Islamic Misintepretation

But isn't Baitul Maqdis "the Holy Temple"?

Question:
I want to know the differences and the locations of Masjid Aqsa and Baitul Maqdis.

Fatwa:

All perfect praise be to Allaah, The Lord of the Worlds. I testify that there is none worthy of worship except Allaah, and that Muhammad sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam (may Allaah exalt his mention) is His slave and Messenger.

Baytul-Maqdis is itself the Al-Aqsa mosque about which Allaah Says (what means): {Exalted is He who took His Servant [i.e. Prophet Muhammad by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Seeing.} [Quran 17:1] It is also confirmed that the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “When the tribe of Quraysh belied me, I stood on the Hijr of Isma’eel (Ishmael) [The area adjacent to the northwest side of the Ka’bah, enclosed by a low semi-circular wall in the sacred mosque in Makkah] and Allaah showed me Baytul-Maqdis and I started describing it to them while I was looking at it.”
This is the meaning in principle, however, sometimes we mention Baytul-Maqdis to refer to something greater than it. Hence, sometimes it refers to the area in which Baytul-Maqdis and its precincts are, as in the saying of the Prophet sallallaahu `alayhi wa sallam ( may Allaah exalt his mention ) said: “Baytul-Maqdis will be conquered.”

It is also used to refer to Jerusalem which includes Al-Aqsa mosque in the general meaning. However, by Baytul-Maqdis we do not refer to the entire Palestine or Greater Syria, and these are not considered holy as Baytul-Maqdis, however, it may be included in the surrounding area of Al-Aqsa that has this characteristic (i.e. sanctity). Allaah Says (what means): {Exalted is He who took His Servant [i.e. Prophet Muhammad] by night from al-Masjid al-Haram to al-Masjid al-Aqsa, whose surroundings We have blessed, to show him of Our signs. Indeed, He is the Hearing, the Seeing.} [Quran 17:1]

And there's this:

Al-Masjid al-Haram (The sacred mosque) in Makka is the oldest mosque on the earth, then al-Masjid al-Aqsa.

Abu Zar (RAA) said: 'I asked Allah's Messenger: Which is the oldest Mosque on earth? The Prophet (Sallallahu Alaihi wa Sallam) said: "al-Majid al-Haram". Then I asked: which one is the next? He replied: "al-Masjid al-Aqsa". Then I asked: How many years between them? (i.e. of building them). He said: "Forty years, and pray when time of some prayer comes, since every place is a Mosque." [ Bukhari and Muslim ]
As for the date of building al-Aqsa, there is difference among scholars concerning this point. But, it is reported that Adam (SAW) first built it according to Ibn Hajar and he preferred this opinion. It is also reported that Yaqoob Ibn Ishaq Ibn Ibrahim (SAW) was the first builder. Then, it was rebuilt by Sulaiman (SAW).

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