The Masjid al-Aqsa has stood in the sacred grounds of al-Haram ash-Sharif (The noble sanctuary) in the city of al-Quds (Jerusalem) since the 7th. century (over 1,300 years). It was built by the second Caliph, and close companion of Prophet Muhammad (pbuh), Omar Bin al-Khattab (God be pleased with him), after he secured control of the city by concluding an agreement with the Christian leaders of the city, during the withdrawal of the Byzantines from the region. It later underwent a massive rebuild and expansion under the Umayyad Caliph Abd'ul-Malik in the late 7th. and early 8th. century.

During the occupation of al-Quds by the Crusaders, the masjid was turned into a church and palace and was considered to be the Temple of Solomon. but after being recaptured was returned to being a house of monotheism.

Since being occupied by the Zionists in 1967, no less than 22 attempts/plots/schemes have been hatched to destroy the masjid

1- The accursed fire, which was started on 21/8/1969 by Michael Dennis Rohan, who claimed to be Australian. The Israeli authorities alleged that he was mentally unstable, as a ploy to acquit him without trial and to close the case. This only proves that the occupation authorities were an accomplice in the fire.

2-A group of Jewish fanatics who intended to blow up the Aqsa Mosque were arrested on 21/5/1980 with huge amounts of explosives in their possession.

3- In 1982, a plot to blow up the Dome of the Sacred Rock, hatched by a group of Jewish extremists among whom featured soldiers from the special units, was uncovered.

4- In 1983 four armed Jews were caught carrying bags of explosives ; they were planning to sneak into the underground passageway leading to the Marwani mussalah. The guards of the Mosque managed to foil their plan before it was carried out.

5- On 26/1/1984, a group of Jews attempted to enter the esplanades of the mosque carrying three hand grenades and six bags of explosives with the intention of blowing it up.

6- 18 hand grenades and ten kilograms of explosives were found on 27/1/1984 near the Eastern wall of the Mosque. The perpetrators fled across through Bab Rahma cemetery when the guards surprised them.

7- A pilot from the Israeli Air force took off in his plane in the direction of the Mosque. The aircraft was armed with missiles but, fortunately, he was stopped by Israeli Air Force fighters.

8- On 12/7/2000, the two chief rabbis of Israel (Bakshi Doron and Yisroel Meir Lau) requested the Israeli prime minister to place Al Aqsa Mosque under Israeli control.

9- On 7/8/2000, Israel’s Chief Rabbinical Council formed a religious committee to examine the project of building a synagogue in the esplanades of Al Aqsa.

10- On 28/9/2000, Ariel Sharon entered Al Aqsa esplanades to inspect the site where the  temple could be rebuilt. This walkabout was to trigger Al Aqsa Intifada.

11- On 25/2/2001, the Israeli professor Rafatil Yisraeli called upon the Israeli government to impose, as a first step, a partition of Al Aqsa Mosque between Muslims and Jews.

12- On 28/2/2001, an Israeli film examining the possibility of blowing up Aqsa Mosque is shown.

13- On 21/5/2001, the architect in charge of the administration of the so-called Jewish quarter in the old part of the city of Jerusalem presented the Israeli Prime Minister with a secret plan to build a synagogue on the esplanades of the Al Aqsa Mosque.

14- On 17/7/2001, an Israeli terrorist group of fanatics threatened to blow up al Aqsa.

15- On 29/7/2001, an attempt by the so-called Custodians of Temple Mount to smuggle the foundation rocks of the Temple onto the esplanades of Al Aqsa was aborted.

16- On 4/10/2001, the so called Custodians of Temple Mount undertook another failed attempt.

17- On 6/10/2001, the Custodians of Temple Mount prepare a plan to erect the so-called temple on the esplanades of Al Aqsa.

18- On 26/12/2001, the Israeli rabbis request the Prime Minister to place the esplanades of Al Aqsa Mosque under Israeli control.

19- On 23/03/2002, a Zionist organisation undertook to build the alleged Temple on the ruins of the Aqsa Mosque.

20- On Saturday 24/7/2004, the Israeli Public Security Minister announced that radical Jewish formations plan to demolish the blessed Al Aqsa Mosque using a remote control plane loaded with explosives, or a plane flown by a Kamikaze pilot. The Supreme Islamic Authority and many other Islamic organisations issued statements in which they denounced the criminal plot and imputed all responsibility to the government of Israel.

21- One week later, on 31/7/2004, the Israeli Public Security minister declared once again that the Israeli government cannot protect Al Aqsa Mosque from Jewish radical groups. The Supreme Islamic Authority, the Expounder of the Islamic Religious Law and the body of scholars and preachers all issued statements in which they underlined the responsibility of the Israeli government vis-à-vis these groups which are certainly not more powerful than the state, and which cannot carry out their criminal plans without the assistance of the Israeli government.

22- Another week later, on 7/8/2004, the Israeli Public Security minister warned a third time against the plans of Jewish extremists to attack Al Aqsa Mosque. The Islamic organisations and waqf bodies issued statements denouncing and condemning all plots intended against Al Aqsa Mosque, and attributing the full responsibility of any damage that may befall this Mosque to the Israeli governm