Al-Aqsa Closed as Worshippers Gather Outside Ahead of Ramadan’s 27th Night

The Al-Aqsa Mosque in Jerusalem is one of the holiest sites in Islam, considered the third most sacred after Masjid al-Haram in Mecca and Al-Masjid an-Nabawi in Medina.

Muslims believe the Prophet Muhammad (SAW) was miraculously taken from Mecca to Jerusalem in a single night, where he prayed at Al-Aqsa before ascending through the heavens and returning to Mecca in an event known as Isra’ and Mi‘raj.

Since February 28th, Israeli authorities have kept the compound closed to Muslim worshippers, citing security concerns following joint United States and Israeli attacks on Iran that triggered a wider regional conflict.

The closure came as Ramadan entered its final days, when large crowds gather at Al-Aqsa for late-night prayers and for Eid al-Fitr, the holiday that marks the end of the fasting month, with many now also gathering around the mosque ahead of the 27th night of Ramadan.