A firsthand trip to Jerusalem reveals what mainstream media refuses to show: the systematic oppression of both Christians and Muslims living under occupation, funded by billions of American taxpayer dollars and emboldened by Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as the capital of Israel. Dr. Sabeel, a guest on The Deen Show, traveled to the holy land during the height of the controversy and witnessed an apartheid-like reality that should concern every person of conscience regardless of faith.
Why Jerusalem Matters to 3.9 Billion Muslims and Christians
Jerusalem is not merely a political talking point. For 1.7 billion Muslims, it holds deep spiritual significance rooted in Islam and the Quran. It was the first direction of prayer (Qiblah) for Muslims for thirteen years. It is the destination of Prophet Muhammad’s miraculous Night Journey (Al-Isra) mentioned in Quran Chapter 17. It is the land where countless prophets of God, including Abraham, Moses, and Jesus (peace be upon them all), lived, preached, and were buried. For 2.2 billion Christians, it is the birthplace of Jesus and the site of the Garden of Gethsemane. This is not a Palestinian issue alone; it is a matter of justice for nearly half of humanity.
Apartheid on the Ground: What the Media Hides
In the Jewish sectors you have fresh water 24/7, big buildings, nicely furnished roads. But in the Muslim and Christian sectors there is a lack of playgrounds, lack of water resources, lack of hygiene. The roads are desecrated. They cannot buy new property in East Jerusalem. The one word that describes the condition of our Palestinian brothers and sisters, both Muslim and Christian, is apartheid.
- Over 13 military checkpoints with armed soldiers, dogs, and aggressive interrogation greet visitors entering Palestine
- Palestinian Muslims and Christians are treated as second-class citizens in their own ancestral land
- Jewish settlers, backed by the Israeli army, have seized Palestinian lands and built lavish high-rises on stolen property
- The United States sends over $3 billion annually in taxpayer money to support this regime of oppression, totaling over $80 billion in two decades
- American citizens with dual passports serve in the Israeli military enforcing this occupation
- The Christian tour guide expressed the same outrage against the occupation as his Muslim visitors
Islam’s Legacy of Justice and Protecting All Faiths in Jerusalem
History proves that Islam brought justice to Jerusalem for all people. When Caliph Omar entered Jerusalem, the Christians specifically requested that he, and no one else, receive the keys to the city because they trusted Muslim justice. Omar refused to pray inside the church so that it would never be converted into a mosque, a profound act of respect. To this day, a Muslim family holds the key to the Church of the Holy Sepulchre and opens it each morning for Christian services. The Medina Charter, drafted by Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him), was the world’s first constitution guaranteeing religious freedom, autonomy, and protection for Jewish communities. Jewish Professor David Wasserstein confirmed that Islam saved Judaism at least twice in history, during the Roman persecution and during the Spanish Inquisition, when Muslims opened their doors to Jewish refugees.
Jesus Prayed Like a Muslim: The Message Both Faiths Share
At the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus prostrated himself on the ground and prayed to God, saying: ‘Oh God, take this cup of death away from me. Not my will but Your will.’ Anyone who submits their will to the will of God, what do we call that person? A Muslim. Jesus was praying the way that Muslims pray. The Bible itself calls him a prophet of God, a man approved by God.
- The Bible records Jesus prostrating in prayer exactly as Muslims do today (Matthew 26:39)
- Jesus declared the greatest commandment is the worship of One God alone (Mark 12:29), the same message of Islam
- The Quran honors Jesus as a mighty prophet and messenger, and his mother Mary has an entire chapter named after her
- The Church of the Nativity itself raises a question every Christian should consider: how can Jesus be God if he was born?
- Evangelical support for Israel is driven not by love for Jewish people but by end-times theology that ultimately prophesies their destruction
Trump’s Jerusalem Decision: A Wake-Up Call for the Muslim Ummah
Trump’s recognition of Jerusalem as Israel’s capital was a political act that intensified oppression against both Christians and Muslims in Palestine. But as Islam teaches, there is wisdom behind every event. This decision has awakened Muslims worldwide to reconnect with their faith, stand up against injustice, and fulfill their God-given responsibility to be witnesses to humanity and ambassadors of peace. The Quran declares: “I have made you into a just nation, that you become witnesses to humanity” (Quran 2:143). The call is clear: speak the truth, stand for justice for all people regardless of religion, and share the universal message of Islam, the message of every prophet from Abraham to Moses to Jesus to Muhammad (peace be upon them all).
