Why Do We Pray Towards Mecca?

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Makkah in Saudi Arabia is Muhammad's birthplace and the holiest city of Islam. In 610 CE, Muhammad received the first of his revelations from God on a mountain outside Makkah. All Islamic People are supposed to make the HAJJ at least once a lifetime, if they can.
 
Makkah in Saudi Arabia is Muhammad's birthplace and the holiest city of Islam. In 610 CE, Muhammad received the first of his revelations from God on a mountain outside Makkah. All Islamic People are supposed to make the HAJJ at least once a lifetime, if they can.

Not necessarily for the reason of it being nabi Muhammad's (saw) birth place, the Kaaba was built by nabi Ibrahim and nabi Ismael (peace be upon them both) way back then. I am also told also (though not verified) that it was where Adam (pbuh) first made a a house for Allah. So, in effect, nabi Ibrahim and Ismail (peace be upon them both) rebuilt it.


:peace:
 
I dont see the reason to pray towards Mecca, would it not b like the Christians praying towards the cross? Is it symbolic?

For the Believers there's no need of a reason to follow any of the commandments of Allah since what we hear we have to follow as in verse http://legacy.quran.com/24/51 and as well explained in post # 3 and others here. But its upto Allah , The All Powerful but The Merciful, for some commandments he gives reasons and for some he did not but what we see from hadiths and the noble Quran verses below is the Kaaba was the First house built ONLY for the worship of the One true Creator and it was built even before Adam and imo its was a TEST as in verse above http://legacy.quran.com/24/51 for our Prophet Muhammad :saws: to see his piety in adhering to the commandments of Allah not to turn to HIS MOST BELOVED Kaaba built by his own forefathers and most honoured predecessor Prophet Abraham & Ishmael unless ordered by Allah (given permission to turn from Al Aqsa from Jerusalem which was built much later) when he still know this was the Haq or the accepted obvious truth as seen in this verse .

2:144 '' We have certainly seen the turning of your face, [O Muhammad], toward the heaven, and We will surely turn you to a qiblah with which you will be pleased. So turn your face toward al-Masjid al-Haram. And wherever you [believers] are, turn your faces toward it [in prayer]. Indeed, those who have been given the Scripture well know that it is the truth from their Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what they do.''


Others Verses about the Sanctity of the Kaaba are below from the Noble Quran

Noble Quran 3:96 ''Verily, the first House (of worship) appointed for mankind was that at Bakkah (Makkah), full of blessing, and a guidance for Al-'Alamin (the mankind and jinns).''

Note : the Valley of Bacca is mentioned in the Bible too

Noble Quran 22:26 ''
And (remember) when We showed Ibrahim (Abraham) the site of the (Sacred) House (the Ka'bah at Makkah) (saying): "Associate not anything (in worship) with Me, [La ilaha ill-Allah (none has the right to be worshipped but Allah Islamic Monotheism], and sanctify My House for those who circumambulate it''

Note : The remains of the foundation of the old kaaba was shown to Prophet Abraham that was destroyed in Noah's great Flood and the kaaba was built over the same .
 
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Muawiyah bin Al-Hakam As-Salmi said:

"I had a slave-girl who used to herd sheep for me. One day I discovered that a wolf had killed one of her sheep, and I'm a man from the children of Adam, I get upset like they get upset, and I slapped her in the face. Then I went to the Prophet who impressed upon me the seriousness of my act. I said, 'O Messenger of Allah, should I not set her free?' He said, 'Bring her to me.' He asked her, 'Where is Allah', She said, 'He is above the heavens.' He said, 'Who am I?' She said, 'You are the Messenger of Allah.' He said, 'Free her, for she is a believer.' (Muslim and Abu Dawud)

Wait what? The prophet was impressed because he slapped her? I'm confused..


and what if she said she doesn't know?..will she still be freed
 
Ive always wondered, why do we pray towards Mecca?

read this: https://islamqa.info/en/13932

We're praying to God right? And God is everywhere.

God is not everywhere. That is some other religion's belief. God is above His throne, above the 7 heavens.

read this: https://islamqa.info/en/11035

Does our prayer not count if we dont pray towards Mecca?

In order for prayer to be valid, it is stipulated that one should face towards the qiblah. If one does not pray facing towards the qiblah when one is able to do so, then the prayer is invalid, because Allah, may He be exalted, says (interpretation of the meaning):


“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”
[al-Baqarah 2:144].

read more here: https://islamqa.info/en/192773



I still dont get it. Muslims used to pray towards Jerusalem. But ii guess its becuz they dont wanna b like the Jews and Christians, so they changed it to Mecca.

No, has nothing to do with being like the people of the book. The Jerusalem Masjid was pure at that time so they prayed towards that. When the kabba was cleansed of the idols and purified then the direction was changed towards it.

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]

read here: https://islamqa.info/en/1953

I dont see the reason to pray towards Mecca, would it not b like the Christians praying towards the cross? Is it symbolic?

No, read the first link given.
 
No, has nothing to do with being like the people of the book. The Jerusalem Masjid was pure at that time so they prayed towards that. When the kabba was cleansed of the idols and purified then the direction was changed towards it.

Muslims started to face towards Kaba before it was cleaned up after this ayah was revealed

2:177 It is not righteousness that you turn your faces towards the East and the West, but righteousness is this that one should believe in Allah and the last day and the angels and the Book and the prophets, and give away wealth out of love for Him to the near of kin and the orphans and the needy and the wayfarer and the beggars and for (the emancipation of) the captives, and keep up prayer and pay the poor-rate; and the performers of their promise when they make a promise, and the patient in distress and affliction and in time of conflicts-- these are they who are {rue (to themselves) and these are they who guard (against evil).
 

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