By Abdul-Ganiyy Raji
QIBLAH is the Arabic term for the direction which Muslims face in their mosques or while observing Salat (prayer). The Qiblah is located in the direction of the House of Allah (i.e the Ka’bah) in Makkah. Muslims must face it while observing their canonical worship (Salāt). This is confirmed in Qur’ān 2:144, where Allah says: …Turn your face in the direction of the Scared Mosque (in Makkah). And wherever you (Muslims) are, turn your faces (in prayer) in that direction”
The argument that often comes up in many mosques and many Muslim communities is on whether people should face the actual location of the Ka’bah or simply face its direction. In some mosques, you will see people tilting or slanting in their rows during Salāt just to face the actual position of the Ka’bah. In other mosques, people only face the direction of the Qiblah without necessarily seeking to locate the actual position of the Ka’bah.
It is important to know that facing the Qiblah during Salāt is compulsory. If one does not know the direction of the Qiblah, one has to ask people or use any modern means to locate it before observing Salāt . Modern means include a Qiblah locator or a compass. There are online apps that can also be helpful.
However, there is no agreement among our revered scholars on whether people who live in distant places and cannot see the Ka’bah should face the actual location of the Ka’bah or just face its direction. The majority opinion among scholars is that people who live in a country that is far from the Ka’bah should just seek to face the direction of the Qiblah and not necessarily its actual location. The Hadith relied upon by the proponents of this view is the one reported by Abū Hurayrah, where the Prophet (PBUH) said:, ما بين المشرق والمغرب قبلة (i.e The space between the east and the west is a Qiblah).
The meaning of this Hadith is that one only needs to face the direction of the Qiblah (جهة القبلة), and not necessarily the actual location of the Ka’bah (عين القبلة).
This implies that if the Qiblah is, for instance, located to your left, it is sufficient to face your left during your Salāt. You do not need to tilt or slant to locate the actual Ka’bah if you are not in Makkah and you are not looking at the Ka’bah in front of you.
.
Scholars who are far better and bigger than us have stated that people who live far from the Ka’bah should just face the direction of the Qiblah and not necessarily the actual location of the Ka’bah.
We should avoid arguments that can divide our mosques or communities. If a mosque is facing the direction of the Qiblah, there is no need to insist that it must face the actual location of the Ka’bah so as to cause controversy or conflicts in the mosque.
Before you pray in any mosque, what you need to confirm is this, “Is this mosque facing the direction of the Qiblah?” If it is facing it, please go ahead and observe your Salāt. There is no need to bring out your compass or Qiblah locator and begin to argue that the Qiblah of the mosque must be tilted or slanted to locate the actual position of the Ka’bah.
If your mosque is not facing the direction of the Qiblah, you can redirect it. That is a different case. However, you need to know that your mosque only need to face the direction of the Qiblah, and not necessarily the actual location of the Ka’bah if you are not living close to the Ka’bah.
Allah knows best.
Abdul-Ganiyy Raji
NASFAT National Da’wah Officer/National Mission Board Secretary