— The reason this ḥadith is used as proof is that its intent is that the space lying between the two limits constitutes the qiblah for anyone who cannot actually see the Kaʿbah, or for anyone in the same situation, for the one who can see it is not restricted to facing between east and west; every side is equally his qiblah so long as his eye—or even part of it—comes directly in line with the House.

The eminent scholar Abū al-Ṭayyib Ṣiddīq Ḥasan says in al-Rawḍah al-Nadiyyah:

“I say: Facing the qiblah is among the necessities of the religion. Whoever is able to orient himself toward it with certainty—that is what is obligatory upon him, such as the resident living nearby who can see it without travelling any distance or undergoing hardship. Whoever is not in that position must face the general direction. By ‘direction’ we do not mean the Kaʿbah itself, but what the Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him) indicated when he said that the space between east and west is a qiblah. Thus, whoever is in the regions of Yemen and knows where east and west lie should turn somewhere between the two limits, for that sector is the qiblah for him; and likewise whoever is in the Syrian region should face between the two limits without burdening himself with painstaking calculations, for that—”

This is the final passage penned by the Shaykh—may Allah have mercy on him—in his book al-Thamar al-Mustatāb.

All praise belongs to Allah, Lord of the worlds.