WHAT ABOUT JERUSALEM?

Thanksgiving tables always seem to bring the most “thought-provoking" topics out in the open. At our home, current events are mixed into winning football teams and holiday gifts. My imagination has never fit into the status quo, so I  started wondering (while I was thanking G-d Thursday for my delicious turkey, awesome family and the best friends), what does the Koran say about “JERUSALEM”? It was a brief thought. I am familiar with the The Tanakh. I know Ezekiel 5:5 says that G-d placed Jerusalem in the center of the nations with countries all around her. Hey, that was written before maps and photos from space! I know that in G-d’s word Jerusalem is called THE CITY OF GOD (Psalms 46:4 and 87:3), THE SITY OF JUDAH (2 Chronicles 5:28), THE CITY OF JOY (Jeremiah 49:25), THE CITY OF PRAISE (Jeremiah 49:25), THE CITY OF RIGHTEOUSNESS (Isaiah 1:26),THE CITY OF THE LORD  (Isaiah 60:14), THE CITY OF TRUTH (Zechariah 8:3), THE FAITHFUL CITY (Isaiah 1:26), THE GATE OF MY PEOPLE (Obadiah 1:13, Micah 1:9), GREAT AMONG NATIONS (Lamentations 1:1), THE HOLY CITY (Nehemiah 11:1, 18, Isaiah 48:2, 52:1), THE MOUNTAIN OF THE LORD OF HOSTS (Zechariah 8;3, Isaiah 27:13), THE PERFECTION OF BEAUTY (Lamentations 2:15), THE THRONE OF THE LORD (Jeremiah 3:17), and ZION (1 Kings 8:1, Isaiah 60:14).

I know Jerusalem is described in many different ways in the Holy Scriptures: THE JOY OF THE WHOLE EARTH (Psalms 48:2), A COMPACT CITY (Psalms 122:3), SURROUNDED BY MOUNTAINS (Psalms 125:2), LIKE AN ARMY WITH BANNERS (Song of Solomon 6:4), A PLACE DAVID BOUGHT (2Samuel 24:19-2), DAVID’S CITADEL (2Samuel 5:5, 7, 9 and 1 Chronicles 11:7), DAVID’S CAPITAL (1Kings 15:4, 2 Kings 19:34, 2 Chronicles 6:6), A PLACE WHERE G-D’S NAME IS (2 Chronicles 12;13), THE PLACE TO OBSERVE G-D’S FEASTS (Ezekiel 36:38, Deuteronomy 16:16, Psalms 122:3-5), THE CITY TOWARD WHICH G-D’S PEOPLE PRAY (1 Kings 8:38, Daniel 6:10), THE PLACE G-D’S PEOPLE LOVE (Nehemiah 1;2-4, 2:5-6, Psalms 122:6, 137:5-6, Isaiah 62:1, 66:10), THE PLACE G-D’S TEMPLE WAS BUILT (2 Chronicles 3;1),

 Jerusalem is thoroughly described as  A CITY OF GATES (Psalms 9:14, 24:7-10, 87:2, Nehemiah 2:13-15, 3:1-6,14,26-31, 8:16, 12:31,37, 39, 2 Kings 14:13, 1 Chronicles 9:18, 26:16,  2 Chronicles 23:20, Jeremiah 37:13, 39:3, Zechariah 14:10. Jerusalem is spoken of as THE PLACE FROM WHICH THE WORD OF G-D WOULD GO FORTH  (Micah 4:2).

 It was prophesied years ahead that a king named Cyrus would be used to bless Jerusalem (Isaiah 44:28,) and it was king Cyrus who accomplished exactly what was prophesied (Ezra 1:1-4). And speaking of prophets! Isaiah, Jeremiah, Ezekiel, Daniel, Joel, Obadiah, Zephaniah, Zechariah and Malachi ALL prophesy about Jerusalem!

I know JERUSALEM is mentioned 635 times in the Tanakh and an additional 141 times in the New Testament. It seems to be a strong focus for both Jewish and Christian faiths. I went to research the Koran (after pumpkin pie and coffee), BUT I COULD NOT FIND ONE REFERENCE TO JERUSALEM. Just found that a bit odd.