Praying According to the Compass, Then Discovering That One Prayed in the Wrong Direction

Q: M. A. S. from Sharjah says in his question: When we arrived in America, we were praying according to the compass, but in a direction other than the qiblah. When we got to know some of our Muslim brothers there, they informed us that we had been praying in a direction other than the qiblah and guided us to the correct direction. Is the prayer we performed before knowing the correct direction valid or not?

A: If a believer exerts effort in determining the qiblah while in the desert or in lands where the qiblah is difficult to distinguish, and then prays based on his effort, and it later turns out that he prayed in a direction other than the qiblah, he should act according to his latest effort if it appears to him to be more accurate than his first effort. His first prayer is valid because he performed it based on effort and seeking the truth. It is established from the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) and his Companions (may Allah be pleased with them) when the qiblah was changed from the direction of the Sacred House to the Noble Ka'bah, what indicates this.
And success is from Allah.