By Wajahat Ali Khan
Al-Mustafa Welfare Trust international” is starting an exemplary project for Khatam Al-Qur’an Al-Kareem, Reading and Tajweed e Quran in Al-Aqsa Mosque along with “Hashmi Trust” and Waqfiyyat, in the first Qibla Al-Aqsa Mosque. In this regard, an agreement has been reached with the Jordanian Ministry of Endowments (Waqfiyyat) which is responsible for all the matters of Al-Aqsa. The agreement which was signed by His Majesty King Abdullah in Amman, Jordan on Sunday December 11,2022. The Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas also especially participated and signed the said agreement in this prestigious inaugurated event held in Husseinya Palace. Chairman of Al Mustafa Welfare Trust Abdulrazaq Sajid also participated in this event, he had reached in Amman from London.
On this occasion when King Abdullah signed the inauguration of the waqf during a ceremony attended by Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, His Royal Highness Prince Ghazi bin Muhammad, His Majesty’s chief adviser for religious and cultural affairs and personal envoy, and Bahrain’s Minister of Justice, Islamic Affairs and Endowments Nawaf bin Muhammad Al Maawda, representing Bahrain King Hamad bin Isa Al Khalifa were also Present. The event was also attended by the Jerusalem Islamic Waqf Council, members of the waqf council, several donors, and ambassadors of the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation member states.
The participant saw the screening of a video on the waqf, which is part of Jordan’s efforts, under the leadership of His Majesty, to support the steadfastness of Palestinians, especially in Jerusalem, in line with the Hashemite Custodianship of Islamic and Christian holy sites in the city. Jerusalem Awqaf Department Director Mohammad Azzam Khatib said this waqf is one of many projects to safeguard Al Aqsa Mosque/Al Haram Al Sharif and its Islamic identity, as well as support the resilience of Muslims.
Jerusalem Awqaf Council President Abdul Azim Salhab noted that inaugurating this waqf comes at a time when Al Aqsa Mosque witnesses repeated violations by forces, calling on Arab leaders to support His Majesty’s efforts to protect Al Aqsa Mosque/Al Haram Al Sharif. Grand Mufti of Jerusalem Sheikh Muhammad Hussein highlighted the important role of the King and the Hashemites towards Al Aqsa Mosque/Al Haram Al Sharif and the holy sites in Jerusalem, in line with the Hashemite Custodianship.
Chairman Al-Mustafa Welfare Trust Abdulrazaq Sajid has said that Alhumdulillah! We formally launched Waqfiyat Al Mustafa with Royal Hashemite Court-Jordan. His Majesty King Abdullah II Ibn Al Hussein and Palestinian President Mr. Mahmoud Abbas formally signed the Al Mustafa Waqfiyyat documents, which were initiated in September 2022.
It is a great success for Al Mustafa Welfare Trust International, may Allah accept our efforts towards preserving and promoting Islamic values and heritage.
Chairman “Al-Mustafa Welfare Trust” Abdulrazaq Sajid says that having this agreement with the “Hashemites Trust” of Jordan’s royal family is a great blessing not only for us but also for our donors. Throughout, our donors will fully cooperate with “Al-Mustafa Welfare Trust” so that the blessings of reciting and learning the Holy Qur’an in the first Qibla will continue till the Day of Judgment and all the people associated with this great cause will be rewarded.
The project Concept
Al-Imam Ahmad narrated that Maimunah said: “O Messenger of God, tell us about Bayt Al-Maqdis.” He said: “It is the land of the Resurrection and the Gathering. Go and pray there, for one prayer there is like one thousand prayers elsewhere.” I said: “What if I cannot travel and go there?” He said: “Then send a gift of oil to light its lamps, for whoever does that is like one who goes there.”
This project is initiated from the unshakeable belief in the solemn duty to protect and defend Jerusalem and the Blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque. Through the waqf, and with the generous help of our donors Insha’Allah, 1000’s of Muslims of Al-Quds will collectively read the Qur’an in its entirety in the mosques and places of learning in the Blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque, and particularly in the Blessed Dome of the Rock Mosque. You can play your role to protect Masjid-Al-Aqsa, its spiritual values and its Islamic Heritage.
The Qur’an will be read in the mornings or evenings and throughout the week. Reading the Qur’an in its entirety in the Blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque repeatedly, continuously, and permanently will support the steadfastness of Jerusalemites, endow Al-Aqsa Mosque with Muslim worshippers, and increase the preponderance of Muslims in it, Insha’Allah. Being a donor of the waqf is an application of the Noble Hadith: “Then send a gift of oil to light its lamps, for whoever does that is like one who goes there.”
The Project objective
and Goals
The goal of Waqfiyyat Al-Mustafa for Khatm Al-Qur’an Al-Karim in Al-Aqsa Mosque is to reflect the care Muslims have for the blessed Al-Aqsa Mosque. It is a message to all who think that Muslims do not care about Al-Aqsa Mosque and that Al-Haram Al-Sharif is no longer deeply rooted in their hearts and minds. It also aims to reap the blessings of reading the Qur’an in its entirety in Al-Aqsa Mosque continuously, repeatedly, and permanently, and to in- crease the preponderance of Muslims in Al-Haram Al-Sharif. In addition, the waqf aims to support the Jerusalemites regardless of political conflicts. And to revive the long tradition of Islamic endowments (waqfs) preserving Al-Aqsa Mosque. To increase Muslims participation and visitor numbers as the numbers non-Muslim tourists who storm Al-Aqsa have increased tenfold between 2010–2022 and they are accompanied by tour guides who present Al-Aqsa Mosque as a Jewish place of worship.
Supervising Authority
The supervising authority is the Waqf’s Council whose members include legal entities such as: the Jerusalem Awqaf Council, the Hashe- mite Fund for the Restoration of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the Dome of the Rock, the Administration of the Jerusalem Awqaf and the Affairs of Al-Aqsa Mosque.
What is Hashemite Kingdom
In 1946, Jordan became an independent state officially known as the Hashemite Kingdom of Transjordan, but it was renamed in 1949 to the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan after the country captured the West Bank during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War and annexed it until it was lost to Israel in 1967. The Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan and the State of Palestine present the state of conservation of the Old City of Jerusalem and Its Walls, inscribed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site (proposed by Jordan) in 1981 and as a World Heritage Site in Danger since 1982. On some conservation plans and actions taken at the Al-Aqsa Mosque/Al-Haram Al-Sharif by the Jordanian Jerusalem Awqaf (JJA) and the Hashemite Fund for the Restoration. The Hashemites, also House of Hashim, are the royal family of Jordan, which they have ruled since 1921, and were the royal family of the kingdoms of Hejaz (1916–1925), Syria (1920), and Iraq (1921–1958). The family had ruled the city of Mecca continuously from the 10th century, frequently as vassals of outside powers, and were given the thrones of the Hejaz, Syria, Iraq, and Jordan following their World War I alliance with the British Empire; this arrangement became known as the “Sharifian solution”. The family belongs to the Dhawu Awn, one of the branches of the Ḥasanid Sharifs of Mecca, also referred to as Hashemites. Their eponymous ancestor is traditionally considered to be Hashim ibn Abd Manaf, great-grandfather of the Islamic prophet Muhammad. The Ḥasanid Sharifs of Mecca (from whom the Hashemite royal family is directly descended), including the Hashemites’ ancestor Qatadah ibn Idris, were Zaydi Shias until the late Mamluk or early Ottoman period, when they became followers of the Shafi school of Sunni Islam.
The current dynasty was founded by Sharif Hussein ibn Ali, who was appointed as Sharif and Emir of Mecca by the Ottoman sultan Abdul Hamid II in 1908, then in 1916—after concluding a secret agreement with the British Empire—was proclaimed King of Arab countries (but only recognized as King of the Hejaz) after initiating the Arab Revolt against the Ottoman Empire.
