What is the ruling on prayer if it is found that it was performed in a direction other than the qiblah after ijtihad?
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The questioner : We conclude this session with this question, O honorable Shaykh. The question is: What is the ruling on prayer if it is found that it was performed in a direction other than the qiblah after ijtihad?
The Shaykh : If a person exerts effort in a place where ijtihad is required.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And he does his utmost to hit the mark, but does not succeed, then his prayer is valid, even if it was in a direction other than the qiblah, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted:[Al-Baqarah 2:286] and His saying: [At-Taghabun 64:16].
As for if he is in a place where ijtihad is not required, such as if he is in a town and he can ask the people of the town or determine the qiblah by the mihrabs of the mosques and the like, then if he makes a mistake, he must repeat the prayer, because he exerted effort in a place that is not a place for ijtihad, since one who is in a town asks the people of the town or determines it by the mihrabs. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah bless you.
The Shaykh : If a person exerts effort in a place where ijtihad is required.
The questioner : Yes.
The Shaykh : And he does his utmost to hit the mark, but does not succeed, then his prayer is valid, even if it was in a direction other than the qiblah, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted:
Allah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity
لا يكلف الله نفسا إلا وسعهاSo fear Allah as much as you are able
فاتقوا الله ما استطعتمAs for if he is in a place where ijtihad is not required, such as if he is in a town and he can ask the people of the town or determine the qiblah by the mihrabs of the mosques and the like, then if he makes a mistake, he must repeat the prayer, because he exerted effort in a place that is not a place for ijtihad, since one who is in a town asks the people of the town or determines it by the mihrabs. Yes.
The questioner : May Allah reward you, O honorable Shaykh, and may Allah bless you.