JERUSALEM: Thousands of Muslims gather to mark the night the first verses of the Koran were revealed to the Prophet Mohammad

Record ID: 863047

  • Title: JERUSALEM: Thousands of Muslims gather to mark the night the first verses of the Koran were revealed to the Prophet Mohammad
  • Date: 16th August 2012
  • Summary: JERUSALEM (AUGUST 14, 2012) (REUTERS) PALESTINIAN MUSLIMS GATHERING IN AL-AQSA MOSQUE COMPOUND NEAR AL-AQSA MOSQUE AHEAD OF LAILAT AL-QADR PRAYERS MAN GIVING SERMON INSIDE MOSQUE MAN READING KORAN WORSHIPPERS INSIDE AL-AQSA MOSQUE VARIOUS OF MEN READING KORAN INSIDE MOSQUE VARIOUS OF WORSHIPPERS PRAYING AT AL-AQSA COMPOUND, DOME OF THE ROCK IN BACKGROUND VARIOUS OF MEN PRAYING WORSHIPPERS PRAYING, DOME OF THE ROCK IN BACKGROUND WOMEN PRAYING, DOME OF THE ROCK IN BACKGROUND
  • Embargoed: 31st August 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Jerusalem
  • City:
  • Country: Israel
  • Topics: Religion
  • Reuters ID: LVABPHDAQA5U14ZKTCJOR0A7DM5U
  • Aspect Ratio:
  • Story Text: Hundreds of thousands of Muslims gathered at Jerusalem's al-Aqsa mosque on Tuesday night (August 14) to mark Lailat al-Qadr.
    Palestinians from Jerusalem, Israel and the West Bank crowded into the al-Aqsa compound in the heart of the Old City to mark the night the prophet Mohammad is believed to have received the first verses of the Koran.
    Prayers were held from Tuesday night and into Wednesday morning.
    Access to al-Aqsa is guarded by Israel security forces, who control security for all of Jerusalem's holy sites, and very few Palestinians from the West Bank are normally granted permits to travel to Jerusalem. But on Lailat al-Qadr, the Israeli authorities allow West Bank men over the age of 40 and women of all ages into the city, the third holiest for Muslims after Mecca and Medina.
    For Muslims, the Dome of the Rock marks the spot from where the Prophet Mohammad made his night journey to heaven.
    The al-Aqsa Mosque, which is in the same compound, was the first direction of prayer for Muslims, but Mecca took over the role about two years after the Prophet ascended to heaven.
    The exact timing of Lailat al-Qadr is unknown, but it is believed to have taken place on the 27th night of the Muslim month of Ramadan, according to most Muslim historians.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2012. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
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