Islamic Relations Quotes
This sura illustrates why peace treaties between Islamic and non Islamic countries are difficult to negotiate and enforce. For some fundamentalist Muslims, even making a peace treaty with Israel would constitute a transgression of the word of God. Nonetheless, the first treaty that the United States ever made was with a Muslim nation—Tripoli.
Jerusalem has been holy to the Jews, Christians and Muslims. It was the Capital of the ancient Jewish kingdom from ~1000BC. In ~960BC Solomon built the first Jewish Temple. Babylonians conquered and destroyed the temple which was rebuilt and completed in 68 BC under the Jewish King Herod and then destroyed by the Romans 2 years later. In 135 the city was sacked and the Byzantine Christians controlled the city. In 638 the Muslims conquered the city and built The Dome of the Rock Mosque on the ruins of the sanctuary of King David. In 1099 Crusaders conquered Jerusalem slaughtering the Muslim & Jewish inhabitants. In 1187 the Muslims retook the city and held it till the fall of the Ottomans in 1917. England ruled it until the 1948 partition; then Israel & Jordan ruled but Jews were not allowed to worship at the temple site. In the 1967 War Israel retook Jerusalem. Although Muslims can still worship at their Mosque, the President resents anyone but Muslims controlling the Holy City.