In The Name of Allah, The Most Merciful, The Bestower of Mercy.

The children of Israel are the descendants of (Prophet) Ya’qub [peace be upon him]. Their first entry into Palestine was with Yu’sha Bin Noon [peace be upon him] after the death of Musa [peace be upon him] during his travels from one place to another, and after they initially refused to fight (after being commanded to do so).

There were three tribes in Palestine before the children of Israel took control of it: they were the Phoenicians who inhabited it around the year 3000 BC, and they settled in the northern region of the Mediterranean Sea. And the Canaanites descended south of the Phoenicians and occupied the central region of Palestine in the year 2500 BC. These were Arab tribes migrating from the Arabian Peninsula, then groups came from the Island of Crete around the year 1200 BC. It was called [فلستين] and was situated between Jaffa and Gaza on the Mediterranean Sea. The Canaanites called these people [فلسطين] and the name prevailed over the entire region, so it became referred to as [فلسطين]. According to what the Jews mentioned in their books, and what was written in the history of the region is that these peoples continued (residing) in the region. Many wars between them and the Children of Israel and the Jews occurred, which continued throughout the presence of the Jews in that region. Therefore, from a historical perspective, it becomes clear to us that the Jews were not the first to inhabit Palestine, but rather they entered it or some of it and captured parts of it after it had been in the possession of these people.

As for the religious perspective, Allah revealed in the Qur’an that Musa [peace be upon him] said:

يَا قَوْمِ ادْخُلُوا الْأَرْضَ الْمُقَدَّسَةَ الَّتِي كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ وَلَا تَرْتَدُّوا عَلَىٰ أَدْبَارِكُمْ فَتَنقَلِبُوا خَاسِرِينَ

O my people! Enter the holy land (Palestine) which Allah has assigned to you, and turn not back (in flight) for then you will be returned as losers. [Surah Al-Maa’idah. Ayah 21

Regarding Allah’s statement [كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ – Which Allah has assigned to you], Ibn Ishaq [may Allah have mercy upon him] said (meaning), “Which Allah has bestowed on you”. As-Sa’diy [may Allah have mercy upon him] said, (meaning), “Which Allah has commanded you (to enter)”. Al-Qataadah [may Allah have mercy upon him] said, “The people were commanded (to enter) just as we are commanded to perform the prayer, pay the Zakat, perform Hajj and Umrah”.

So, according to some of the Scholars, Allah’s statement [كَتَبَ اللَّهُ لَكُمْ – Which Allah has assigned to you] does not mean to ownership. And based according to others, it means ownership on condition that they entered it. And others say that it was a gift to them. This makes clear the meaning of “Which Allah has assigned to you” alongside the fact that there is no proof in this that they have a (specific) right to Palestine, and that is because Allah bestows many blessings on His faithful servants whilst they are in that state of (sound) faith, and it is for them whilst they are in that state of (sound) faith. But in the case of disbelief, they have no right to it. When Allah commanded the children of Israel to enter, they turned away, so He prevented them from entering, but when they responded and were obedient, Allah granted it to them. This is why Imaam Ibn Katheer [may Allah have mercy upon him said about the Ayah: “A promise that Allah has made and conveyed by your father Israel that he will bequeath it to those of you who believe”. Therefore, it was theirs whilst they were in that state of (sound) faith, but as for in their state of disbelief (in the final Messenger and seal of the Prophets), they have no right to it. This is demonstrated by Allah’s statement:

فَأَوْحَىٰ إِلَيْهِمْ رَبُّهُمْ لَنُهْلِكَنَّ الظَّالِمِينَ وَلَنُسْكِنَنَّكُمُ الْأَرْضَ مِن بَعْدِهِمْ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ لِمَنْ خَافَ مَقَامِي وَخَافَ وَعِيدِ

Their Lord inspired them [i.e. the Prophets]: “Truly, We shall destroy the Zalimun (disbelievers and wrong-doers.). And indeed, We shall make you dwell in the land after them [i.e. the disbelievers]. This is for him who fears standing before Me (on the Day of Resurrection or fears My Punishment) and also fears My Threat”. [Surah Ibraaheem. Ayaat 13-14]

Allah [The Exalted] said:
وَلَقَدۡ ڪَتَبۡنَا فِى ٱلزَّبُورِ مِنۢ بَعۡدِ ٱلذِّكۡرِ أَنَّ ٱلۡأَرۡضَ يَرِثُهَا عِبَادِىَ ٱلصَّـٰلِحُونَ

And indeed We have written in Zabur and after (We have already written in the) Dhikr that My righteous servants shall inherit the land. [Surah Al-Anbiya. Ayah 105]. [Refer to the commentary of this Ayah by Imaam Muhammad Ibn Saalih Al-Uthaymeen (may Allah have mercy upon him) in this link: https://salaficentre.com/2023/10/21/1-evaluating-the-zionists-claimed-right-of-return-to-the-sacred-land/ [1] [End of quote]

Finally, with regards to the present situation of Palestine, then indeed, one returns to the advice of the Senior Scholars [Imaams: (Abdul Azeez Bin Baaz, Imaam Al-Albaanee, Muhammad Ibn Saalih Al-Uthaymeen, Al-Allaamah); Al-Allaamah Rabee Bin Haadi al-Mad’kali, Al-Allaamah Abdul-Muhsin Al-Abbaad, Al-Allaamah Saalih al-Fawzaan, Al-Allaamah Saalih Al-Luhaydaan, Al-Allaamah Al-Ghudayyaan, Al-Allaamah Abdul Azeez Aala Ash-Shaikh].

Advice of Imaam Al-Albaani: 

Questioner: What is the ruling on the people of Palestine in this era and what is the ruling regarding the land they are in?

The Shaikh: They are between two affairs. Whoever among them can migrate to an Islamic country to save his religion and himself, this is his obligation. As for whoever cannot, he must be patient just as the weak were patient at the beginning of the Islamic era in Makkah. This was the obligation of everyone who was there.

Questioner: What is the ruling regarding the land they are in?

The Shaikh: The ruling of?

Questioner: Ruling regarding the land they are in?

The Shaikh: It is land that is governed based on (the laws) of disbelief (i.e. the Zionists). If there were Muslims there, it would have been obligated to fight them until the country is returned to its Muslim people.

Questioner: Another question: If the lands around them are not governed by what Allah has revealed, then their migration will be from one land of disbelief to another land of disbelief, but if not, then from the land of disbelief to the land of Islam.

The Shaikh: No, they are not the same. These are Islamic countries, even if there is a ruling in it, as you all know, in many aspects that are in opposition to Islam, but over there (i.e. land of the Yahood) the ruling is the ruling of an unbeliever. If the two are compared (i.e. the land stolen by the Yahood in Palestine in comparison to the Muslim countries where some rulings oppose Islam), then the ruling (in land stolen by the Yahood) is Jewish, but here (in this case regarding Muslim lands) the matter is not like that, so it is not permissible to compare this country to that, and this is as Ibn Hazm stated. If this analogy were (to be considered) correct, it would have been the sum and substance of falsehood. To compare Islamic countries that are governed by Islamic ruling, even if it has (the mistakes committed by the rulers), it is not the same as the ruling based on the Tawraat or the Injeel, or any law that opposes all the revealed divine laws.

The Shaikh continued regarding Hijrah: It does not mean that they exit as non-migrants, but rather that they should leave, firstly, as migrants, and secondly, not to stay in (another) land permanently, but rather to do their best, each one to the best of his ability, within the limits of his capabilities, to return to their country, powerful and victorious over the enemies, and not be an easy target for the Yahood.

This point should be noted that when we speak about migration, we do not mean to settle (permanently) in (another) land, but rather for each one of them to reflect and do what he can in order to return to his country, whether in the near or distant future. This is in the hand of Allah [The Mighty and Majestic]. https://salaficentre.com/2023/10/18/the-questioner-asked-imaam-al-albaani-about-migration-and-the-issue-of-palestine-part-4/

To be continued InShaaAllah.

[1] An Excerpt from “Diraaasaat Fil Ad’yaan Al-Yahoodiyyah Wan-Nasraaniyyah. pages 65-67. Publisher: Daar Adwaa As-Salaf. 6th Edition 1439AH (2018). May Allah bless Ustaadh Harun Banton for sharing the source of this article.