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QIBLAH : OLD & NEW
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We read in verse 143 of Sura 2 that God has commanded His messenger to
follow a temporary Qiblah so as to test the followers of the messenger:
"We appointed the Qiblah which you formerly observed only that We may
know those who follow the messenger from those who turn back on their
heels." 2:143
The words "We appointed the Qiblah which you formerly observed" assert
that it was a temporary Qiblah and that God changed it. The Quran does not
specify which direction this temporary Qiblah was, however Muslim scholars
have agreed that it was Jerusalem.
We are also told in the Quran that at some later point the Qiblah was set
towards the Sacred Masjid (this Qiblah has remained unchanged till the
present day):
"Wherever you go, you shall turn your face (during Salat) towards the Sacred
Masjid. This is the truth from your Lord. God is never unaware of anything
you all do." 2:149
Moreover, another very important fact emerges from other verses. The Quran
indicates that before the Quran was revealed, and probably in the early years
of the Revelation as well, there were in fact multiple Qiblah's. Each people had
their own Qiblah, and it seems that in the early years when the prophet
received the command to observe the Salat, he was uncertain as to which
Qiblah to follow. This will all become apparent when we study the following
verses:
1-"Even if you show the followers of the scripture every kind of miracle they
will not follow your Qiblah, nor shall you follow their Qiblah. They do not
even follow one another's Qiblah." 2:145
This verse confirms that at the time of the prophet various people of the
scripture each had their own Qiblah, there was more than one Qiblah. This is
evident from the words :
"they do not follow one another's Qiblah."
2- "To each (people) there is a direction they face......" 2:14
This verse once again confirms that there was more than one Qiblah.
3- "We inspired Moses and his brother, 'Maintain your homes in Egypt for
the time being, turn your homes into Qiblah's, and maintain the Contact
Prayers (Salat). Give good news to the believers." 10:87
In this verse we notice that the word used is "Qiblah". This verse is very
interesting in the fact that it provides us with alternate understanding with
regards to the nature of the pre-Quranic Qiblah's, and specifically at the time
of Moses. This verse tells us that both Moses and Aaron were commanded
by God to turn their homes (note that homes is used in plural) into Qiblah's.
So already here we have more than one Qiblah. We may wonder if the homes
of successive messengers were also used as Qiblah's?
It is also interesting to note that although the Quran confirms that Abraham
and Ismail were the builders of the Sacred Masjid, yet there is no indication
that at the time it was set as a Qiblah, or for that matter that there was a Qiblah
at all. The first Quranic mention of any Qiblah was in connection with the time
of Moses, as per the previous verse.
4- "We have seen you (O Muhammad) turning your face about the sky
(searching for the right direction). We now assign a Qiblah that is pleasing to
you. Henceforth, you shall turn your face towards the Sacred Masjid." 2:144
This verse gives the impression of someone who is not able to make up their
mind as to which direction (Qiblah) to face. The indecision indicates the
plurality of the choice (of Qiblah's), if there was only one Qiblah there would
be no indecision. The verse also indicates that the indecision was more of a
reluctance to follow other people's Qiblah rather than being a problem of
establishing one's positional direction. This is confirmed by the words : "We
now assign a Qiblah that is pleasing to you". The words "Pleasing to you"
indicate that prior to that there was something that was displeasing the
prophet. In view of the fact that the prophet by then was following the true
religion with the guidance of God as opposed to the corrupted idolatry of his
enemies, it seems understandable that he would want to disassociate himself
from their practices, one of which would be their Qiblah.
So to summarize, here is the sequence of events:
1- In pre-Quranic times and during the early years of the revelation, there
were multiple Qiblah's. Each people had their own Qiblah.
2- Sometime during the revelation to Muhammad God sets the Qiblah to the
Sacred Masjid.
3- For a short period of time the Qiblah was changed as a test for the true
believers.
4- Shortly after, the Qiblah was reset to the Sacred Masjid were it remained
fixed up to our present day.
Biblical reference to Qiblah
The Quranic reference to pre-Quranic Qiblah's can be confirmed in Old
Testament verses that speak of prayers observed towards specific physical
locations:
1- In Daniel 6:10 we read about Daniel (one of the prophets/messengers to
Israel), who observed three daily prayers. We read how his prayers were done
while facing the direction of Jerusalem:
"When Daniel knew that the document had been signed, he went to his house
where he had windows in his upper chamber open toward Jerusalem; and he
got down upon his knees three times a day and prayed and gave thanks
before his God, as he had done previously."
Biblical evidence indicaters that this ritual (Qiblah to Jerusalem) started at the
time of Solomon and his father David.
2- In 1 Kings we read how Solomon and his people prayed in the direction of
the Temple that he built for God in Jerusalem (1 Kings 8:22-44). In these
verses Solomon states repeatedly that servants of God, the people of Israel
and foreigners, should pray toward the city He has chosen (Jerusalem) and in
the direction of the temple he has built there for God's Name; thus the
concept of Qiblah.
[1Kgs 8:22] Then Solomon stood before the altar of the LORD in the
presence of all the assembly of Israel, and spread forth his hands toward
heaven;
Then in later verses we read Solomon saying:
[1Kgs 8:28] Yet have regard to the prayer of thy servant and to his
supplication, O LORD my God, hearkening to the cry and to the prayer
which thy servant prays before thee this day;
[1Kgs 8:29] that thy eyes may be open night and day toward this house, the
place of which thou hast said, `My name shall be there,' that thou mayest
hearken to the prayer which thy servant offers toward this place.
[1Kgs 8:30] And hearken thou to the supplication of thy servant and of thy
people Israel, when they pray toward this place; yea, hear thou in heaven thy
dwelling place; and when thou hearest, forgive.
And once again:
[1Kgs 8:35] "When heaven is shut up and there is no rain because they have
sinned against thee, if they pray toward this place, and acknowledge thy name,
and turn from their sin, when thou dost afflict them,
And,
[1Kgs 8:38] whatever prayer, whatever supplication is made by any man or
by all thy people Israel, each knowing the affliction of his own heart and
stretching out his hands toward this house;
And,
[1Kgs 8:42] (for they shall hear of thy great name, and thy mighty hand, and
of thy outstretched arm), when he comes and prays toward this house,
[1Kgs 8:43] hear thou in heaven thy dwelling place, and do according to all
for which the foreigner calls to thee; in order that all the peoples of the earth
may know thy name and fear thee, as do thy people Israel, and that they may
know that
this house which I have built is called by thy name.
[1Kgs 8:44] "If thy people go out to battle against their enemy, by whatever
way thou shalt send them, and they pray to the LORD toward the city which
thou hast chosen and the house which I have built for thy name,
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