The Ruling on Prayer on a Ship

Question:
If a person is on a ship or the like, and he begins his prayer facing the qiblah according to his ijtihad and knowledge, but then he does not realize until he is facing another direction due to the change in the ship's direction or the like, what is the ruling?

Answer:
The obligatory duty of the Muslim, wherever he is, is to face the qiblah, which is the Ka'bah, in his prayer, and this is one of its most important conditions; because of the saying of the Exalted: [al-Baqarah:150]. The only exception to this is inability, such as one who is crucified facing another direction, or a sick person who finds no one to direct him toward the qiblah; because of the saying of Allah the Exalted: [al-Taghabun:16].
Likewise, the traveler turns toward the direction of his path, even if it is not the qiblah; because of what is established regarding this. Among the authentic hadiths is that the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) used to pray the voluntary prayer on his mount wherever his face was, but it is better to face the qiblah when entering the prayer; because of a hasan hadith reported regarding this.
As for the obligatory prayer, one who is able to face the qiblah is not permitted to face anything else, whether he is a resident or a traveler. However, one who is on a ship or an airplane or the like, it is obligatory for him to fear Allah as much as he can and strive to face the qiblah as much as possible, and to turn with the ship and the airplane whenever they turn. If the situation overcomes him at times and he does not realize until he is facing other than the qiblah, that does not harm him; because of the saying of Allah : [al-Baqarah:185], and His saying: [al-Hajj:78], and the saying of Allah the Exalted: [al-Taghabun:16], and the saying of the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him): .