The Al Aqsa Mosque is mentioned several times in the Quran, and is one of only two mosques mentioned by name in the holy book, the other being the Masjid Al Haram in Mecca. The Al Aqsa Mosque is located in the heart of the old city of Jerusalem and is held in high esteem by Muslims from all sects after the two main holy sites of Mecca and Medina. The mosque is referred to as the "farthest" or "the supreme" in Arabic.

One of the most significant mentions of the Al Aqsa Mosque in the Quran is in verse 17:1 of the chapter Al Isra, which describes Prophet Muhammads night journey from Masjid Al Haram in Mecca to Masjid Al Aqsa in Jerusalem, where he performed prayers before being carried through space to meet with the Divine. The verse reads: “Glory be to Him who carried His servant by night from Al Masjid Al Haram to Al Masjid Al Aqsa; the environs of which We have blessed, that We might show him some of Our signs. Indeed He is the Hearing, the Seeing” .

In addition to the Quran, there are also many hadiths that relate to the Al Aqsa Mosque. For example, Abu Hurayrah relates that the Prophet said: “Do not undertake a journey to visit any Mosque, but three: this Mosque of mine, the Mosque of al-Haram and the Mosque of Aqsa” . Another hadith narrated by Abu Dharr states that the mosque of Al-Aqsa was the second mosque ever built on the surface of the earth, after the Masjid-ul-Haram in Mecca.

The Al Aqsa Mosque has deep religious significance for Muslims around the world, and is also politically relevant for Palestinians, making it a focal point for conflict. Attacks at Al-Aqsa resonate with Muslims across the world who react with horror to what they see as the desecration of one of their most sacred sites.