The Book of Mosques and Places of Prayer-01b
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The reciter: Abu Bakr ibn Abi Shaybah narrated to us, 'Afan narrated to us, Hammad ibn Salama narrated to us from Thabit from Anas: Sahih Muslim 527.
The Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
These hadiths explain the prayer of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) toward the Sacred Mosque in Jerusalem, which is toward the north. He remained facing that direction for sixteen or seventeen months, as in the hadith of al-Bara' ibn 'Azib. The reason for this was that when he first arrived in Madinah, he wished to agree with the Jews in matters where he had not been commanded otherwise. However, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was looking forward to being directed toward the Ka'bah, as Allah the Exalted said:[Al-Baqarah 2:144] etc. The Shaykh al-Islam (may Allah have mercy on him) mentioned that facing the mosque or the east is a distortion by the Jews and Christians, and that all the messengers face the Ka'bah. He did not provide a source for this, but this is the apparent meaning, due to the saying of Allah the Exalted: [Ali 'Imran 3:96] etc. The hadith of Ibn 'Umar and the hadith of Anas ibn Malik (may Allah be pleased with them both) regarding the people who were found praying toward the Sacred Mosque in Jerusalem, were informed, and turned around, is evidence for acting upon the report of a single narrator in religious matters. Therefore, the report of a single mu'adhdhin is acted upon regarding the entry of the time for prayer and fasting, the report of a single person is acted upon regarding the qiblah, the report of a single person is acted upon that this water is ritually impure, and other numerous issues.
It is also evidence that if a person learns of the qiblah while he is in prayer, he is not required to restart the prayer, but rather he builds upon what has preceded, because these people built upon what had passed of their prayer.
It is evidence that movement to complete the prayer does not harm, because what occurred would involve a lot of movement. The explanation is that all the rows would change, and the imam would then be in another place in the rows, is that not so? Because the qiblah is exactly opposite to the Sacred Mosque in Jerusalem.
It is evidence of the virtue of the Ka'bah, because it is the qiblah of the Muslims in a worship that is the most noble of worships.
The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray towards Bait-ul-Maqdis, that it was revealed (to him):" Indeed We see the turning of the face to heaven, wherefore We shall assuredly cause thee to turn towards Qibla which shall please thee. So turn thy face towards the sacred Mosque (Ka'ba)" (ii. 144). A person from Banu Salama was going; (he found the people) in ruk'u (while) praying the dawn prayer and they had said one rak'ah. He said in a loud voice: Listen! the Qibla has been changed and they turned towards (the new) Qibla (Ka'ba) in that very state.
أن رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم كان يصلي نحو بيت المقدس فنزلت قد نرى تقلب وجهك في السماء فلنولينك قبلة ترضاها فول وجهك شطر المسجد الحرام فمر رجل من بني سلمة وهم ركوع في صلاة الفجر وقد صلوا ركعة فنادى ألا إن القبلة قد حولت فمالوا كما هم نحو القبلةThe Shaykh : In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful
These hadiths explain the prayer of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) toward the Sacred Mosque in Jerusalem, which is toward the north. He remained facing that direction for sixteen or seventeen months, as in the hadith of al-Bara' ibn 'Azib. The reason for this was that when he first arrived in Madinah, he wished to agree with the Jews in matters where he had not been commanded otherwise. However, the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) was looking forward to being directed toward the Ka'bah, as Allah the Exalted said:
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
قد نرى تقلُّب وجهك في السماء، فلنولِّينَّك قبلة ترضاهاIndeed, the first House [of worship] established for mankind was that at Makkah - blessed
إن أول بيت وُضِع للناس للذي ببكة مباركٌ للعالمينIt is also evidence that if a person learns of the qiblah while he is in prayer, he is not required to restart the prayer, but rather he builds upon what has preceded, because these people built upon what had passed of their prayer.
It is evidence that movement to complete the prayer does not harm, because what occurred would involve a lot of movement. The explanation is that all the rows would change, and the imam would then be in another place in the rows, is that not so? Because the qiblah is exactly opposite to the Sacred Mosque in Jerusalem.
It is evidence of the virtue of the Ka'bah, because it is the qiblah of the Muslims in a worship that is the most noble of worships.