The traveler who knows the qiblah of the town, but a man directed him and was mistaken; is his prayer valid?
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The questioner : Some people...
The Shaykh : We say he must exert his judgment (ijtihad) in this case.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Prayer
The Shaykh : He must exert his judgment.
The questioner : He exerted his judgment and prayed.
The Shaykh : Fine.
The questioner : On the second day...
The Shaykh : It became clear to him that he had made a mistake.
The questioner : No, the one who came... informed him...
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : ...so he prayed with them... then it became clear to them that this man who...
The Shaykh : Now, when they were informed that the qiblah was contrary to the direction they had faced, did they believe that he was more knowledgeable about it than they were?
The questioner : Yes, exactly.
The Shaykh : Then they owe nothing.
The questioner : They owe nothing?
The Shaykh : They owe nothing.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Yes, they owe nothing.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : If they say, what?
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : But was it based on exertion of judgment (ijtihad)? Or was it a guess?
The questioner : It was based on exertion of judgment.
The Shaykh : If it was based on exertion of judgment, then each person is excused for what he exerted his judgment in, for each person who exerted his judgment in it. But yes, they said it is recommended that the imam not differ from the one praying behind him.
The questioner : If he prayed...
The Shaykh : Then that is permissible for them, but it is better not to... rather, it is obligatory for them, if they believed that the qiblah was contrary to what this informer told them. Yes, leave it.
The student: Three, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes, three.
The Shaykh : We say he must exert his judgment (ijtihad) in this case.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Prayer
The Shaykh : He must exert his judgment.
The questioner : He exerted his judgment and prayed.
The Shaykh : Fine.
The questioner : On the second day...
The Shaykh : It became clear to him that he had made a mistake.
The questioner : No, the one who came... informed him...
The Shaykh : Yes
The questioner : ...so he prayed with them... then it became clear to them that this man who...
The Shaykh : Now, when they were informed that the qiblah was contrary to the direction they had faced, did they believe that he was more knowledgeable about it than they were?
The questioner : Yes, exactly.
The Shaykh : Then they owe nothing.
The questioner : They owe nothing?
The Shaykh : They owe nothing.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : Yes, they owe nothing.
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : If they say, what?
The questioner : ...
The Shaykh : But was it based on exertion of judgment (ijtihad)? Or was it a guess?
The questioner : It was based on exertion of judgment.
The Shaykh : If it was based on exertion of judgment, then each person is excused for what he exerted his judgment in, for each person who exerted his judgment in it. But yes, they said it is recommended that the imam not differ from the one praying behind him.
The questioner : If he prayed...
The Shaykh : Then that is permissible for them, but it is better not to... rather, it is obligatory for them, if they believed that the qiblah was contrary to what this informer told them. Yes, leave it.
The student: Three, O Shaykh.
The Shaykh : Yes, three.