Abbas’ advisor op-ed: “Battle over Jerusalem that is raging today is not just a battle with a foreign occupation… but a battle between facts and myth, between truth and falsehood… between good and evil”

Excerpt of an op-ed by PA Supreme Shari’ah Judge, PA Chairman Mahmoud Abbas’ advisor on Religious and Islamic Affairs, and Chairman of the Supreme Council for Shari'ah Justice Mahmoud Al-Habbash

“The battle over Jerusalem that is raging today is not just a battle with a foreign occupation that has occupied [Jerusalem’s] land, but a battle between facts and myth, between truth and falsehood, between justice and injustice, between integrity and distortion, between tolerance and fanaticism, and between good and evil… And perhaps those who read history well and understand the irrevocable facts of the religion will be calm regarding the final result of this battle, which will not complete its path except in the harbors of the promise for the end of days (Habbash has previously mentioned a “final promise” referring to a future destruction of Israel; see note below –Ed.).”

The final (other) promise - The second half of Sura 17:7 of the Quran - “Then when the final promise came, [We sent your enemies] to sadden your faces and to enter the temple [in Jerusalem], as they entered it the first time, and to destroy what they had taken over with [total] destruction.” [Sahih International translation] - can be understood as either past or future tense due to the ambiguity of the Arabic "idha ja'a" referring to “the promise” that can be understood as “when it came” or “when it comes,” and the Arabic “al-ahera,” also referring to the promise, which can mean “other” or “final.” Many religious scholars understand it as past tense referring back to the destruction of the Second Temple. But some understand it as future tense, prophesizing some future destruction befalling the Jews. Al-Habbash presents it as prophesizing a final war in which Israel will be destroyed.