In a moment that broke hearts across the Muslim world, Eid ul Fitr 2026 dawned over Jerusalem without a single worshipper praying inside Al-Aqsa Mosque, the first time this has happened in 59 years since Israel annexed East Jerusalem in 1967.
For the first time in 59 years, the sound of Takbeer was absent from Al-Aqsa Mosque, and Eid al-Fitr prayers were banned for worshippers within its grounds, leaving its courtyards empty and filled with a heavy silence that embraced its corridors. On February 28, Israeli authorities closed the mosque and the Old City of Jerusalem under the pretext of declaring a state of emergency, coinciding with the American-Israeli joint attack on Iran.
The gathering of just a few hundred worshippers outside was a far cry from the typical Eid at Al-Aqsa, when some 100,000 people normally flock to the mosque. Worshippers arrived at dawn with prayer mats under their arms, shouting “Allahu Akbar” and chanting the shahada, as they tried to push through the city gates.
Police repelled them with kicks, slaps, and at least twice with tear gas. Eventually, worshippers managed to take up a position next to Herod’s Gate as police relented briefly and allowed street prayers to take place.
Al-Aqsa’s leading preacher Sheikh Ekrima Sabri issued a fatwa calling on all Muslims to attend Eid prayers at the nearest possible location to the mosque, saying that God Almighty is the one who manages affairs and protects the holy sites.
Palestinian Wajdi Mohammed Shweiki, a silver-haired man in his 60s, expressed his pain, saying: “Today, Al-Aqsa has been taken from us. It’s a sad and painful Ramadan. It’s a catastrophic situation for the inhabitants of Jerusalem, for Palestinians in general and for all Muslims across the globe.”
The Arab League described the closure as a “blatant violation of international law,” while the Organisation of Islamic Cooperation and the African Union Commission also expressed strong condemnation, calling it a grave violation of the existing historical and legal status quo.
Despite the tears, the pain, and the barriers, the faithful still raised their voices in Takbeer outside the walls, a powerful reminder that no barrier can silence the hearts of those who believe.
