The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem is the Sunni Muslim cleric in charge of Jerusalem's Islamic holy places, including the Al-Aqsa Mosque.^[1] Sunni Muslims generally regard the Grand Mufti as the top religious authority in Jerusalem and among the Palestinian people.

History

The Grand Mufti of Jerusalem has always been a government-appointed position. However, the identity of the appointing government has varied over time.

The first Grand Mufti, Mohammed Tahir al-Husayni, was appointed by the Ottoman Empire, which ruled Palestine in the 1860s. When Husayni died in 1908, his son Kamil al-Husayni succeeded him and served with approval of the British authorities once the British gained control of Jerusalem. However, during World War I, the Ottoman Empire claimed that Husayni was a British stooge and that As'ad Shuqeiri was the rightful Grand Mufti.

When Kamil al-Husayni died, he was succeeded by his brother Mohammad Amin al-Husayni, who was appointed by the British High Commissioner Herbert Samuel. This was done despite the fact that Amin al-Husayni had fought for the Ottoman Empire during the war. In 1948, after Jordan occupied Jerusalem, Abdullah I of Jordan removed al-Husayni from his post, banned him from entering Jerusalem, and appointed Hussam Al-din Jarallah as Grand Mufti. When Jarallah died in 1954, no Grand Mufti was appointed until 1993.

In 1993, with the transfer of increased control of Muslim holy sites in Jerusalem from Israel to the Palestinians, Palestine Liberation Organization chairman Yasser Arafat appointed Sulaiman Ja'abari as Grand Mufti. When he died in 1994, Arafat appointed Ekrima Sa'id Sabri. Sabri was removed in 2006 by Palestinian National Authority president Mahmoud Abbas, who was concerned that Sabri was involved too heavily in political matters.^[2] Abbas appointed Muhammad Ahmad Hussein, who was perceived as a political moderate. However, shortly after his appointment, Hussein made comments which suggested that suicide bombing was an acceptable tactic for Palestinians to use against Israel.^[2]

List of Grand Muftis

• Mohammed Tahir al-Husayni from the 1860s to 1908
• Kamil al-Husayni from 1908 to 1921 (during World War I (1914?1918), the Ottoman Empire claimed that As'ad Shuqeiri was the Grand Mufti)
• Mohammad Amin al-Husayni from 1921 to 1948
• Hussam Al-din Jarallah from 1948 to 1954
• Sulaiman Ja'abari from 1993 to 1994
• Ekrima Sa'id Sabri from October 1994 to July 2006
• Muhammad Ahmad Hussein from July 2006 to the present

See also

• Jerusalem in Islam

References