Change of the Qibla: Difference between revisions

'''Change of the qibla''' (Arabic: {{ia|تحويل القبلة}}) is the event in which the [[qibla|qibla of Muslims]] (direction of performing some rituals) was redirected from [[al-Masjid al-Aqsa]], in [[Bayt al-Maqids]] (Jerusalem), to the [[Ka'ba]] (in [[Mecca]]). The event occurred in [[Rajab]], [[2]]/January, 624, after the [[revelation]] of [[al-Qibla Verse]] (Q 2:144). According to the majority of historiographers, the change of qibla occurred in [[Masjid al-Qiblatayn]] in [[Medina]] in the middle of the [[zuhr prayer]] (noon prayer). One interesting point about the redirection of the qibla is how people turned in the middle of a [[congregational prayer]] to over 160 degrees.

According to Islamic sources, [[the Prophet Muhammad (s)]] performed his [[prayers]] in the direction of [[Bayt al-Maqdis]] when he was in [[Mecca]] and in the early years of his stay in [[Medina]], but he liked to have a qibla of his own and thus, he expected a revelation for the change of the qibla. When al-Qibla Verse was revealed, he was pleased and ordered [[Muslims]] to redirect toward [[al-Masjid al-Haram]].<ref>Ibn Kathīr, ''Al-Bidāya wa l-nihāya'', vol. 3, p. 253; Ṭabarī, ''Tārīkh al-umam wa l-mulūk'', vol. 2, p. 415-417; Ṭabāṭabāʾī, ''Al-Mīzān'', vol. 1, p. 325. Ṭabrisī, ''Majmaʿ al-bayān'', vol. 1, p. 419-420. </ref>

The [[verse]] 144 of [[Sura al-Baqara]] (chapter 2), involving the order to redirect the qibla, is known as "al-Qibla Verse".<ref>ʿAllama al-Majlisī, ''Biḥār al-anwār'', vol. 81, p. 33; Ṭabāṭabāʾī, ''Al-Mīzān'', vol. 1, p. 325. </ref>  

centered pull quote|We certainly see you turning your face about in the sky. We will surely turn you to a qibla of your liking: so turn your face towards the Holy Mosque, and wherever you may be, turn your faces towards it! Indeed those who were given the Book surely know that it is the truth from their Lord. And Allah is not oblivious of what they do. (Q 2:144){{enote|{{ia|قَدْ نَرَىٰ تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي السَّمَاءِ ۖ فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبْلَةً تَرْضَاهَا ۚ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ ۚ وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنتُمْ فَوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُ ۗ وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ لَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ ۗ وَمَا اللَّـهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿١٤٤﴾}}}}

Verses 142,<ref>Shaykh al-Ṭūsī, ''Al-Tibyān'', vol. 2, p. 3-4; Ṭabrisī, ''Majmaʿ al-bayān'', vol. 1, p. 414.</ref> 143,<ref>Fakhr al-Rāzī, ''Al-Tafsīr al-kabīr'', vol. 4, p. 107.</ref> and 150<ref>Ṭabāṭabāʾī, ''Al-Mīzān'', vol. 1, p. 329.</ref> of Sura al-Baqara are also referred to as al-Qibla Verses. Some [[tafsir|exegetes]] of the [[Qur'an]] take verses 142 to 144 of Sura al-Baqara to be al-Qibla Verses.<ref>Ṭanṭāwī, ''al-wasīṭ'', vol. 1, p. 294.</ref>

* According to some hadiths, the Ka'ba was the Qibla since the period of the prophet, [[Adam (a)]].<ref>Kulaynī, ''Al-Kāfi'', vol. 4, p. 199; Sayyid al-Raḍī, ''Nahj al-balāgha'', sermon. 192.</ref> The prophet [[Ibrahim (a)]] reconstructed the Ka'ba,<ref>Qummī, ''Tafsīr al-Qummī'', vol. 1, p. 62.</ref> and the prophet [[Musa (a)]] was told by [[God]] to redirect the qibla from al-Masjid al-Aqsa to Bayt al-Maqdis in order to save the former from [[polytheism]] and deviations.<ref>Ibn Khaldūn, ''Tārīkh Ibn Khaldūn'', vol. 1, p. 483.</ref>

* Some people say: before Hijra, [[the Prophet (s)]] observed both qiblas whenever possible. For example, because of the geographical location of Mecca and Bayt al-Maqdis he could stand in the direction of Bayt al-Maqdis in a way that the Ka'ba could be between him and Bayt al-Maqdis. However, when it was not possible to do so, he only performed his prayers in the direction of al-Masjid al-Aqsa.<ref>See: Ibn Kathīr, ''Al-Bidāya wa l-nihāya'', vol. 3, p. 253.</ref> After his migration to Medina, it was not possible to observe both qiblas because of the geographical location of Medina, and thus, Bayt al-Maqdis was the only qibla of the Prophet (s) and Muslims.<ref>See: Ibn Kathīr, ''Al-Bidāya wa l-nihāya'', vol. 3, p. 253; Ibn Sayyid al-Nās, ''ʿUyūn al-athar'', vol.1, p. 268. </ref>

* By an appeal to the verse 115 of Sura al-Baqara, "To Allah belong the east and the west: so whichever way you turn, there is the face of Allah!", some exegetical sources maintain that the Prophet (s) and other Muslims were free to turn toward either of the two qiblas.<ref>Abu l-Futūḥ Rāzī, ''Rawḍ al-jinān'', vol. 2, p. 202.</ref> To support this view, they appeal to the Prophet (s) not objecting to [[Bara' b. Ma'rur]] when he performed his prayer in the direction of the Ka'ba in a trip to Mecca before [[Hijra]].<ref>Ibn Hishām, ''Al-Sīra al-nabawīyya'', vol. 1, p. 439-440.</ref> On the contrary, some people take the above Quranic verse to be concerned with [[nafila prayers]] (daily supererogatory prayers) when one is on a travel,<ref>Ṭabrisī, ''Majmaʿ al-bayān'', vol. 1, p. 421.</ref> but according to some historical accounts, Bara' b. Ma'rur continued to say his prayers in the direction of the Ka'ba after Hijra, while the Prophet (s) still said his prayers in the direction of Bayt al-Maqdis. When the Prophet (s) heard about this, he prohibited Bara' from doing so, and he complied with the Prophet's (s) words.

According to some hadiths, on the day of the change of the qibla, the Prophet (s) was saying [[zuhr prayer]] (Noon Prayer) in the direction of Bayt al-Maqdis. As usual, men were saying prayers behind him, and women were saying their prayers behind men. After performing two [[rak'as]] of the prayer, [[Jabra'il]] was sent to the Prophet (s). He revealed the verse 144 of Sura al-Baqara to him and redirected him to the Ka'ba.<ref>Ibn Saʿd, ''Al-Ṭabaqāt al-kubrā'', vol. 1, p. 186; Shaykh al-Ṣadūq, ''Man lā yaḥḍuruh al-faqīh'', vol. 1, p. 275.</ref>

There are differences in the accounts of when the qibla was redirected or where the prayer was being performed at the time of the redirection of the qibla toward the Ka'ba.<ref>Ibn Ḥajar al-ʿAsqalānī, ''Fatḥ al-bārī'', vol. 1, p. 98; Ḥalabī, ''Al-Sīra al-Ḥalabīyya'', vol. 2, p. 352-352.</ref> On some accounts, it occurred in the [[Asr Prayer]] (afternoon preayer) or the [[Morning Prayer]].<ref>Ibn Saʿd, ''Al-Ṭabaqāt al-kubrā'', vol. 1, p. 186-187; Ibn Sayyid al-Nās, ''ʿUyūn al-athar'', vol. 1, p. 269.</ref>

Exegetes of the [[Qur'an]] have mentioned different reasons for the change of the qibla.  

* When the Prophet's (s) government was established in Medina, the Muslim community was stabilized and they were clearly distinguished from others. Thus, there was no necessity for Bayt al-Maqdis to be a Qibla and the Prophet (s) wanted the redirection of the qibla. The Ka'ba was the oldest house of [[monotheism]] and the most original home for prophets. Moreover, after the ruling of the redirection of the qibla, Muslims were distinguished from Jews who turned toward Bayt al-Maqdis.<ref>Shaykh al-Ṭūsī, ''Al-Tibyān'', vol. 2, p. 5; Abu l-Futūḥ Rāzī, ''Rawḍ al-jinān'', vol. 2, p. 203; Ṭabrisī, ''Majmaʿ al-bayān'', vol. 1, p.412-414.  </ref>

* When the Prophet (s) migrated to Medina, the Jews took his direction toward Bayt al-Maqdis to be evidence of a defect in [[Islam]] and the truth of their own religion ([[Q 2]]:146; [[Q 6]]:20)<ref>Ṭabrisī, ''Majmaʿ al-bayān'', vol. 1, p. 420; Zamakhsharī, ''Al-Kashshāf'', vol. 1, p. 203.</ref>. According to some hadiths, Jews in Medina claimed that Muslims had no qiblas of their own, and they had instructed the Muslims to turn toward Bayt al-Maqdis.<ref>Ṭabarī, ''Jāmiʿ al-bayān'', vol. 1, p. 400.</ref>

* A number of Muslims were worried about the loss of divine rewards for their past prayers or the prayers of their deceased predecessors.<ref>Maqātil b. Sulaymān,''Tafsīr Maqātil ibn Sulaymān'' vol. 1, p. 146. </ref> The Prophet (s) recited verse 143 of Sura al-Baqara (chapter 2) in response to them: "and Allah was not going to make your faith to be fruitless; most surely Allah is Affectionate, Merciful to the people".{{enote|{{ia|وَمَا جَعَلْنَا الْقِبْلَةَ الَّتِي كُنتَ عَلَيْهَا إِلَّا لِنَعْلَمَ مَن يَتَّبِعُ الرَّسُولَ مِمَّن يَنقَلِبُ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيْهِ ۚ وَإِن كَانَتْ لَكَبِيرَةً إِلَّا عَلَى الَّذِينَ هَدَى اللَّـهُ ۗ وَمَا كَانَ اللَّـهُ لِيُضِيعَ إِيمَانَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّـهَ بِالنَّاسِ لَرَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ ([[Q 2]]:143)}}}}<ref>Bayhaqī, ''Dalāʾil al-Nubuwwa'', vol. 2, p. 575; Ṭabrisī, ''Majmaʿ al-bayān'', vol. 1, p. 417. </ref>

* Thus, biased polytheists and enemies of Islam could no longer reproach Muslims because of their turning toward Bayt al-Maqdis. Many other people of [[Hijaz]] who particularly loved the Ka'ba became more sympathetic to Islam. This is referred to in the Qur'an: "And whencesoever you may go out, turn your face towards the Holy Mosque, and wherever you may be, turn your faces towards it, so that the people may have no allegation against you, neither those of them who are wrongdoers."<ref>Qurʾān 2: 150.</ref>