What is the ruling on the prayer of one who faces the Hijr and turns his back to the Ka'bah?
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The questioner : Your Eminence, may Allah preserve you: You have said in several places that it is not permissible to perform tawaf between the Hijr and the Ka'bah.
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : It is not permissible to perform tawaf between the Hijr and the Ka'bah.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Is the prayer permissible if one faces the Hijr and turns his back to the Ka'bah?
The Shaykh : If?
The questioner : If one faces the Hijr and turns his back to the Ka'bah.
The Shaykh : Faces?
The questioner : If one faces the Hijr and turns his back to the Ka'bah, is the prayer permissible?
The Shaykh : The prayer is not valid if one turns his back to the Ka'bah and faces the Hijr, because the northern end of the Hijr is outside the Ka'bah; it is a wall in a place that is not its proper place. Therefore, the part of the Ka'bah facing it is empty space, not a distinct, standing object to which one prays. Furthermore, I think that such an action would not occur except out of playfulness or mockery. How can one pray when the Ka'bah is behind him and he is facing the northern wall of the Hijr? Only a mocking person, a scoffer, or a fool would do this.
The questioner : A jurisprudential issue is based on this; that is the intent of the question. A jurisprudential issue is based on it if we say that tawaf, meaning it is not permissible between the Hijr and the Ka'bah, meaning some people think that if he prays between the Hijr and the Ka'bah.
The Shaykh : What?
The questioner : It is not permissible to perform tawaf between the Hijr and the Ka'bah.
The Shaykh : Yes.
The questioner : Is the prayer permissible if one faces the Hijr and turns his back to the Ka'bah?
The Shaykh : If?
The questioner : If one faces the Hijr and turns his back to the Ka'bah.
The Shaykh : Faces?
The questioner : If one faces the Hijr and turns his back to the Ka'bah, is the prayer permissible?
The Shaykh : The prayer is not valid if one turns his back to the Ka'bah and faces the Hijr, because the northern end of the Hijr is outside the Ka'bah; it is a wall in a place that is not its proper place. Therefore, the part of the Ka'bah facing it is empty space, not a distinct, standing object to which one prays. Furthermore, I think that such an action would not occur except out of playfulness or mockery. How can one pray when the Ka'bah is behind him and he is facing the northern wall of the Hijr? Only a mocking person, a scoffer, or a fool would do this.
The questioner : A jurisprudential issue is based on this; that is the intent of the question. A jurisprudential issue is based on it if we say that tawaf, meaning it is not permissible between the Hijr and the Ka'bah, meaning some people think that if he prays between the Hijr and the Ka'bah.