When A Lie Is Repeated Often Enough, Eventually Most Everyone Believes It

By Peter A. Baum

Mar 15, 2024

Jerusalem is never mentioned in the Koran.

However, Jerusalem is mentioned 669 times in the Old Testament and if one considers the use of the word 'Zion', which sometimes means Jerusalem or Land of Israel, then add another 154 to the 669 mentions.

Jerusalem is always cited in Jewish prayers, grace after meals, the Passover Festival ending festivals, and funerals.

It has no such significance in Islam as the place is ignored in all similar Palestinian rituals.

Paradoxically Muslims turn their backs on Jerusalem when they pray - a sign of contempt.

This is a result of Mohammed trying to get Jews to convert to Islam.

He failed as though many pretended to convert to stop paying taxes (it was not allowed for Muslims to take taxes from other Muslims) but secretly retained their Judaism.

Thus the Quib'la or direction of prayer which for some 9 months instructed Muslims to face Jerusalem was scornfully overturned (Sura 2.14 [archive]).

The world at large is convinced that irrespective of the above, Jerusalem is considered Islam’s 3rd holiest city citing a ridiculously tenuous connection to an event that never even happened.

Editor’s note: In other words, people believe a myth as truth mostly due to not undertaking due diligence, questioning the validity of the resources, and doing their research. This is not the only myth we believe as the truth today and we are not in the only time in history where people believe a myth is the truth.

Historical Timeline Conflicts

In the Koran (Sura 17:1 [archive]), the Night Journey describes the prophet Mohammed’s ascent to heaven supposedly from the 'Sacred Mosque' (Mecca) to the 'Furthest Mosque'.

After years of spouting lies and, or successful propaganda and public relations it is now generally assumed that the Furthest Mosque is the Al Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem.

This is impossible based on a simple, documented historical timeline…

Mohammed died in 632 CE
the Al Aqsa Mosque was built between 705 and 715 CE

So, whatever Mosque the alleged night journey assumed was the 'The Furthest Mosque' it was certainly not a Mosque in Jerusalem for that Mosque - ‘The Al Aqsa Mosque’ - did not exist during Mohammed’s lifetime.

Indeed the first historical extant inscriptions of Koran 17.1, the Night Journey, date from as late as the 11th Century [archive].

Jerusalem was never an Arab capital even during Islamic control over the City.

Indeed there are numerous accounts from writers and biographers throughout history, from the 7th century to the late 19th century…

Bishop Arculf
Thomas Shaw
Count Constantine
Flaubert
Melville
Thackeray
Twain

And many others, all who wrote of Jerusalem's dilapidated state during those times when under direct Islamic control.

Historically Islam allowed Jerusalem to deteriorate during every period in history when Islamic rule controlled the City

Jerusalem was not even mentioned in the PLO Charter of 1964 [archive] which verifies beyond any reasonable doubt that the Palestinians have no religious nor historical claims they currently profess to have for East Jerusalem being the capital city of any future Palestinian state.

Linguistics

Language too disproves and debunks the Palestinian claims.

The current Arabic word for Jerusalem is Al Quds but Al Quds is an abbreviation for The Jewish Temple.

Al Quds is an abbreviated version of an Arab name used for Jerusalem, Bayt al Maqdes translated means The Holy House.

In Arabic, this is a direct translation and enunciation of the Hebrew Beyt ha- Mikdash or The Holy Temple.

Islam has never had a Temple, only the Jews.

Thus the Arabic name for Jerusalem has no connection to Mohammed’s heavenly ascendancy but refers to the Jewish Temple.

Even during the Jordanian occupation between 1948 and 1967, not one Arab Head of State visited Jerusalem.

Moreover, the Hashemites made a concerted effort to diminish the importance of Jerusalem in favor of Amman the Hashemite capital city.

All Government Offices, save Tourism, were closed and moved to Amman and even Political and Religious institutional offices were closed and removed to Amman.

These included The Arab Higher Committee, The Supreme Muslim Council, and The Treasury of the Waqf and Religious Endowment.

It is an undeniable historical fact that Jerusalem was Israel's capital 2500 years before Islam originated.

The very notion that Palestinians have any claim is mythological nonsense.

There are many recent instances of Palestinians defiling the carpets, furniture, belongings, and artifacts in the Mosque on the Temple Mount.

Irrespective of one’s religion, places of worship are treated with respect unless you have no respect or connection to the place of worship.

The many instances of Palestinian lack of respect for this Mosque is simply that there is nothing holy to them at this site.

They are fully aware that it is the place where the Jewish Temple once stood - it being located on the Temple Mount which was originally called Bayt al Maqdes meaning built on the Mikdash - the Jewish Holy Temple.

Even the Qur’an Says Islam Has No Claim to Jerusalem

And isn’t it ironic that the following Koranic Suras refer to Israel's claim to Jerusalem and by any scholarly interpretation make it abundantly clear that Islam has no claim?

The most obvious being

17.104 - And We said to the Children of Israel after Pharaoh, “Reside in the land, but when the promise of the Hereafter comes to pass, We will bring you all together.”
5.20 - And ˹remember˺ when Moses said to his people, “O my people! Remember Allah’s favours upon you when He raised prophets from among you, made you sovereign, and gave you what He had never given anyone in the world.
59.2 - He is the One Who expelled the disbelievers of the People of the Book from their homes for ˹their˺ first banishment ˹ever˺. You never thought they would go. And they thought their strongholds would put them out of Allah’s reach. But ˹the decree of˺ Allah came upon them from where they never expected. And He cast horror into their hearts so they destroyed their houses with their own hands and the hands of the believers.¹ So take a lesson ˹from this˺, O people of insight!

others being…

2.40 - O children of Israel! Remember My favours upon you. Fulfil your covenant and I will fulfil Mine, and stand in awe of Me ˹alone˺.
2.47 - O Children of Israel! Remember ˹all˺ the favours I granted you and how I honoured you above the others.
2.63 - And ˹remember˺ when We took a covenant from you and raised the mountain above you ˹saying˺, “Hold firmly to that ˹Scripture˺ which We have given you and observe its teachings so perhaps you will become mindful ˹of Allah˺.”
2.65 - You are already aware of those of you who broke the Sabbath. We said to them, “Be disgraced apes!”
2.83 - And ˹remember˺ when We took a covenant from the children of Israel ˹stating˺, “Worship none but Allah; be kind to parents, relatives, orphans and the needy; speak kindly to people; establish prayer; and pay alms-tax.” But you ˹Israelites˺ turned away—except for a few of you—and were indifferent.
2. 85 - But here you are, killing each other and expelling some of your people from their homes, aiding one another in sin and aggression; and when those ˹expelled˺ come to you as captives, you still ransom them—though expelling them was unlawful for you. Do you believe in some of the Scripture and reject the rest? Is there any reward for those who do so among you other than disgrace in this worldly life and being subjected to the harshest punishment on the Day of Judgment? For Allah is never unaware of what you do.
2. 87 - Indeed, We gave Moses the Book and sent after him successive messengers. And We gave Jesus, son of Mary, clear proofs and supported him with the holy spirit. Why is it that every time a messenger comes to you ˹Israelites˺ with something you do not like, you become arrogant, rejecting some and killing others?
2.121/2 - Those We have given the Book follow it as it should be followed. It is they who ˹truly˺ believe in it. As for those who reject it, it is they who are the losers. O Children of Israel! Remember My favours upon you and how I honoured you above the others.
3.187 - ˹Remember, O Prophet,˺ when Allah took the covenant of those who were given the Scripture to make it known to people and not hide it, yet they cast it behind their backs and traded it for a fleeting gain. What a miserable profit!
5.7 - Remember Allah’s favour upon you and the covenant He made with you when you said, “We hear and obey.” And be mindful of Allah. Surely Allah knows best what is ˹hidden˺ in the heart.
5.12 - Allah made a covenant with the Children of Israel and appointed twelve leaders from among them and ˹then˺ said, “I am truly with you. If you establish prayer, pay alms-tax, believe in My messengers, support them, and lend to Allah a good loan, I will certainly forgive your sins and admit you into Gardens under which rivers flow. And whoever among you disbelieves afterwards has truly strayed from the Right Way.”
7.159 - There are some among the people of Moses who guide with the truth and establish justice accordingly.
14.6-7 - ˹Consider˺ when Moses said to his people, “Remember Allah’s favour upon you when He rescued you from the people of Pharaoh, who afflicted you with dreadful torment—slaughtering your sons and keeping your women. That was a severe test from your Lord. And ˹remember˺ when your Lord proclaimed, ‘If you are grateful, I will certainly give you more. But if you are ungrateful, surely My punishment is severe.’”
28.32-33 - Now put your hand through ˹the opening of˺ your collar, it will come out ˹shining˺ white, unblemished. And cross your arms tightly to calm your fears. These are two proofs from your Lord to Pharaoh and his chiefs. They have truly been a rebellious people.” Moses appealed, “My Lord! I have indeed killed a man from them, so I fear they may kill me.
45.17 - We ˹also˺ gave them clear commandments regarding ˹their˺ faith. But it was not until knowledge came to them that they differed out of mutual envy. Surely your Lord will judge between them on the Day of Judgment regarding their differences.
57.26 - And indeed, We sent Noah and Abraham and reserved prophethood and revelation for their descendants. Some of them are ˹rightly˺ guided, while most are rebellious.

As established from the above, one can see that the Islamic connection and claim to any part of Jerusalem is a myth that has been eagerly promoted and exacerbated for political and land grab purposes.

Unfortunately, Israel and her supporters have been overwhelmed by an opposition only too willing to exploit such myths and a silent uninformed majority who through inertia, ignorance, and bigotry have expanded the myth to Israel’s detriment.

The above are just a few important examples of how lies, if told enough times morph into facts.

top image credit: An aerial view of the Temple Mount in Jerusalem, and much of Jerusalem's Old City (Andrew Shiva/Wikipedia).