_Waseem1443) May 18, 2021
#Quds_हमारा_है pic.twitter.com/axePDORXEf
Some even appeared to be threatening to the Jews in India.
For we are nothing without brotherhood…
— Rizwan Haider🇮🇳 (@RizwanHaiderIND) May 18, 2021
❤️❤️🌹🌹#Quds_हमारा_है pic.twitter.com/6P6TRgdMp5
Essentially, with ‘Quds is ours’ chant, the Islamists in India are calling upon the Ummah to take over Jerusalem and rid it of Jews and Christians, who also consider the place holy.
Jerusalem
This religious divide between the Israeli Jewish people and the Palestinian Muslims stems from the fact that Jerusalem, one of the holiest sites in both Judaism and Islam remains the bone of contention behind the conflict. The Temple Mount, the holiest site in Judaism where Jews turn towards during prayer is in the Old City of Jerusalem. The Temple Mount complex is home to the Al-Aqsa Mosque, the third holiest site in Islam, the Western Wall, the holiest place where Jews are allowed to worship, and the Dome of the Rock, an Islamic shrine that is instantly recognizable because of its gold-plated dome.
Before the construction of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, there was a grand Jewish temple on the same location on the Temple Mount. This Jewish Holy Temple, called the Second Temple, was the holiest Jewish site of worship until it was destroyed by the Roman Empire in the 70 A.D. as punishment for a Jewish revolt. It was constructed in 516 BCE after the First Temple or Solomon’s temple was destroyed by the Neo-Babylonian Empire in 586 BCE. The Foundation Stone, the holiest site for the Jews at present, is located on the floor of the Dome of the Rock. It has to be noted that the Jews are not allowed to visit it as it located inside the Islamic shrine.
The Western Wall, which is now the holiest site Jews are allowed to worship due to the restrictions on entry to Temple Mount, is a remnant of the retaining wall erected by King Herod as part of the expansion of the Second Jewish Temple. There is extensive physical evidence confirming the existence of the Second Temple on Temple Mount. More about Al Aqsa can be read here.
