Misconception about Al-Aqsa (farthest) Mosque

A Non Muslim once Questioned:

• What Temple did Muhammad visit, enter and pray at before ascending to heaven?
• Seeing that the Quran mentions a journey to a Mosque that did not exist during the lifetime of Muhammad, how can you consider the Quran to be 100% the word of God?
• In light of the fact that both the Quran and the Islamic traditions contain this historical error, how can you trust either source to provide you with reliable information on the life of Muhammad and the first Muslims? Does not the fact that the Quran mentions a Mosque which was only erected in AD 691 prove that there were Muslims who unashamedly and deceitfully added stories to the Quranic text and passed them off as revelation from God?
• If you cannot find an answer to this historical problem within the Quran, why do you still remain a Muslim?

My reply:

The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as per this Quranic verse indeed traveled from Masjid Al-Haram (Makkah) to Masjid Al-Aqsa (Jersuselum) and to the haven afterwards.

Glory to (Allah) Who did take His servant for a Journey by night from the Sacred Mosque (Masjid Al-Haram) to the farthest Mosque(Masjid Alaqsa), whose precincts We did bless,- in order that We might show him some of Our Signs: for He is the One Who heareth and seeth (all things). (Chapter 17 Al-Isra:1)

This event is referred to as Meraj or Elevation of Prophet’s status. There is no such denail of the historical fact or misrepresentation based on the above Quranic verse as per your accusation. Remember, the first authentic text in Islam having no doubt is Quran. A given hadeeth could be wrong if not characterized as authentic. However, Quran is promised by Allah(SWT) Himself to be beyond doubt and is safe-guarded against all changes and corruptions:

This is the Book; in it is guidance sure, without doubt, to those who fear Allah; (Al-Baqra:2)

We have, without doubt, sent down the Message; and We will assuredly guard it (from corruption). (Chapter 15 Al-Hijr:9)

The following verse clearly suggest that the sole criterion of the judgment of truth in Islam is Quran:

Blessed is He who sent down the criterion to His servant, that it may be an admonition to all creatures;- (Al-Furqan:1)

No place in Quran it is mentioned that Al-Aqsa mosque was an existing building at the time of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The history clearly suggests that Masjid Al-Aqsa didn't exist in the form of a building during the time of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him). The original Masjid Al-Aqsa (also referred as Jewish temple) was built by Jinn's under the command of Prophet Suleman/Solomon (peace be upon him) during his time. Quran mentions that event in the following verses:

They worked for him as he desired, (making) arches, images, basons as large as reservoirs, and (cooking) cauldrons fixed (in their places): "Work ye, sons of David, with thanks! but few of My servants are grateful!" Then, when We decreed (Solomon's) death, nothing showed them his death except a little worm of the earth, which kept (slowly) gnawing away at his staff: so when he fell down, the Jinns saw plainly that if they had known the unseen, they would not have tarried in the humiliating Penalty (of their Task). (Saba:13-14)

Afterwards, it was destroyed by Iraq's emperor Naboket Nazar when he conquered Jersuleum and took Jews as his captives. The building was later re-erected but was yet again demolished by Roman Titus in 70 century AD. The Quran reference to the "Distance Mosque" was not to a "building" rather to the area of the land where that masjid existed earlier. If we travel to Saudi Arabia, we would still find several mosques in the desert that are mere ground with a rough boundary around them having no building at all.

Modern Bedouin open mosque in Transjordan

Mosque at Har Oded facing south-southeast.

Mosque at Nahal Oded with the upright stone showing the direction of the qibla

Besor masjid

In Islam, any area or piece of land that is dedicated for 'ibaada' or 'prayer' is referred to as a masjid. The 2nd Caliph of Islam Umar Bin Al-Katab(RA) when came to Jeruselum during his era, got that place of Al-Aqsa mosque cleaned up, which was at that time, used by the locals as the garbage disposal area. He also built a wooden structure around the same area. Umayeed Caliph Abd Al-Malik Ibn Marwan in around the year 73 Hijra built the Dome of Rock (Gunbad-e-Sakhra) on the site from where Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) began his journey of Meraj to the haven. Al-Malik's son Al-Walid after a decade later reportedly transformed the wooden structure of Masjid Al-Aqsa (setup by Umar Bin Al-Khatab(RA)) into a proper mosque, the same structure that we see in the current times. Hence the current masjid Al-Aqsa's building is not the same as was built was Prophet Suleman (peace be upon him) however the piece of land referred in the Quran is the same.

This evidence is sufficient enough to prove that the Quranic reference to masjid Al-Aqsa is historically correct and is only confusing to those who are not familiar with the actual definition of the mosque/masjid.