Chapter: Facing the Qiblah

The qiblah of the Muslims is the venerable Kaʿbah, the emblem of their monotheism and unity, the focal point of their gaze, and the meeting place of their hearts and souls.

Allah has made the Kaʿbah a means of support for people in both their religious and worldly affairs, and a source of safety in times of distress; beneath its shade they find tranquillity, security, and faith. Its continued visitation for ḥajj and ʿumrah is a sign that the religion remains vibrant and upheld.

Before the Hijrah the Prophet ﷺ commonly faced both the Kaʿbah and Bayt al-Maqdis at the same time. After he migrated to Madinah, where Jews were present, he confined himself to facing Bayt al-Maqdis for sixteen months. Yet he yearned to turn toward the Kaʿbah, the noblest spot on earth and the legacy of the father of the prophets and leader of the pure monotheists, Abraham the Friend, peace be upon him. Consequently, the qiblah was redirected to the Kaʿbah in the second year after the Hijrah.

Facing the qiblah in prayer is established by the Qurʾan, the sunnah, and scholarly consensus.

It is a condition for the validity of the prayer, waived only when one is incapable or when offering a voluntary prayer while riding, as will be detailed in the following ḥadiths, if Allah wills.

First ḥadith

ʿAbd Allāh ibn ʿUmar, may Allah be pleased with them both, reported that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ would perform supererogatory prayers on the back of his mount, facing whichever direction it was heading, signaling with a nod of his head; Ibn ʿUmar used to do the same. Another narration states: “He would perform witr on his camel.” Muslim adds: “though he would not perform the prescribed prayer on it,” while al-Bukhārī records: “except the obligatory prayers.”

Unfamiliar terms

1- “would perform tasbīḥ on the back of his mount”: Here tasbīḥ denotes voluntary prayers; a part has been named to refer to the whole. The voluntary prayer came to be called tasbīḥ, as Ibn Ḥajar notes, by established legal convention.

2- “the prescribed (al-maktūbah)”: i.e., the five obligatory daily prayers.

3- “mount (rāḥilah)”: a she-camel suitable for saddling and travel.