Error in Determining the Qiblah Due to Ignorance or Negligence
Machine translationRead the Arabic original
Question:
I say: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, if a person errs in determining the qiblah due to ignorance or negligence, is he excused for that?
Answer:
The ruling differs depending on whether one is in a town with mosques. In that case, he is not excused, because he was required to look for the mosques or ask the people of the town. If he prays in a direction other than the qiblah, he must repeat the prayer because he is not excused. However, if he is in the desert with no one around, no mosques, and nothing else, and he exerts his effort to determine the qiblah and prays, his prayer is valid. Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Baqarah 2:115] They say this was revealed regarding a group of travelers who exerted their effort to determine the qiblah and prayed. When morning came, they realized they had been facing a direction other than the qiblah. They asked the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him), and Allah revealed this verse: [Al-Baqarah 2:115] These people exerted their effort, had no one to ask, and no signs or anything else. They exerted their effort and prayed as best as they could; their prayer is valid, if Allah wills.
As for the one who is in a town, among people, and near mosques, if he errs in the qiblah, he is not forgiven because he is the one who was negligent. Yes.
I say: Honorable Shaykh, may Allah grant you success, if a person errs in determining the qiblah due to ignorance or negligence, is he excused for that?
Answer:
The ruling differs depending on whether one is in a town with mosques. In that case, he is not excused, because he was required to look for the mosques or ask the people of the town. If he prays in a direction other than the qiblah, he must repeat the prayer because he is not excused. However, if he is in the desert with no one around, no mosques, and nothing else, and he exerts his effort to determine the qiblah and prays, his prayer is valid. Allah the Exalted said:
And 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 اللَّهِAnd 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 the one who is in a town, among people, and near mosques, if he errs in the qiblah, he is not forgiven because he is the one who was negligent. Yes.
Source
الفوزان -أشرطة- شرح زاد المستقنع مع الأسئلة - ٠٧٥-كتاب الطلاق - ٣-٢-٢٥ هـ — archive.org (29:30)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.