Direction of prayer

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When jews pray, they face Jeruslem. Synagogues around the world are traditionally built with the Holy Ark facing Jerusalem. Daily prayers are recited while facing towards Jerusalem and the Temple Mount. Many Jews have "Mizrach" plaques hung on a wall of their homes to indicate the direction of prayer. Muslims used to pray facing Jerusalem, why was it changed to Mekka? It's a question i have been asking myself for a long time, I haven't found a satisfying answer yet...
 
:salamext:

Question:
Is there any reasoning mentioned anywhere for changing the qiblah from Jerusalem to Makkah?
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Answer:
Wa`alaykum as-salam wa rahmatullahi wa barakatuh.

In the Name of Allah, Most Gracious, Most Merciful.

All praise and thanks are due to Allah, and peace and blessings be upon His Messenger.

Dear sister, thanks for your question, which reflects your care for having a clear view of the teachings of Islam. Allah commands Muslims to refer to the people of knowledge to get themselves well-acquainted with the teachings of Islam, as well as all aspects of life.

It is stated in the books of seerah (biography of the Prophet, peace and blessings be upon him) that Muslims were facing Jerusalem as the qiblah (direction toward which Muslims turn their faces in Prayer). Then the qiblah of Muslims changed to be the Ka`bah in Makkah upon a command from Almighty Allah, and this was the Prophet's desire. Among the reasons behind this change is that the Ka`bah was held by all as the holiest of sites.

In his response to your question, Sheikh Ahmad Kutty, senior lecturer and Islamic scholar at the Islamic Institute of Toronto, Canada, stated,

The qiblah was changed from Jerusalem to the Ka`bah in Makkah, for the Ka`bah is the first and most ancient House of Worship ever built for all humankind for the purpose of worshipping Almighty Allah alone, as stated in the Qur'an. Almighty Allah says, (The first House [of worship] appointed for humankind was that at Bakkah: Full of blessing and of guidance for all kinds of beings)(Aal `Imran 3:96).

The shift of qiblah from Jerusalem to the Ka`bah thus represents Islam's stance of calling the humankind away from local or provincial shrines to the First Sanctuary, where the peoples are invited to give heed to the roots of their father, Adam.

In other words, this shift intended to unify the humanity under the Lordship of One God. Islam thus cuts at the root of all tribal, racial, and ethnic divisions that separate the peoples from one another.

Furthermore, we also learn from the traditions of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) that the Ka`bah was the qiblah of the Prophets before him (peace be upon them all). We have been told that all Prophets — such as Abraham, Moses, and Jesus — were also facing the Ka`bah in their Prayers.
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Source
 
Then why was it Jerusalem first? Why wasn't it Mekka from the beginning? Do we have an answer for that?
 
Why was the Qiblah changed from Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) to the Ka’bah (Makkah)?
question;
as-salaam-u-alikum
I would like to know why Muslims once prayed towards bait-ul-muqadis and why was this changed to the ka'baa.
jazakallah


Answer;
Praise be to Allaah.

When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came from Makkah to Madeenah, he used to face Bayt al-Maqdis when he prayed, and that remained the case for sixteen or seventeen months, as is proven in the two Saheehs (al-Bukhaari and Muslim), in the hadeeth of al-Baraa’ ibn ‘Aazib (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father), who said: “The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) prayed towards Bayt al-Maqdis for sixteen or seventeen months, and he was hoping that the Qiblah would be towards the House (i.e., the Ka’bah)…”

Then after that Allaah commanded him to face the direction of the Ka’bah (the Sacred House), in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): “… so turn your face in the direction of al-Masjid al-Haraam (at Makkah). And wheresoever you people are, turn your faces (in prayer) in that direction…” [al-Baqarah 2:144].

Before we answer the question about the wisdom behind this change, we must note the following points:

When we Muslims hear of a command from Allaah, we must accept it and submit to it, even if the wisdom behind it is not clear to us, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allaah and His Messenger have decreed a matter, that they should have any option in their decision…” [al-Ahzaab 33:36]

Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, does not give any command without there being great wisdom behind it – even if we do not understand it – as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “… That is the judgement of Allaah. He judges between you. And Allaah is All-Knowing, All-Wise.” [al-Mumtahinah 60:10]

Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, does not abrogate any rule except to replace it with something better or similar to it, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): “Whatever Verse (revelation) do We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, We bring a better one or similar to it. Know you not that Allaah is able to do all things?” [al-Baqarah 2:106]

Having understood this, we may note that the wisdom behind the changing of the Qiblah has several aspects, including:

It is a test for the true believer, because the true believer, unlike others, accepts the commands of Allaah. Allaah has spoken of this in the Qur’aan (interpretation of the meaning): “… And We made the Qiblah which you used to face, only to test those who followed the Messenger from those who would turn on their heels. Indeed it was great (heavy) except for those whom Allaah guided…” [al-Baqarah 2:143]

This ummah is the best of nations, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “You are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind…” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:110]. Confirming the aayat about the Qiblah, Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Thus We have made of you (true Muslims) a Wasat (just) (and the best) nation…” [al-Baqarah 2:143]. “Wasat” conveys meanings of justice and of being chosen. So Allaah has chosen for this ummah goodness in all things and the best commands and rules, and thus He chose for them the Qiblah of Ibraaheem, upon whom be peace.

Imaam Ahmad reported in his Musnad (6/134-135) from ‘Aa’ishah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said about the People of the Book (Jews and Christians): “They do not envy us for anything as much as they envy us for Yawm al-Jumu’ah (Friday), to which Allaah has guided us and from which they have gone astray, and for the Qiblah to which Allaah has guided us and from which they have gone astray, and for our saying ‘Aameen’ behind the imaam.” (For more information on this subject, please refer to Bada’i’ al-Fawaa’id by Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allaah have mercy on him, 4/157-174).

And Allaah knows best.
Islam Q&A
Sheikh Muhammed Salih Al-Munajjid
______________________________________________________________________________

A brief history of Al Masjid Alharam (makkah)
 
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Non-muslims claim that Muhammad (PBUH) prayed towards jerusalem to please the jews...and when they did not convert to Islam he switched the Qibla to Mekkah...i don't believe any of that of course. But how can I respond to such claims?
 
Lara said:
Non-muslims claim that Muhammad (PBUH) prayed towards jerusalem to please the jews...and when they did not convert to Islam he switched the Qibla to Mekkah...i don't believe any of that of course. But how can I respond to such claims?
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show them these last 3 paragraphs
o.elmais said:
we may note that the wisdom behind the changing of the Qiblah has several aspects, including:

It is a test for the true believer, because the true believer, unlike others, accepts the commands of Allaah. Allaah has spoken of this in the Qur’aan (interpretation of the meaning): “… And We made the Qiblah which you used to face, only to test those who followed the Messenger from those who would turn on their heels. Indeed it was great (heavy) except for those whom Allaah guided…” [al-Baqarah 2:143]

This ummah is the best of nations, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “You are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind…” [Aal ‘Imraan 3:110]. Confirming the aayat about the Qiblah, Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): “Thus We have made of you (true Muslims) a Wasat (just) (and the best) nation…” [al-Baqarah 2:143]. “Wasat” conveys meanings of justice and of being chosen. So Allaah has chosen for this ummah goodness in all things and the best commands and rules, and thus He chose for them the Qiblah of Ibraaheem, upon whom be peace.

Imaam Ahmad reported in his Musnad (6/134-135) from ‘Aa’ishah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said about the People of the Book (Jews and Christians): “They do not envy us for anything as much as they envy us for Yawm al-Jumu’ah (Friday), to which Allaah has guided us and from which they have gone astray, and for the Qiblah to which Allaah has guided us and from which they have gone astray, and for our saying ‘Aameen’ behind the imaam.” (For more information on this subject, please refer to Bada’i’ al-Fawaa’id by Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allaah have mercy on him, 4/157-174).
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Lara said:
:sl:
When jews pray, they face Jeruslem. Synagogues around the world are traditionally built with the Holy Ark facing Jerusalem. Daily prayers are recited while facing towards Jerusalem and the Temple Mount. Many Jews have "Mizrach" plaques hung on a wall of their homes to indicate the direction of prayer. Muslims used to pray facing Jerusalem, why was it changed to Mekka? It's a question i have been asking myself for a long time, I haven't found a satisfying answer yet...
Click to expand...

My take on it is that Muhammed first heard the words of a new Arabic scripture pouring from his lips in 610ad, he kept it quite for a couple of years confiding in his wife and her christian cousin Waraqi ibn Nawfal.

He was excited that Arab's now had scripture and and prophet, he also thought for acceptence from the Jewish and christian faiths and around 624 it was clear that most of the Jews medina would never be reconciled with the prophet. Realising too that actually the Jews & Christians had serious theological differences.

By changing the direction of prayer some 14 years after starting his sect (to become Islam) he was turning away from Jerusalem towards the Kabah which had no connection to Jews or Christians. Muslims seen themselves as reverting to the original pure monotheism of Abraham who had lived before the Torah or the Gospel.

To me it was a decleration of indapendence born out of acceptance that Islam would not be accepted by the established religions.
 
Lara said:
Non-muslims claim that Muhammad (PBUH) prayed towards jerusalem to please the jews...and when they did not convert to Islam he switched the Qibla to Mekkah...i don't believe any of that of course. But how can I respond to such claims?
Click to expand...

:salamext:

Shouldn't this be in the refutation section?
 
Shouldn't this be in the refutation section?
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I wasn't gonna ask this question but then i thought of it, I just wanted to know why muslims 1st used to pray towards Jerusalem...I got satisfying answers so far. Thx.
 
Which way is the qiblah from Vancouver?(hope I pray the right way.
 

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