The ruling on one who prays in a direction other than the qiblah after making an effort to determine it
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Question:
This questioner, who has indicated his name with the initials (A. A), asks: A group of people were traveling and night fell while they were in a desert. The time for prayer arrived, and they made an effort to determine the qiblah, but they prayed in the opposite direction and did not know the original direction of the qiblah. After finishing the prayer, the original direction of the qiblah became clear to them. Do they have to repeat the prayer in such a case? Please guide us in light of this question, may you be rewarded.
Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon His servant and messenger, our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family, his Companions, and those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment. As for what follows:
It is obligatory for a Muslim when the time for prayer arrives and he is traveling to make an effort to determine the qiblah and to strive to know its signs and indicators. If he strives and prays, and then it becomes clear to him after the prayer that he erred regarding the qiblah, he does not have to repeat it. This is because Allah says: [al-Taghabun: 16] ... [al-Baqarah: 286] And He, the Exalted, says: [al-Baqarah: 286]. As for in a town, it is obligatory for him to ask those who know the qiblah, and he should not strive to determine it as long as he is in a town among people.
As for in travel, if he strives, makes an effort to determine the qiblah, and prays, and then it becomes clear to him after the prayer that he erred regarding the qiblah, his prayer is valid. If the matter becomes clear to him during the prayer, he turns toward the qiblah according to what becomes clear to him thereafter, and he does not repeat the beginning of it. And Allah is the One who grants success.
The presenter : May Allah reward you with good, Your Eminence the Shaykh.
This questioner, who has indicated his name with the initials (A. A), asks: A group of people were traveling and night fell while they were in a desert. The time for prayer arrived, and they made an effort to determine the qiblah, but they prayed in the opposite direction and did not know the original direction of the qiblah. After finishing the prayer, the original direction of the qiblah became clear to them. Do they have to repeat the prayer in such a case? Please guide us in light of this question, may you be rewarded.
Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and blessings upon His servant and messenger, our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family, his Companions, and those who follow them with excellence until the Day of Judgment. As for what follows:
It is obligatory for a Muslim when the time for prayer arrives and he is traveling to make an effort to determine the qiblah and to strive to know its signs and indicators. If he strives and prays, and then it becomes clear to him after the prayer that he erred regarding the qiblah, he does not have to repeat it. This is because Allah says:
So fear Allah as much as you are able
فَاتَّقُوا اللَّهَ مَا اسْتَطَعْتُمْAllah does not charge a soul except [with that within] its capacity
لا يُكَلِّفُ اللَّهُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَاOur Lord, do not impose blame upon us if we have forgotten or erred.
رَبَّنَا لا تُؤَاخِذْنَا إِنْ نَسِينَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَاAs for in travel, if he strives, makes an effort to determine the qiblah, and prays, and then it becomes clear to him after the prayer that he erred regarding the qiblah, his prayer is valid. If the matter becomes clear to him during the prayer, he turns toward the qiblah according to what becomes clear to him thereafter, and he does not repeat the beginning of it. And Allah is the One who grants success.
The presenter : May Allah reward you with good, Your Eminence the Shaykh.
Source
binbaz.org.sa
The Arabic text is copied verbatim from the original source, without any edits.