One who prays in the direction he determines through independent reasoning in the West
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Question:
Also, a questioner asks: What is the ruling on one who goes to the West and uses his independent reasoning to determine the direction of the qiblah and prays, but after a period of time it becomes clear to him that he was praying in a direction opposite to the qiblah? Does his prayer count, or is he required to repeat it?
Answer:
If a person who is knowledgeable about the qiblah is not found to ask, and no one is found to guide him, but he exerts his effort and prays, then his prayer is valid, by the saying of Allah the Exalted:[At-Taghabun 64:16] and by His saying: [Al-Baqarah 2:115] This applies to the one who exerts his effort regarding the qiblah, and his prayer is valid.
As for if he was able to know the qiblah by asking people of expertise, or if he had Muslims around him whom he could ask, or if there was a mosque nearby where he could see the qiblah, then it is not permissible for him to use independent reasoning. He must act according to the evidence and pray in that direction. If he prayed without asking anyone and did not see a mosque, even if there was a mosque nearby, then he must repeat the prayer because he was negligent and careless in determining the qiblah. Yes.
Also, a questioner asks: What is the ruling on one who goes to the West and uses his independent reasoning to determine the direction of the qiblah and prays, but after a period of time it becomes clear to him that he was praying in a direction opposite to the qiblah? Does his prayer count, or is he required to repeat it?
Answer:
If a person who is knowledgeable about the qiblah is not found to ask, and no one is found to guide him, but he exerts his effort and prays, then his prayer is valid, by the saying of Allah the Exalted:
So fear Allah as much as you are able
فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْAnd to Allah belongs the east and the west. So wherever you [might] turn, there is the Face of Allah
وَلِلَّهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَالْمَغْرِبُ فَأَيْنَمَا تُوَلُّوا فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ اللَّهِAs for if he was able to know the qiblah by asking people of expertise, or if he had Muslims around him whom he could ask, or if there was a mosque nearby where he could see the qiblah, then it is not permissible for him to use independent reasoning. He must act according to the evidence and pray in that direction. If he prayed without asking anyone and did not see a mosque, even if there was a mosque nearby, then he must repeat the prayer because he was negligent and careless in determining the qiblah. Yes.
Source
قناة «العلامة الدكتور صالح الفوزان»، محاضرات في العقيدة والدعوة-37-قضايا فقهية - 01|صالح الفوزان|العام|كبار العلماء — youtube.com (51:32)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.