By Suleiman Besharat
OCCUPIED AL-QUDS — Ibrahim Abdullah would not have missed attending `Eid Al-Fitr prayers in Al-Aqsa mosque for anything this year.
For eleven long months, the Palestinian child has been impatiently waiting for the three-day `eid to pray at Islam’s third holiest shrine and, of course, receive Al-Aqsa’s special gift.
"I did not get the Aqsa gift last year unlike all my friends because my father did not take me with him to `eid prayers," Ibrahim told IslamOnline.net.
"This year, I am going to get it."
Thousands of children like Abdullah receive Al-Aqsa’s Gifts every year.
The project aims at securing a lasting relationship in the hearts of young Muslim children with the holy shrine.
The special gifts include toys, balloons and some carefully chosen children stories that bring `eid joy to the children who come to visit the mosque with their parents.
"We try to bind children's relation with Al-Aqsa as thousands of children attend `Eid prayers here," Mohammad, one of -Aqsa’s Gifts organizers said.
The project is sponsored by many bodies including Arab and Islamic charities and benevolent residents of Al-Quds.
Mohammad asserts that the project continues for the forth year on despite of the increasing Israeli restrictions on getting anything, even children’s toys to Al-Aqsa mosque.
"The Israeli forces made a strict cordon to bar any thing from entering Aqsa.
"But working from the early days of Ramadan, we managed to enter 5000 gift in small batches," he added.
Fruitful
Organizers of Al-Aqsa Gifts are already seeing the fruits of their hard work.
"We are gaining more success ever since we launched it," Mohammad said.
Abu-Ahmed, a Palestinian father, agreed.
"It is a Sunnah, Prophet Mohammad tradition, to accompany young children to attend `eid prayers," he said.
"We also want to connect Al-Aqsa mosque to the hearts and minds of our children."
In their simple words, children explained how they feel more connected to Islam’s third holiest shrine.
Wael Sadek, 11, got his first Aqsa gift during last year’s `eid.
But since then, Sadek says he got attached to Al-Aqsa mosque, not only for `eid gift.
"I love Aqsa mosque and come her regularly for prayers and reciting Qur’an."
"I even attended some iftars in Aqsa mosque during the holy month of Ramadan."
Al-Aqsa is the Muslims’ first Qiblah [direction Muslims take during prayers] and it is the third holiest shrine after Al Ka`bah in Makkah and Prophet Muhammad's Mosque in Madinah, Saudi Arabia.
Its significance has been reinforced by the incident of Al Isra'a and Al Mi'raj — the night journey from Makkah to Al-Quds and the ascent to the Heavens by Prophet Muhammad (Peace and Blessings be Upon Him).
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