
Muslims flock to Al-Aqsa to pray on the night of Qadr
Last Updated on April 7, 2024 3:43 am
On the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan and the night of Qadr (the 27th night of Ramadan), about 200,000 worshipers performed Isha and Taraweeh prayers at Al-Aqsa Mosque. Worshipers participate despite Israel’s strict security restrictions and large military deployments.
According to a report by the Palestinian news agency Wafa, April 5 was the last Friday of the holy month of Ramadan and the night of Lailatul Qadr. About 200,000 Muslims gathered at Al-Aqsa Mosque to perform Isha and Taraweeh prayers on this night, the best of a thousand years.
Al Aqsa Mosque is the third holiest place for Muslims around the world. And to the Jews it is also a holy place. To them it is known as ‘Temple Mount’. As a result, Al-Aqsa has become one of the focal points of the conflict between Palestine and Israel for ages.
Since Friday morning, Israeli forces have imposed strict restrictions on access to the holy mosque. Palestinian Muslims from the occupied West Bank are not allowed to enter Jerusalem. After verifying the identity cards of young Muslims from the Old City of Jerusalem, the Israeli forces turned many of them back. As a result, many people could not pray at Al-Aqsa.
Wafa also reported that Israeli forces turned away dozens of elderly worshipers at the Qalandiya and Bethlehem checkpoints on the pretext that they did not have the necessary Israeli permits to enter Jerusalem. In addition, the Israeli police have strengthened the police presence in the Old City and surrounding areas. On that day, around 3,600 heavily armed police officers were deployed in the Old City of Jerusalem and surrounding areas, and many roads around the Old City were closed.