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CHANGE OF QIBLA
In Islam, great emphasis is
placed on the “Congregational
Prayers”. We cannot imagine
any congregational prayer
without the concept of a fixed
direction. Hence, in His
Infinite Wisdom, Allah ordered
that Ka’ba be built in the
heavens at Bait-al-Ma’moor.
Later, He ordered Prophet Adam
to build a similar sacred place
of worship on earth, which was
Ka’ba built in Makkah. During
the mammoth storm of Prophet
Noah, it was washed away but
later on rebuilt. Prophet
Ibrahim and Prophet Isma’il
raised the walls of Ka’ba again
(apparently the foundation was
intact) as stated in Surah
al-Baqarah Ayah 127: “While
Ibrahim and Isma’il were raising
the walls of the House (Ka’ba),
they prayed: “O Allah! Accept
our labor. You are All-Hearing
and All-Knowing.”
The importance of Qibla may be
described as it is needed for
single direction for all Muslims
in any part of the world. It
encourages unity, discipline,
international brotherhood of
Muslims, and an identity for
being a Muslim. As stated
earlier, Qibla is needed for
performing not only solitary
prayers but also congregation
prayers like Friday Prayer, Eid
Prayers, Prayers for the dead
etc.
Before the dawn of Islam, the
Jews used to pray facing the
Grand Mosque of Jerusalem. In
reality, every Prophet preached
Islam and oneness of Allah.
However, when the Noble Prophet
(s.a.w.a.s.) started praying
openly, he was directed to face
towards Jerusalem. The Jews
would criticize Islam and the
Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.)
saying that Muslims do not have
their own Qibla and that they
were facing the Jewish Qibla.
The Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.)
was very disturbed by such
criticism and he would come out
at night and look towards the
sky as if waiting for a
revelation to change the Qibla.
About seventeen months after the
Migration to Madinah, while the
Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.) was
performing Mid-day prayers, and
was in the second rakat, the
Archangel Jibra’eel arrived with
the Divine Order to change the
Qibla from Jerusalem to Ka’ba.
The Muslim followers also
changed the Qibla along with the
Noble Prophet (s.a.w.a.s.). The
mosque in which Qibla was
changed is still therein Madinah
which is now called “Masjid-e-Qiblatayn”;
meaning the mosque in which
prayers were performed facing
two Qibla.
The relevant Ayahs relating to
the change of Qibla are as
follows:
Surah al-Baqarah Ayah 143-144:
“The direction which you had
been facing during your prayers
(the Qibla) was made only in
order that We would know who
would follow the Messenger and
who would turn away. It was a
hard test, but not for those to
whom Allah had given guidance.
Allah did not want to make your
previous prayers worthless;
Allah is compassionate and
All-Merciful. We certainly you
(Muhammad) often turn your face
to the sky, so We shall instruct
you to face a Qibla that you
will like. (Muhammad), during
prayer, turn your face toward
the Sacred Mosque (in
Makkah).Muslims, also, wherever
you are, during your prayers,
turn your faces towards the
Sacred Mosque. The People of the
Book certainly know that this
command (to change the Qibla) is
truly from their Lord. Allah is
not unaware of what they do.”
The Western writers tried to
give other political reasons for
the change of Qibla, but for the
Muslims, Allah’s command is the
last word. We have to follow
Allah’s orders without searching
for the reasons. Islam means
complete surrender and
unquestionable obedience to
Allah (s.w.t.) and His Messenger
(s.a.w.a.s.)
Sources used:
The Glorious Qur’an
The Message By Ayatullah Jafar
Subhani
Restatement of history, Islam
and Muslims By Allama Sayyid Ali
Asghar Razwi
Al-Ihtajaj (volume1 page
81-86) By Allama Tabari |
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