Amman - His Majesty King Abdullah on Wednesday acted as patron at a ceremony marking the anniversary of Al Israa Wal Miraj (Prophet Mohammad's nocturnal journey and ascension to heaven).
Minister of Awqaf and Islamic Affairs Abdul Salam Abbadi delivered a speech on this occasion in which he referred to the role of the Hashemite dynasty over the decades in the renovation and the maintenance of Al Aqsa Mosque and the Dome.
Custodianship over the Islamic holy sites in Jerusalem has been the traditional responsibility of the Hashemite family since the reign of the first Jordanian monarch, King Abdullah I.
A series of renovation works at the sites have been ordered and financed by the leadership throughout the history of the Kingdom.
HRH Prince Feisal, Prime Minister Adnan Badran, Royal Court Chief Faisal Fayez, the King's advisers, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs-of-Staff General Khalid Sarayreh, and other civil and military officials attended the ceremony, held at the Islamic Cultural Centre affiliated to the King Abdullah I Mosque.
Also yesterday, King Abdullah received cables from world leaders and senior officials expressing their best wishes for the King and the country on this occasion.
Palestinian President Mahmoud Abbas, Badran, Senate President Zeid Rifai, Speaker of the Lower House Abdul Hadi Majali and senior officials and officers sent cables to the Monarch.
According to Islamic sources, the miraculous event of Al Israa Wal Miraj is recorded in both the Holy Koran and Hadith (the Prophet's tradition). They speak about Prophet Mohammad's nocturnal journey on the night of Rajab 27 (the seventh month of the Islamic calendar).
The journey consisted of two phases, the sources say. Phase one was a trip from Mecca to Jerusalem, known as Al Israa, while the second phase included the Prophet's ascent from Jerusalem to heaven, which is known as Al Miraj.
Islamic thinkers look at the symbolism of the event as a holy link between Mecca, the Muslim world's spiritual capital and Jerusalem, the third holiest city in the Islamic faith.
© Jordan Times 2005
