WHAT CONSTITUTES A QIBLAH?

In verse 144 of Baqarah, Allah mentioned, “Indeed we see the turning of your face to heaven, so we shall turn you to a qiblah which you shall like; turn your face towards the sacred mosque…”

Recorded by Imam Bukhari and Muslim, narrated by AlBarrau bn Aazib, referenced to Ad-Durr al-Manthuur of Imam Sayuuti (Vol 1 page 141), Tafseer Ibn Katheer (Vol 1 page 189), Mahaasin At-ta’weel of Imam al-Qaasimiy (Vol 2 page 279):

When the Prophet got to Madeenah amidst the Ansaar, he offered solat towards (facing) Aqsa for 16 months, and Allah directed him to face towards ka’bah on a Solaatul Asri and that was in the second year of Hijrah.

A man among those who had witnessed the change of qiblah with him was passing by a group of people praying while they were on rukuu’, he said to them “I swear by Allah, I prayed behind the Prophet now and he was facing towards Makkah”; while on solaat, they all changed facing towards Makkah. And while the Prophet was praying facing Aqsa, he would direct his face towards the heaven (expecting Allah’s command), then Allah revealed: “Indeed we see the turning of your face to heaven.”

This was said to be the reason behind the revelation of this verse.

In this verse, Allah established that the qiblah which the Prophet and Muslims should turn towards is the Masjidil Haraam (The Sacred Mosque).

So, What is “the sacred mosque?”

The clause “The Sacred Mosque” has been mentioned several times in the Qur’an as well as ahadeeth of the Prophet solla Allahu alayhi wa sallam and its meaning is of four (4):

1: The Ka’bah (which is the intended meaning of this verse 144)

2: The (Sacred) mosque in Makkah

3: The city of Makkah

4: All the haram (Makkah and its environs that constitute haram)

To determine what constitutes a qiblah, is it compulsory to face the exact pin point of the ka’bah or it is sufficient to face a side among the sides of the Ka‘bah?

To face the qiblah is a condition among the conditions that validate solaat except in certain exceptions. And there is an unanimous consensus regarding this. Where there have been differences is “should we face the exact pin point of the ka’bah or it is enough facing a side of the ka’bah?”

The Shaafi’iyah and Hanaabilah schools of thought are of the opinion that the individual praying must face the exact pin point of the ka’bah. While the schools of thought of Imam Abu Haneefah and the Maalikiyyah hold to the opinion that facing a side among the sides of the Ka‘bah is sufficient to facing the qiblah so far the person praying is not seeing the ka’bah physically in Makkah. If the one praying is viewing the ka’bah physically in Makkah, there is also no difference of opinions that he must face the exact pin point. This means this further discussion will be for those of us not viewing the ka’bah directly.

Evidences of the Shaafi’iyah and Hanaabilah:

1: Allah’s statement:
(فول وجهك شطر المسجد الحرام)
They argue the word شطر (towards) means facing the exact pin point.

2: The hadeeth narrated by Usaamah bn Zayd, reported by Imam Bukhari and Muslim: “When the Prophet entered the house, he did not observe salaat until he went out of the house, when he was out, he offered 2 rak’ah of solaat facing the ka’bah directly, and said “this is the qiblah”.

The Hanaabilah holding the same view with the Shaafi’iyah said: the statement “this is the qiblah” means there is no other qiblah aside facing the exact pin point of the ka’bah.

The Hanafiyyah and Maalikiyyah argue thus:

1: Allah’s statement which says (فول وجهك شطر المسجد الحرام) is denoting on facing the masjid al-haraam and Allah did not say شطر الكعبة (towards ka’bah); whoever faces a side which constitute masjidil haraam, such person has fulfilled the command of Allah and he is facing the qiblah.

2: The authentic hadeeth of Abu Hurayrah, whereby the Prophet said:
“ما بين المشرق والمغرب قبلة”
“what is in-between the East and the West is the qiblah” meaning: all the spaces between the East and the West constitute a qiblah.

3: The people of Masjid Qubaa was on a solatu subh in Madeenah facing the Aqsa which is in opposite direction to the ka’bah, it was said to them that the qiblah has been changed to ka’bah, they all changed their direction while on solaat without finding where exactly was the pinpoint of the ka’bah and the Prophet did not refute them for this action which makes it a sunnah teqreeriyyah. And their masjid was named “masjid qiblatayn”. The exact pin point of the ka’bah cannot be detected except through a deep engineering evidence. How will those in the village without an accurate compass detect the exact pin point?

4: If detecting the exact pin point of the ka’bah is difficult for those near makkah, what of those in the East and West of the earth? If facing the exact pin point is an obligation, there would be no solaat to be deemed permissible aside those viewing the ka’bah physically because it is not possible for those in the East and West of the earth to detect the exact pin point of the ka’bah; they can only face towards its side. And Allah will not oblige Muslims on what they cannot afford (لا يكلف الله نفسا إلا وسعها).

5: Muslims during the time of the Prophet built Mosques and there was no competent engineer while the mihrab (point of facing) was built then; and getting the exact pin point cannot be detected without a study of a competent engineer. While there was no scholar who said studying such engineering knowledge is compulsory; thus, we conclude facing the exact pin point is not a compulsion.

CONCLUSION:

The two factions evidences have been presented to you and they both have points that should be considered. While taking a critical look at the evidences, you will see the evidences of the Hanafiyyah and Maalikiyyah are close to the truth – And Allah knows best – this is because Muslims during the time of the Prophet would detect the qiblah by the sun, they face where the sun shone by putting the sun by their right-hand side and there is no evidence to prove that where they were facing (via the sun detection) is 100% the pin point of ka’bah. Same to be said to our own qiblah in the present day.

Imam Qurtubiy said in his tafseer (al-Jaami’u li-ahkaamil Qur’an):

“Scholars differed on the person not viewing the ka’bah directly. Should he face the exact pin point or its sufficient to face a side among its sides? And there are scholars who go by the former (facing the exact pin point); Ibn Al-Arabiy said: And this stance is weak because there is no imposition of duty upon what cannot be fulfilled; and those who said it is enough to face a side among the ka’bah sides are correct for two (2) major reasons :

1: Allah does not impose upon any soul a duty but to the extent of its ability.

2: The order of Allah is to face towards masjidil haraam (فول وجهك شطر المسجد الحرام) which meaning is not limited to facing the exact pin point.”

If the exact pin point can be detected through the knowledge of engineering, then it will be good to abide by it. And if could only be detected via the sun, that is our qiblah. And incase where the exact pin point (detected via the knowledge of engineering) is not in tandem with the mosque’s structure while the mosque’s structure is in-between the East and the West, there will be no need shifting or adjusting the mats/rugs in the mosque or bending to a particular side (the Imam and those praying behind him). As the Prophet has said “what is in-between the East and the West is the qiblah”. So you are definitely facing the qiblah by standing straight without bending.

In practical, what is meant by “in-between East and West” is:

The Kaa’ba is north of the equator, it is located in the northern hemisphere. And checking its longitude, it is actually closer to the Northern equator 21° N and 39° E.

As we know the sun rises in the East; if we keep the sun to our right hand side a bit, we will be facing the ENE or NE right (in accordance with this attached equator photo).

What is then in-between the East and the west will be from ENE to WNW and that is the qiblah.

So the qiblah lies between the West and the East. Allah is always right; and what is within the West and East is from WNW to ENE and this depends on people’s location. Usually most Nigerians always think it should be East everywhere because of the location of Nigeria.

On some location on the earth, you might have to face the North. That’s why Allah is correct; because North still falls between West and East.

May Allah grant us beneficial knowledge.