Al-Jawāb as-Sahīh li-man baddala dīn al-Masīh - Ibn Taimiya - (5/343)

“For each of you We have appointed a law and a way.” ⦗Al-Ma’idah 48⦘

He also said:

“And for every nation We established a rite, that they might pronounce Allah’s name over the livestock He has provided them. Your God is One God; so submit to Him, and give glad tidings to the humble—those whose hearts tremble when Allah is mentioned, who patiently endure whatever befalls them, who establish prayer, and who spend of what We have provided them. The camels and cattle We have made for you as symbols of Allah; in them there is much good for you. So mention Allah’s name over them as they stand in rows. Then, when their flanks collapse, eat of them and feed the contented poor and the beggar. Thus have We subjected them to you, that you might give thanks. Their flesh and their blood do not reach Allah; what reaches Him from you is godfearingness.” ⦗Al-Hajj 34–37⦘

And up to His words: “For every nation We have appointed a rite which they observe.” ⦗Al-Hajj 67⦘

As for the direction of prayer (qiblah), He did not make the direction invented by the People of the Scripture a prescribed qiblah. Hence He said: “Every group has a direction to which it turns.” ⦗Al-Baqarah 148⦘ He did not say, “We have appointed for each one a direction,” as He said regarding the rite, the law, and the way. And He, exalted, said:

{لِكُلٍّ جَعَلْنَا مِنْكُمْ شِرْعَةً وَمِنْهَاجًا} [المائدة: ٤٨] . وَقَالَ: {وَلِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ جَعَلْنَا مَنْسَكًا لِيَذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ عَلَى مَا رَزَقَهُمْ مِنْ بَهِيمَةِ الْأَنْعَامِ فَإِلَهُكُمْ إِلَهٌ وَاحِدٌ فَلَهُ أَسْلِمُوا وَبَشِّرِ الْمُخْبِتِينَ - الَّذِينَ إِذَا ذُكِرَ اللَّهُ وَجِلَتْ قُلُوبُهُمْ وَالصَّابِرِينَ عَلَى مَا أَصَابَهُمْ وَالْمُقِيمِي الصَّلَاةِ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَاهُمْ يُنْفِقُونَ - وَالْبُدْنَ جَعَلْنَاهَا لَكُمْ مِنْ شَعَائِرِ اللَّهِ لَكُمْ فِيهَا خَيْرٌ فَاذْكُرُوا اسْمَ اللَّهِ عَلَيْهَا صَوَافَّ فَإِذَا وَجَبَتْ جُنُوبُهَا فَكُلُوا مِنْهَا وَأَطْعِمُوا الْقَانِعَ وَالْمُعْتَرَّ كَذَلِكَ سَخَّرْنَاهَا لَكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَشْكُرُونَ - لَنْ يَنَالَ اللَّهَ لُحُومُهَا وَلَا دِمَاؤُهَا وَلَكِنْ يَنَالُهُ التَّقْوَى مِنْكُمْ} [الحج: ٣٤ - ٣٧] . إِلَى قَوْلِهِ: {لِكُلِّ أُمَّةٍ جَعَلْنَا مَنْسَكًا هُمْ نَاسِكُوهُ} [الحج: ٦٧] . وَأَمَّا الْقِبْلَةُ: فَلَمْ يَجْعَلْ مَا ابْتَدَعَهُ أَهْلُ الْكِتَابِ مِنَ الْقِبْلَةِ، فَلِذَلِكَ قَالَ: {وَلِكُلٍّ وِجْهَةٌ هُوَ مُوَلِّيهَا} [البقرة: ١٤٨] . لَمْ يَقُلْ: إِنَّا جَعَلْنَا لِكُلٍّ وِجِهَةً، كَمَا قَالَ فِي الْمَنْسَكِ وَالشِّرْعَةِ وَالْمِنْهَاجِ. وَقَالَ تَعَالَى: