What Was the Qibla of the Muslims Before the Ka'bah?
ما هي قبلة المسلمين الأولى قبل الكعبة المشرفة في مكة؟
The Farthest Mosque (Al-Masjid al-Aqsa)
(The foolish among the people will say, "What has turned them away from their qiblah, which they used to face?" Say, "To Allah belongs the east and the west. He guides whom He wills to a straight path.") [Al-Baqarah 2:142]
المسجد الأقصى
(سَيَقُولُ السُّفَهَاءُ مِنَ النَّاسِ مَا وَلَّاهُمْ عَن قِبْلَتِهِمُ الَّتِي كَانُوا عَلَيْهَا قُل لِّلَّـهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَالْمَغْرِبُ يَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ) [البقرة 2: 142]
1. Sixteen or Seventeen Months | ستة عشر شهرا أو سبعة عشر شهرا
Al-Bara ibn Azib reported that when the Prophet first came to Madinah, he prayed toward Bayt al-Maqdis for sixteen or seventeen months, and he wished that his qibla would be toward the House. The first prayer he prayed toward it was the Asr prayer; a man who had prayed with him passed by the people of a mosque while they were bowing and said: I bear witness by Allah that I have prayed with the Messenger of Allah facing Makkah, so they turned, as they were, toward the House (Sahih al-Bukhari 40). The qibla today is explained in what the qibla of the Muslims is.
روى البراء بن عازب أن النبي صلى الله عليه وسلم كان أول ما قدم المدينة صلى قبل بيت المقدس ستة عشر شهرا، أو سبعة عشر شهرا، وكان يعجبه أن تكون قبلته قبل البيت، وأنه صلى أول صلاة صلاها صلاة العصر، وصلى معه قوم، فخرج رجل ممن صلى معه، فمر على أهل مسجد وهم راكعون، فقال: أشهد بالله لقد صليت مع رسول الله صلى الله عليه وسلم قبل مكة، فداروا كما هم قبل البيت (صحيح البخاري 40).
2. Allah Would Not Let Your Faith Go to Waste | وما كان الله ليضيع إيمانكم
Al-Bara said that some men had died, and some had been killed, while the first qibla was still in place, and the people did not know what to say about them, so Allah revealed: and Allah would never let your faith go to waste (2:143) (Sahih al-Bukhari 40). Ibn Kathir explains: your prayer toward Bayt al-Maqdis before that, its reward will not be lost with Allah.
وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُضِيعَ إِيمَانَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِالنَّاسِ لَرَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ (سورة البقرة: 143)
قال البراء: إنه مات على القبلة قبل أن تحول رجال وقتلوا، فلم ندر ما نقول فيهم، فأنزل الله تعالى: (وما كان الله ليضيع إيمانكم) (البقرة 2: 143) (صحيح البخاري 40)، قال ابن كثير: أي صلاتكم إلى بيت المقدس قبل ذلك لا يضيع ثوابها عند الله.
3. A Middle Nation | أمة وسطا
In the same passage Allah says: and thus We have made you a middle nation, that you may be witnesses over the people and the Messenger a witness over you (2:143). Ibn Kathir explains: We turned you to the qibla of Ibrahim and chose it for you to make you the best of nations; the middle here means the best and finest.
وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِّتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاءَ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًا (سورة البقرة: 143)
قال تعالى: (وكذلك جعلناكم أمة وسطا لتكونوا شهداء على الناس ويكون الرسول عليكم شهيدا) (البقرة 2: 143)، قال ابن كثير: إنما حولناكم إلى قبلة إبراهيم عليه السلام، واخترناها لكم لنجعلكم خيار الأمم، والوسط هاهنا: الخيار والأجود.
Frequently Asked Questions | الأسئلة الشائعة
What was the first qibla of the Muslims?
Al-Masjid al-Aqsa (Bayt al-Maqdis) in Jerusalem.
How long did the Muslims pray toward Bayt al-Maqdis in Madinah?
Sixteen or seventeen months, as al-Bara ibn Azib reported (Sahih al-Bukhari 40).
Were the prayers toward Bayt al-Maqdis lost?
No. Allah revealed: and Allah would never let your faith go to waste (2:143), which Ibn Kathir explains as the reward of that prayer.
What was the first prayer toward the Ka’bah?
The Asr prayer, as al-Bara reported (Sahih al-Bukhari 40).