New Delhi, Oct 13, IRNA – In order to emphasize the historical prominence of Baitul Muqaddas, a day-long convention on “Qibla-e-Awwal and Ummat-e-Mohammadi” (First Direction of Prayer under the guidelines of Holy Prophet (PBUH)), kicked off Saturday at Constitution Club in New Delhi.

Organized by Minority Development and Protection Foundation, headed by Mohammad T Kaifi, under the patronage of Dr. Mufti Mohammad Mukarram Ahmad, Friday Prayer Leader of Masjid Fatehpuri, the convention was inaugurated by Syed Mehdi Nabizadeh, Ambassador of the Islamic Republic of Iran to India.

Prominent religious scholars, academician, and political leaders from all walks of life, attended the convention, themed the historical prominence of Baitul Muqaddas (Qibla-e-Awwal) and its pertinence to Umma-e-Mohammadi in view of its ignoble and sacrilegious usurping by the opponents of Islam.

Inaugurating the convention, Syed Mehdi Nabizadeh, the Chief Guest, said: “The Baitul Muqaddas, from the point of view of Islam, enjoys a considerable religious status and all groups, sects and Islamic ideologies are unanimous in this regard.

“Therefore, it is not a matter of surprise that all Muslims consider the defense of the Baitul Muqaddas and preservation of its precincts as well as its holy heritage to be their duty and are ready to sacrifice their life and wealth to defend it from the aggressors,” said Iranian official.

Detailing some of the religious prominence of the Baitul Muqaddas, the ambassador said: “The first thing which has been imprinted over the sentiments and the memory of the Muslims about the Baitul Muqaddas is that the Holy Prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and his disciples used to offer prayers facing their faces towards it from the time the prayer (Namaz) became compulsory in the night of meraj in the tenth year of his mission and three years before his migration from Mecca to Medina till sixteen months after the migration”.

He further said that the second image which has been imprinted upon the conscience of the Muslims is that Allah has made this land the point of the conclusion of the journey of the prophet (PBUH) towards the earth and the beginning of his journey towards the skies.

“Allah decided that the land and the night journey of the prophet (PBUH) should start from Mecca and the holy Ka’aba and should conclude in the al – Aqsa mosque. This was neither unwise nor incidental. Rather it was the plan and the wisdom of Allah that the illustrious prophet (PBUH) should meet there with other holy prophets and lead the prayers for them,” Nabizadeh underlined.

The Iranian Ambassador was of the view that in addition to the holiness and the distinguished status of the Baitul Muqaddas in the Islamic original resources, the thing which has turned the Palestine to be an important issue for the Islamic world is its occupation by the Zionism and the world imperialism and confrontation of the western world with the Islamic world. The occupation of Palestine is not merely the occupation of a land or a country. It is, in fact, the creation of an imperialist and anti – Islamic center for destruction of the Islamic world and prevention of the revival of the Islamic civilization.

From this point of view, the issue of Palestine, in addition to its religious dimensions, is deeply connected to the independence, security and national interests of all Islamic countries. On the other hand, the World Qods Day, which was started by Imam Khomeini (R.A.), is the day of the unity and solidarity of the Muslims against the Qods occupying regime. The slogan of the defense of Palestine and the Qods is an Islamic slogan, he said.

Nabizadeh maintained that the holy Qods and Palestine are the part of Islam and the Islamic society and are the inseparable and integral part of the body of Islam.

Speaking on the occasion Mufti Mukarram threw light on the history of 4000 years of the Bait-ul-Muqaddas. He condemned the Israeli efforts to turn the Bait-ul-Muqaddas into a Jew-majority area, and excavation under the Masjid-e-Aqsa.

He noted that all Muslims should hold the rope of unity strongly and avoid differences among themselves. Unity achieves meanings only when pain of the whole ummah is removed and in this regard thinking about the Baitul Muqaddas is one of the bright standards of the Islamic unity.

Addressing the convention, speakers in one voice said that the Baitul Muqaddas issue is not only a Palestinian issue; it is a global issue. They insisted that all Muslims should support the innocent Palestinian nation and foster unity among themselves for the liberation of Palestine and take back Baitul Muqaddas (First Qibla) from the hands of the Zionist tyrants.