رد: رائد المسجد الأقصى المبارك / الشيخ رائد صلاح "
Raed Al-Aqsa ... Sheikh / Raed Salah
On the day he learned that Zionists were digging tunnels under Al-Aqsa Mosque, a pang of strong emotions hit his loving heart, towards all the holy sites, especially Al-Aqsa Mosque and he swore an oath of bravery.. an oath of honor in which he said:
"I promise myself, after I promise God Al-mighty, that I devote my life, my time, and all that I have for Jerusalem and Al-Aqsa Mosque."
Who is Raed Salah?
Raed Salah, known as "Sheikh Al-Aqsa" was born in 1958, in the village of Lajjun near the town of Umm Al-Fahm, to the north of occupied Palestine. His family had lived in that village and inherited property generation after generation, until they were forced to leave in 1948 after a bloody battle with the Zionists who destroyed their houses and seized their lands, leaving them no choice but to seek refuge in Umm Al-Fahm, hoping to return back to their village after things calm down.
However.... the stay in Umm Al-Fahm prolonged, so he lived there for most of his life. Everyone loved him for his high morals and good qualities. He is a father of eight children and belonged to the family of "Abu Shakra", which remained in the territory after the Israeli occupation's unsuccessful attempts to drive them out. Thus, he received his education in Umm Al-Fahm and then obtained a BA in Islamic Law from the University of Hebron. He then began working actively in defense of rights and the holy sites, and he adopted the ideas of the global Islamic movement, "Muslim Brotherhood". He became active in the fields of advocacy within the Green Line since he was in high school and was one of the founders of the Islamic Movement inside "Israel" in the beginning of the seventies, and is still one of its prominent leaders.
Political activity and advocacy
He ran for municipal elections in the town of Umm Al-Fahm (the largest Arab town in Israel) and won the head position 3 times, the first time being in 1989.
Sheikh Raed Salah devoted much of his attention to holy Islamic sites, such as mosques, tombs, and shrines due to Israel's deliberate attacks on them and their attempts to convert them for other purposes after expelling its inhabitants. He was elected president of Al-Aqsa Committee to preserve Islamic holy sites and has contributed effectively in the defense of the mosques in the whole territory of Palestine, and has succeeded in exposing the occupation's repeated attempts to dig beneath Al-Aqsa Mosque.
His activism in the reconstruction of Al-Aqsa Mosque and many other holy sites has heightened in 1996, and he managed to foil efforts to empty Al-Aqsa of Muslims by bringing tens of thousands of Muslims from the 48 territories to Jerusalem to pray in Al-Aqsa Mosque.
He contributed to the establishment of "Al-Aqsa Child Fund" which takes care of about 16,000 children, and he organized an international competition called "Jerusalem is in danger", which runs annually during the month of Ramadan for adults as well as children with the participation of thousands of people all over the world, in addition to "Al-Aqsa's Scientific Culture Contest".
Books by Sheikh Raed Salah
He helped in the issuance of several documentary films and wrote about Al-Aqsa Mosque:
- the film "Almoravids"
- the book "Guide to the first Qiblah"
- the book "The Basics of the Road to Al-Aqsa”
- the book "Al-Aqsa Under Seige"
He is now finished writing "The Honorable Positions" and "His Memoirs in Prison", and he also created eight poems.
Sheikh Raed Salah played a prominent role inside "Israel", where he helped organize "Al-Aqsa Fund Festival" in 2002, sparking outrage by the Israeli authorities. Moreover, Sheikh Salah's struggle and spiritual personality had a great impact on Israeli peace activist Tali Fahima's conversion to Islam.
Achievements of Sheikh Al-Aqsa...
Restoration of Al-Marwani prayer area: The prayer area, a part of Al-Aqsa Mosque, dating back to the Umayyad era, is used during certain times in the holy month of Ramadan when the worshipers overcrowd the courtyards if Al-Aqsa Mosque. It is located in the south east side of the most, underground, an area of four acres. It has faced serious erosions and contains cracks as a result of the digging carried on by the Israeli occupation, and Israel prevents any attempts at its restoration.
In the early nineties, Sheikh Raed Salah called for an initiative to reform and restore the prayer site by opening the gates, renovating Al-Aqsa and cleaning and lighting its courtyards, and installing toilet and washing units. He also worked to revive history lessons, most notably the Tuesday lecture in which 5,000 Muslims gathered weekly in Al-Aqsa Mosque to attend.
He also began collecting donations and triggered Zionist opposition to the reform process as the Zionist papers wrote that Muslims were constructing a secret mosque under Al-Aqsa. Israeli Court issued an order to stop the reform process, but these attempts did not pressure the committee and they continued the reform, saying that they have every right to work according to what they see fit for the Mosque and that it has nothing to do with a secret prayer site nor the expansion of it. It is the renovation of an already existing mosque that suffers as a result of excavations done beneath.
Although the Israeli Authorities have blocked much of the restoration procedures and has repeatedly threatened to cut off water from the prayer site, and has done so a few times, the Aqsa Foundation has completed a great portion of the work and worked on opening it in October of 1996.
The Israelis came up with a new campaign after the opening of the prayer site and worked on it from different angles. They began by linking the chapel with the tunnel, and then established a synagogue on the site, sparking anger and rejection from the Islamic movement and leading them to conduct a ceremony for opening the prayer site and the declaration of the intention of completing the renovation. They resumed work in 1999 and when Ehud Olmert issued a decision that they stop the renovation, they refused saying that it was solely their business what they decide to do in the holy site.
When the committee decided to open an emergency gate in the prayer site during the end of 1999, Israeli groups threatened to launch mass protests which will not cease until those gates or the mosque itself is closed. Once again, the committee faced Israeli pressure, a major reason for the need to complete the restoration of the Islamic site.
Shaikh Raed Salah Quotes
- “We are certain that final outcome will be in favor of the pious and just, and soon we will celebrate the end of occupation of Al-Quds and Al-Aqsa”.
- “Lantern oil runs out, what burns oil may run out, but we say let’s light Al-Aqsa with our blood, for our blood will never run out”.
- “I vow myself after vowing Allah to give my life and time and all I possess for the sake of Al Quds and Al Aqsa mosque”.
- “It never ceases to amaze me that the Arab and Islamic worlds have yet to use any of the cards they have at their disposal. I personally cannot find an answer”.
- “As long as Al Quds is in danger, we shall never sleep. As long as Al Aqsa is in danger, we shall never sleep. How can he sleep who is promised the joyous celebration and certain victory?”.
- “We shall remain so long as the wild herbs and olives remain”.
- “If they force us to choose between martyrdom in vicinity of Al Quds and relinquishing al Aqsa then we welcome death in the neighborhoods of Al Quds”.
- “Muslims and Arabs have not yet risen to challenge although they do have many cards at their disposal that can give them strong leverage on “Israeli” occupation” .
Famous incidents from Shaikh Raed’s past
This incident caused Shaikh Raed to famously say: “Bring your gaze over to us, our brothers and sisters, and observe our Quds with its history and present and new dawn!! Bring your gaze over to the lonely Aqsa!! And repeat with me a fearless scream: As long as Al Quds is in danger, then we shall not sleep, and as long as Al Aqsa in danger then we shall not sleep, for how can he sleep who is promised the joyous celebration and certain victory?”
On May 31, 2010 Shaikh Raed Salah participated in the Freedom flotilla aimed at breaking the brutal siege of Gaza. The flotilla endured an act of maritime piracy in international waters committed by “Israeli” warships. The heinous attack left 16 unarmed activists dead and more than 38 injured. Shaikh Raed was captured with others following an unsuccessful assassination attempt when the flotilla was forced to dock in Asdood port on June 1 2010. His trial was subsequently extended for a week.
Arrests and sentences spent in occupation jails
Shaikh Raed once said, “We enter prison pleaed to be alone with Allah spending days fasting and nights supplicating. We will enter prison to moment of peace of mind and prayer.” These were not merely words but rather a reflection of his faith and sacrifice for the sake of defending Islamic holy sites.
Accused of resisting occupation, Shaikh Al Aqsa was first arrested in 1981 following his graduation from Shariah college. Upon his release he continued to be harassed and lived under house arrest. He was barred from pursuing a career in education, and was forced to partake in private businesses.
After attempting to storm Al Aqsa mosque and stoking Palestinian anger and setting off the second Intifada, the “Israelis” intensified their official and unofficial campaigns targeting Shaikh Raed Salah. They accused him of terrorism, and being a threat to national security, and subjected him to harsh police questioning methods, and barred him from traveling outside occupied Palestine and from participating in educational and academic events.
In 2002, the newspaper “Voice of Truth and Freedom”, which Shaikh Raed founded, was shut down for exposing “Israeli” crimes against Islamic holy sites in the occupied territories.
In 2003, Shaikh Al Aqsa was arrested in an operation carried out by over a thousand special unit officer, as well as the internal intelligence chief and interior minister and other high ranking government officials. The arrest lasted until 2005, and his trial gained the attention of international media and raised the profile of the Islamic movement’s cause. The ordeal was seen by the group as an attempt to put Islamic values and the Quran on trial, and to destroy the cornerstones of Islam and undermine its holy sites.
In 2009, the Shaikh was sentenced to 9 months in prison, and an additional 6 months on hold for the accusation of protesting. The Zionist court also ordered him to pay a heavy fine to the police. Commenting on the sentence, Shaikh Raed said, “If the ‘Israeli’ establishment makes us choose between going to prison or surrendering our right to defend Al Aqsa, then we welcome prison.”
In 2010 and from Ramla prison, the Zionist courts refused the appeal motion filed by the Shaikh’s lawyer, and sentenced him to 5 months of prison for the Magharba Door incident from early 2007 .He was released on Sunday 12/12/2010, he was out the prison for short time.
On 22/2/2011 , occupation arrested Shiekh Raed Salah when he was at sit-in tent in Albustan district in Silwan town which is at the center of Jerusalem .he was arrested till the occupation released him on Wednesday 02/03/2011 but in house arrest without any activities
.
And Shaikh Al Aqsa is still confined in house arrest today.
And while Shaikh Raed Salah confronts his captivity with his head held high, his warning still rings true, “Al Aqsa is in danger” in hope that it might awaken the Islamic nation and its leaders from their slumber.
For you Shaikh Al Aqsa we send our peace greetings and pray for you remain steadfast |