In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salÄmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullÄhi wa-barakÄtuh (Peace, Blessings & Mercy of Allah be upon You).
This statement is being issued on the 07th of December 2017 and supersedes all previous statements on the subject.
سÙبۡØَـٰنَ ٱلَّذÙىٓ أَسۡرَىٰ بÙعَبۡدÙÙ‡ÙÛ¦ لَيۡلاً۬ مّÙÙ†ÙŽ ٱلۡمَسۡجÙد٠ٱلۡØَرَام٠إÙÙ„ÙŽÙ‰ ٱلۡمَسۡجÙد٠ٱلۡأَقۡصَا ٱلَّذÙÙ‰ بَـٰرَكۡنَا ØÙŽÙˆÛ¡Ù„ÙŽÙ‡Ù Û¥ Ù„ÙÙ†ÙرÙÙŠÙŽÙ‡Ù Û¥ Ù…ÙÙ†Û¡ ءَايَـٰتÙنَآۚ Ø¥Ùنَّه٠ۥ Ù‡ÙÙˆÙŽ ٱلسَّمÙيع٠ٱلۡبَصÙيرÙ
[17:1] Exalted is He who took His Servant by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al- Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Seeing.
Al-Quds (Jerusalem) is one of the most holiest cities of Islam and we agree with the MCB that this sends a clear message of hostility to the Muslims around the world. This is not a Middle east or an Arab-Israeli issue but it is an issue which affects over a billion Muslims, worldwide.
We also echo the sentiments of Justin Welby (Archbishop of Canterbury), “The status quo of the City of Jerusalem is one of the few stable elements of hope for peace and reconciliation for Christians, Jews and Muslims in the Holy Lands. Pray for the peace of Jerusalem.”
We also note that that local churches in Jerusalem have advised President Trump to maintain the International status of Jerusalem.
We put forth that this step by the Trump Administration is in violation of UN Security Council Resolutions 242 (1967), 338 (1973), 446 (1979), 452 (1979), 465 (1980), 476 (1980), 478 (1980), 1397 (2002), 1515 (2003), 1850 (2008) and 2334 (2016) which stated:
…Reaffirms that the establishment by Israel of settlements in the Palestinian territory occupied since 1967, including East Jerusalem, has no legal validity and constitutes a flagrant violation under international law and a major obstacle to the achievement of the two-State solution and a just, lasting and comprehensive peace…
So what should you know and what can you do?