Abdel Latif Moussa
Encyclopedia
Abdel Latif Moussa , also known as Abu Noor al-Maqdisi (Arabic: أبو نور المقدسي), (born ?— 15 August 2009) was the leader of the Salafi
st Jihad
ist group Jund Ansar Allah
(Arabic: جند أنصار الله), an Islamist group in Rafah
, Gaza Strip
. On 14 August 2009, he proclaimed an "Islamic
Emirate
" in the Palestinian Territories
and was killed the following day 15 August, when Hamas forces stormed his headquarters and residence.
. He was said to be fifty years old at the time of his death on 15 August 2009. He studied in the Gaza Strip
education system, completing his secondary school education in the late 1970s where he was particularly noted for excellence the field of science.
In 1979 he joined the Faculty of Medicine of Alexandria University
, where he went on to achieve a doctorate in family health. During this time, he also met a number of prominent Alexandrian Sheikhs including; Sheikh Said Abdul Azeem, Sheikh Mohamed Bin Ismail al-Muqaddim, Sheikh Ahmed Fareed, and Sheikh Hamd Ibrahim.
He later worked as a teacher for five years at the "Ahl Al Hadith Al Sharif Centre" which is affiliated to the "Jam'iyat Dar Al Kitab Wa Al Sunna [the Association of the Books and Traditions of the Prophet]", in the city of Khan Yunis in the Southern Gaza Strip.
He worked as a preacher for the "Ahl Al Sunnah" mosque in Khan Yunis
for 15 years. Following this, he worked as the preacher for the Egypt
ian/Palestinian
"Nour Ala Al Hadoud" mosque for a period of 18 months. After this mosque was destroyed by the Israeli Army
in 2006, he became the preacher and imam of the "Sheikh al Islam Ibn Taymiyah" mosque until the time of his death. He also served as the Director of Medicine of the Rafah Martyrs Medical Centre.
He wrote a number of books including a book on the issue of faith entitled Al Yaqout Wa Al Morgan Fi Aqeeda Ahl Al Iman [The Ruby and Corral of the Faith of the Believers] and Al Tareeq Al Sawi Fi Iftiqah Asr Al Nabi [The Straight Way for Following the Way of the Prophet]. There are also a number of recording attributed to al-Maqdisi in which he explains the issue of faith.
He cemented his position as a mufti of international standing with his final book As'illa Wa Agwiba Sharia Hawl Al Qadiyah Al Filistaniyah [Juristic Questions and Answers Regarding the Palestinian Cause]. This book was published by the Beit al-Maqdis Publishing House, and was praised by Sheikh Mohamed Safwat Nour Al Din.
Emirate
" in the Palestinian Territories
. Early 15 August, Hamas
police stormed his Bin Taymiyah mosque in Rafah, and ended the rebellion. Moussa died in an explosion, officials said, but it was not clear whether he blew himself up. The mosque was destroyed in the fighting. The total death toll was 24.
Salafi
A Salafi come from Sunni Islam is a follower of an Islamic movement, Salafiyyah, that is supposed to take the Salaf who lived during the patristic period of early Islam as model examples...
st Jihad
Jihad
Jihad , an Islamic term, is a religious duty of Muslims. In Arabic, the word jihād translates as a noun meaning "struggle". Jihad appears 41 times in the Quran and frequently in the idiomatic expression "striving in the way of God ". A person engaged in jihad is called a mujahid; the plural is...
ist group Jund Ansar Allah
Jund Ansar Allah
Jund Ansar Allah is an armed Islamist organization operating in the Gaza Strip. On August 14, 2009, the group's spiritual leader, Sheikh Abdel Latif Moussa, announced the establishment of an Islamic emirate in the Palestinian territories and criticized the ruling power, Hamas, for failing to...
(Arabic: جند أنصار الله), an Islamist group in Rafah
Rafah
Rafah , also known as Rafiah, is a Palestinian city in the southern Gaza Strip. Located south of Gaza, Rafah's population of 71,003 is overwhelmingly made up of Palestinian refugees. Rafah camp and Tall as-Sultan form separate localities. Rafah is the district capital of the Rafah Governorate...
, Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
. On 14 August 2009, he proclaimed an "Islamic
Islamic State
An Islamic state is a type of government, in which the primary basis for government is Islamic religious law...
Emirate
Emirate
An emirate is a political territory that is ruled by a dynastic Muslim monarch styled emir.-Etymology:Etymologically emirate or amirate is the quality, dignity, office or territorial competence of any emir ....
" in the Palestinian Territories
Palestinian territories
The Palestinian territories comprise the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, the region is today recognized by three-quarters of the world's countries as the State of Palestine or simply Palestine, although this status is not recognized by the...
and was killed the following day 15 August, when Hamas forces stormed his headquarters and residence.
Early life and career
Born in the Gaza StripGaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
. He was said to be fifty years old at the time of his death on 15 August 2009. He studied in the Gaza Strip
Gaza Strip
thumb|Gaza city skylineThe Gaza Strip lies on the Eastern coast of the Mediterranean Sea. The Strip borders Egypt on the southwest and Israel on the south, east and north. It is about long, and between 6 and 12 kilometres wide, with a total area of...
education system, completing his secondary school education in the late 1970s where he was particularly noted for excellence the field of science.
In 1979 he joined the Faculty of Medicine of Alexandria University
Faculty of Medicine of Alexandria University
The Faculty of Medicine of Alexandria University was established following the Royal decree No. 32 pronounced in August 1942 by King Farouk the first. Teaching started in the academic year of 1942/1943...
, where he went on to achieve a doctorate in family health. During this time, he also met a number of prominent Alexandrian Sheikhs including; Sheikh Said Abdul Azeem, Sheikh Mohamed Bin Ismail al-Muqaddim, Sheikh Ahmed Fareed, and Sheikh Hamd Ibrahim.
He later worked as a teacher for five years at the "Ahl Al Hadith Al Sharif Centre" which is affiliated to the "Jam'iyat Dar Al Kitab Wa Al Sunna [the Association of the Books and Traditions of the Prophet]", in the city of Khan Yunis in the Southern Gaza Strip.
He worked as a preacher for the "Ahl Al Sunnah" mosque in Khan Yunis
Khan Yunis
Khan Yunis - often spelt Khan Younis or Khan Yunnis - is a city and adjacent refugee camp in the southern part of the Gaza Strip. According to the Palestinian Central Bureau of Statistics the city, its refugee camp, and its immediate surroundings had a total population of 180,000 in 2006...
for 15 years. Following this, he worked as the preacher for the Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian/Palestinian
Palestinian people
The Palestinian people, also referred to as Palestinians or Palestinian Arabs , are an Arabic-speaking people with origins in Palestine. Despite various wars and exoduses, roughly one third of the world's Palestinian population continues to reside in the area encompassing the West Bank, the Gaza...
"Nour Ala Al Hadoud" mosque for a period of 18 months. After this mosque was destroyed by the Israeli Army
Israel Defense Forces
The Israel Defense Forces , commonly known in Israel by the Hebrew acronym Tzahal , are the military forces of the State of Israel. They consist of the ground forces, air force and navy. It is the sole military wing of the Israeli security forces, and has no civilian jurisdiction within Israel...
in 2006, he became the preacher and imam of the "Sheikh al Islam Ibn Taymiyah" mosque until the time of his death. He also served as the Director of Medicine of the Rafah Martyrs Medical Centre.
He wrote a number of books including a book on the issue of faith entitled Al Yaqout Wa Al Morgan Fi Aqeeda Ahl Al Iman [The Ruby and Corral of the Faith of the Believers] and Al Tareeq Al Sawi Fi Iftiqah Asr Al Nabi [The Straight Way for Following the Way of the Prophet]. There are also a number of recording attributed to al-Maqdisi in which he explains the issue of faith.
He cemented his position as a mufti of international standing with his final book As'illa Wa Agwiba Sharia Hawl Al Qadiyah Al Filistaniyah [Juristic Questions and Answers Regarding the Palestinian Cause]. This book was published by the Beit al-Maqdis Publishing House, and was praised by Sheikh Mohamed Safwat Nour Al Din.
Death
On 14 August 2009, he proclaimed an "IslamicIslamic State
An Islamic state is a type of government, in which the primary basis for government is Islamic religious law...
Emirate
Emirate
An emirate is a political territory that is ruled by a dynastic Muslim monarch styled emir.-Etymology:Etymologically emirate or amirate is the quality, dignity, office or territorial competence of any emir ....
" in the Palestinian Territories
Palestinian territories
The Palestinian territories comprise the West Bank and the Gaza Strip. Since the Palestinian Declaration of Independence in 1988, the region is today recognized by three-quarters of the world's countries as the State of Palestine or simply Palestine, although this status is not recognized by the...
. Early 15 August, Hamas
Hamas
Hamas is the Palestinian Sunni Islamic or Islamist political party that governs the Gaza Strip. Hamas also has a military wing, the Izz ad-Din al-Qassam Brigades...
police stormed his Bin Taymiyah mosque in Rafah, and ended the rebellion. Moussa died in an explosion, officials said, but it was not clear whether he blew himself up. The mosque was destroyed in the fighting. The total death toll was 24.