Abrahamic religions

=== Importance of Jerusalem ===
{{main |Religious significance of Jerusalem}}
{{further |Jerusalem in Judaism |Jerusalem in Christianity |Jerusalem in Islam}}
Jerusalem is considered Judaism's holiest city. Its origins can be dated to 1004 BCE,{{sfn |Tucker |Roberts |2008 |p=541}} when according to Biblical tradition [[David]] established it as the capital of the United Kingdom of Israel, and his son [[Solomon]] built the [[First Temple]] on [[Moriah|Mount Moriah]].{{sfn |pp=302–303 |Fine |2011}} Since the [[Hebrew Bible]] relates that [[Binding of Isaac|Isaac's sacrifice]] took place there, Mount Moriah's importance for Jews predates even these prominent events. Jews thrice daily pray in its direction, including in their prayers pleas for the restoration and the rebuilding of the [[Holy Temple]] (the [[Third Temple]]) on mount Moriah, close the Passover service with the wistful statement "Next year in built Jerusalem," and recall the city in the blessing at the end of each meal. Jerusalem has served as the only capital for the five Jewish states that have existed in Israel since 1400 BCE (the [[United Kingdom of Israel]], the [[Kingdom of Judah]], [[Yehud Medinata]], the [[Hasmonean Kingdom]], and modern Israel). It has been majority Jewish since about 1852 and continues through today.{{sfn |Morgenstern |2006 |p=201 }}{{sfn |Lapidoth |Hirsch |1994 |p=384}}

[[Early centers of Christianity#Jerusalem|Jerusalem was an early center of Christianity]]. There has been a continuous Christian presence there since.{{sfn |Wilken |1986 |p=678}} William R. Kenan, Jr., professor of the history of Christianity at the [[University of Virginia]], Charlottesville, writes that from the middle of the 4th century to the [[Early Muslim conquests|Islamic conquest]] in the middle of the 7th century, the [[Syria Palaestina|Roman province of Palestine]] was a Christian nation with Jerusalem its principal city.{{sfn |Wilken |1986 |p=678}} According to the [[New Testament]], Jerusalem was the city Jesus was brought to as a child to be presented at the temple<ref>{{bibleverse |Luke |2:22}}</ref> and for the feast of the [[Passover]].<ref>{{bibleverse |Luke |2:41}}</ref> He preached and healed in Jerusalem, unceremoniously drove the [[Jesus and the money changers|money changers]] in disarray from the temple there, held the [[Last Supper]] in an "upper room" (traditionally the [[Cenacle]]) there the night before he was crucified on the cross and was arrested in [[Gethsemane]]. The six parts to Jesus' trial—three stages in a religious court and three stages before a Roman court—were all held in Jerusalem. His [[crucifixion]] at [[Calvary|Golgotha]], his burial nearby (traditionally the [[Church of the Holy Sepulchre]]), and his resurrection and ascension and [[Second Coming|prophecy to return]] all are said to have occurred or will occur there.

Jerusalem became holy to Muslims, third after [[Mecca]] and [[Medina]]. The [[Al-Aqsa]], which translates to "farthest mosque" in [[sura]] [[Al-Isra]] in the Quran and its surroundings are addressed in the Quran as "the holy land". Muslim tradition as recorded in the [[ahadith]] identifies al-Aqsa with a mosque in Jerusalem. The first Muslims did not pray toward [[Kaaba]], but toward Jerusalem. The qibla was switched to Kaaba later on to fulfill the order of Allah of praying in the direction of Kaaba (Quran, Al-Baqarah 2:144–150). Another reason for its significance is its connection with the [[Isra and Mi'raj|Miʿrāj]],<ref name="Miraj">{{cite web |url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/384897/Miraj, |title=Mi'raj – Islam |access-date=26 October 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110629074204/https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/384897/Miraj, |archive-date=29 June 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref> where, according to traditional Muslim belief, Muhammad ascended through the [[Seven heavens]] on a horse like winged beast named [[Buraq]], guided by the [[Archangel Gabriel]], beginning from the [[Foundation Stone]] on the [[Temple Mount]], in modern times under the [[Dome of the Rock]].<ref>{{cite web |last1=Perowne |first1=Stewart Henry |last2=Gordon |first2=Buzzy |last3=Prawer |first3=Joshua |last4=Dumper |first4=Michael |last5=Wasserstein |first5=Bernard |title=Jerusalem |url=https://www.britannica.com/place/Jerusalem |website=Encyclopedia Britannica |access-date=14 September 2022 |date=13 August 2022 |archive-date=9 May 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200509065546/https://www.britannica.com/place/Jerusalem |url-status=live}}</ref><ref name="Britannica Al Aqsa">{{cite web |url=https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/30995/Al-Aqsa-Mosque |title=Al-Aqsa Mosque – mosque, Jerusalem |access-date=26 October 2009 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110118012709/https://www.britannica.com/EBchecked/topic/30995/Al-Aqsa-Mosque |archive-date=18 January 2011 |url-status=live}}</ref>