Just a question

[England]

Muslims claim that Muhammad always worshipped "Allah" ina 100% correct way, without the need for any restoral. My question is:

If this is true, why did Muhammad pray towards Jerusalem for the first 5 years of his prophethood, and later redirected his prays towards Mecca? And did Jesus pray towards Mecca 5 times a towards Jerusalem or Mecca?

[Abdul-Raouf]

If this is true, why did for the first 5 years of his prophethood, and later redirected his prays towards Mecca?

the above one is surely true..... but i dono the number of yrs correctly..


will send u some link abt that insha'allah.

[England]

http://www.islaam.com/Article.aspx?id=539

halfway down the page

[Les_Nubian]

Aren't you still worshipping God no matter what direction you pray?

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[- Qatada -]

The Messenger of Allaah (peace be upon him) prayed in the direction of Jerusalem the same way the previous prophets of the children of Isra'eel did, i.e. Jesus (peace be upon him) because Jesus was actually located within Jerusalem etc.


The ka'ba was built by Abraham and his son Isma'eel (Ishmael) and because the religion of Muhammad (peace be upon him) was the same religion of Abraham (pure monotheism) - he desired to pray in the direction of the ka'ba. So Allaah ordered him to turn towards the ka'ba instead of Jerusalem.

Verily! We have seen the turning of your (Muhammad's SAW) face towards the heaven. Surely, We shall turn you to a Qiblah (prayer direction) that shall please you, so turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid- al-Haram (at Makkah). And wheresoever you people are, turn your faces (in prayer) in that direction. Certainly, the people who were given the Scriptures (i.e. Jews and the Christians) know well that, that (your turning towards the direction of the Ka'bah at Makkah in prayers) is the truth from their Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what they do.

[Qur'an Al Baqarah 2:144]

Peace.

[England]

Aren't you still worshipping God no matter what direction you pray?

Muslims must face towards Mecca whilst praying. They're not supposed to face Jerusalem therefore he did it in the wrong manner if I'm correct? He required muslims to face Jerusalem whilst praying which was wrong.

[- Qatada -]

Muslims must face towards Mecca whilst praying. They're not supposed to face Jerusalem therefore he did it in the wrong manner if I'm correct? He required muslims to face Jerusalem whilst praying which was wrong.

No, thats not true. The prophet (peace be upon him) would follow the way of the previous prophets and he prayed towards the direction of Jerusalem. Due to the fact that he really desired to pray towards the ka'ba which Prophet Abraham (peace be upon him) had built, Allaah allowed him to turn towards that as a qibla as i've stated in the qur'an verse above.


PS: The christians and jews who speak arabic also call God, Allaah and therefore it's not another God. It's just the arabic way of saying God.



Peace.

[Les_Nubian]

<---------------Is Muslim and prays towards Mecca. But if we can't find the direction of Mecca, then we face the direction we think might be mecca, and because of not being knowledgeable on exactly what direction it is, then that is OK.

Now I'm not sure if you read the article that you posted, but here's something that I think explains what you are talking about from that article that you posted:

He remained praying towards the Aqsa Mosque despite his longing to pray towards the Ka`ba. While in Makkah it was possible for him to get around this by praying with the Ka`ba between him and Jerusalem, but that was not possible after the migration to Madinah. He remained facing towards the Aqsa Mosque for ten or so months for a wise reason, if the Christians and Jews would only think a bit. The Prophet –may Allah's blessing and peace be on him- followed what was revealed to him by his Lord, not what he himself desired. Furthermore, his facing towards Jerusalem articulated his prophethood and his veneration for the prophets, and his following their path and manner. Then the command came to him from his Lord to turn, so he turned towards the first house of Allah and the station of his father Abraham. That was a test and trial of faith for this nation of the just mean, and a permanent refutation of the religion and worship of anyone who fails to turn towards the new qibla, and their disinheritance from the Faith of Abraham, as well as a great testimony that the disbelief of the Christians and Jews is only out of envy and hatred, despite their knowledge and certainty of the truth.

=============

Not sure if that makes any sense or if it helps, but I hope so. ;)

[Kidman]

Yes, but when you pray to God you must follow the rules. If God says to pray in a certain direction, a certain style, wearing certain clothes, then you must follow.
The changing direction was a turn in Islam, where they separate themselves from the Jews and Christians.

As far as Worshipping God, that doesn't necessarly limit you to prayer only. It also means following what is right and good, and staying far from evil or bad.

:)

Take care,
Kidman

[IzakHalevas]

The Messenger of Allaah (peace be upon him) prayed in the direction of Jerusalem the same way the previous prophets of the children of Isra'eel did, i.e. Jesus (peace be upon him) because Jesus was actually located within Jerusalem etc.


The ka'ba was built by Abraham and his son Isma'eel (Ishmael) and because the religion of Muhammad (peace be upon him) was the same religion of Abraham (pure monotheism) - he desired to pray in the direction of the ka'ba. So Allaah ordered him to turn towards the ka'ba instead of Jerusalem.

Verily! We have seen the turning of your (Muhammad's SAW) face towards the heaven. Surely, We shall turn you to a Qiblah (prayer direction) that shall please you, so turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid- al-Haram (at Makkah). And wheresoever you people are, turn your faces (in prayer) in that direction. Certainly, the people who were given the Scriptures (i.e. Jews and the Christians) know well that, that (your turning towards the direction of the Ka'bah at Makkah in prayers) is the truth from their Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what they do.

[Qur'an Al Baqarah 2:144]

Peace.

Or maybe he was trying to convince the Jews that they could convert and still keep customs like prayer towards Jerusalem and no pork ect. But that is just my humble opinion.

[Abu Zakariya]

Or maybe he was trying to convince the Jews that they could convert and still keep customs like prayer towards Jerusalem and no pork ect. But that is just my humble opinion.

Well, first of all, he prayed towards Jerusalem also during the Makkan era, before he migrated to Madinah where there was a Jewish community. Second of all, if that were the case, why would he change the Qiblah once he actually came into contact with the Jews of Madinah? It doesn't make any sense. I mean, if someone wants to pray towards Jerusalem to appease the Jews, why stop doing it once he comes into contact with the Jews?

And since Muhammad sall Allahu 'aleyhi wa sallam is the last in a line of Messengers, it is totally coherent that there are similarities with his Shari'ah and the Shari'ah of former Prophets.

[ManchesterFolk]

Second of all, if that were the case, why would he change the Qiblah once he actually came into contact with the Jews of Madinah?

I am not one who may support this theory but could it be because they utterly rejected his religion?

[Erundur]

Or maybe he was trying to convince the Jews that they could convert and still keep customs like prayer towards Jerusalem and no pork ect. But that is just my humble opinion.

The Qiblah (the place toward which the Muslims turn their face in prayer) had been Jerusalem. The Jews imagined that the choice implide a leaning toward Judaism and that the Prophet stood in need of their instruction. He received a command to change the Qiblah from Jerusalem to the Ka'bah at Makkah.

Mohammad Marmaduke Pickthall

[Abu Zakariya]

I am not one who may support this theory but could it be because they utterly rejected his religion?

Well, not all Jews rejected Islam. And of those who accepted Islam, some even reverted back to Judaism after the Qiblah had been changed! So if it was all a plan to attract the Jews, why then change the Qiblah a short time after arriving to Madinah and thus alienating Jewish converts as well as those that hadn't converted? Also, one has to remember that Muhammad sall Allahu 'aleyhi wa sallam had been calling his people to Islam for 13 years in Makkah before being driven out. If his plan was to attract the Jews by praying towards Jerusalem, why would he abandon this plan after only a year and a half whereas in the case of the people of Makkah, he was patient for 13 years? And still, Muslims prayed towards Jerusalem even before they migrated to Madinah and came into contact with the Jewish community of that city. If one believes that he chose Jerusalem as the Qiblah because he wanted to appease the Jews, then one also has to believe that he foretold the migration to Madinah where the Jews were. And it wasn't a matter of picking and choosing where to migrate, since the people were polytheists and hostile towards Islam. He had to wait for a people to accept him and invite him. And the people of Madinah did, after he already prayed towards Jerusalem.

[Zulkiflim]

Salaam,

I read it is a test of the followers of Islam in the early days.

casue when the Prophet prayed towards Al Aqsa,they were in line with the Jews and Chrisitans,and thus a sign that for the majority they were following an OLD religion.

But when allah commanded the change,people questioned but the faithful follow.

A test of faith,not not rely on comform towards other but to rely on Allah commands.