The Chapter of the Qibla

Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh|Volume 1|Book 1|Chapter 43

Man Lā Yaḥḍuruh al-Faqīh

Book 1, Chapter 43

The Chapter of the Qibla
17 hadiths · 6 commentaries
Hadith 1

قَالَ اَلصَّادِقُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «إِنَّ اَللَّهَ تَبَارَكَ وتَعَالَى جَعَلَ اَلْكَعْبَةَ قِبْلَةً لِأَهْلِ اَلْمَسْجِدِ وَ جَعَلَ اَلْمَسْجِدَ قِبْلَةً لِأَهْلِ اَلْحَرَمِ وَ جَعَلَ اَلْحَرَمَ قِبْلَةً لِأَهْلِ اَلدُّنْيَا.

Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s) said : "Indeed, Allah (swt), Blessed and Exalted, made the Ka’ba the Qiblah (direction of prayer) for the people of the mosque (Masjid al-Haram), and He made the mosque the Qiblah for the people of the sanctuary (Haram), and He made the sanctuary the Qiblah for the people of the world."

Hadith 2

وَ سَأَلَ اَلْمُفَضَّلُ بْنُ عُمَرَ أَبَا عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: عَنِ اَلتَّحْرِيفِ لِأَصْحَابِنَا ذَاتَ اَلْيَسَارِ عَنِ اَلْقِبْلَةِ وَ عَنِ اَلسَّبَبِ فِيهِ فَقَالَ «إِنَّ اَلْحَجَرَ اَلْأَسْوَدَ لَمَّا أُنْزِلَ مِنَ اَلْجَنَّةِ وَ وُضِعَ فِي مَوْضِعِهِ جُعِلَ أَنْصَابُ اَلْحَرَمِ مِنْ حَيْثُ لَحِقَهُ اَلنُّورُ نُورُ اَلْحَجَرِ فَهُوَ عَنْ يَمِينِ اَلْكَعْبَةِ أَرْبَعَةُ أَمْيَالٍ وَ عَنْ يَسَارِهَا ثَمَانِيَةُ أَمْيَالٍ كُلُّهُ اِثْنَا عَشَرَ مِيلاً فَإِذَا اِنْحَرَفَ اَلْإِنْسَانُ ذَاتَ اَلْيَمِينِ خَرَجَ عَنْ حَدِّ اَلْقِبْلَةِ لِقِلَّةِ أَنْصَابِ اَلْحَرَمِ وَ إِذَا اِنْحَرَفَ اَلْإِنْسَانُ ذَاتَ اَلْيَسَارِ لَمْ يَكُنْ خَارِجاً عَنْ حَدِّ اَلْقِبْلَةِ.

Al-Mufaddal ibn Umar asked Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s) about the deviation of some of our companions to the left from the Qiblah and the reason for it. Imam (a.s) replied: "When the Black Stone (Hajar al-Aswad) was brought down from Paradise and placed in its position, the boundaries of the Haram (sanctuary) were determined by the reach of the light emanating from the Stone. It is four miles to the right of the Ka’ba and eight miles to the left, making a total of twelve miles. Thus, if a person deviates to the right, they leave the boundary of the Qiblah due to the lesser extent of the Haram's boundary, but if they deviate to the left, they do not leave the boundary of the Qiblah."

Commentary 1

ومن كان في المسجد الحرام صلى إلى الكعبة إلى إي جوانبها شاء، ومصلى في الكعبة صلى إلى أي جوانبها شاء، وأفضل ذلك أن يقف بين العمودين على لبلاطة الحمراء، ويستقبل الركن الذي فيه الحجر الأسود، ومن كان فوق الكعبة وحضرت الصلاة اضطجع وأومأ برأسه إلى البيت المعمور، ومن كاف فوق أبى قبيس استقبل الكعبة وصلى فان الكعبة ما فوقها إلى السماء. وصلى رسول الله صلى الله عليه وآله إلى البيت المقدس بعد النبوة ثلاث عشرة سنة بمكة وتسعة عشر شهرا بالمدينة، ثم عيرته اليهود فقالوا له: إنك تابع لقبلتنا فاغتم لذلك غما شديدا فلما كان في بعض الليل خرج صلى الله عليه وآله وسلم يقلب وجهه في آفاق السماء فلما أصبح صلى الغداة، فلما صلى من الظهر ركعتين جاءه جبرئيل عليه السلام فقال له: " قد نرى تقلب وجهك في السماء فلنولينك قبلة ترضاها فول وجهك شطر المسجد الحرام الآية " ثم أخذ بيد النبي صلى الله عليه وآله فحول وجهه إلى الكعبة وحول من خلفه وجوههم حتى قام الرجال مقام النساء والنساء مقام الرجال فكان أول صلاته إلى بيت المقدس وآخرها إلى الكعبة، وبلغ الخبر مسجدا بالمدينة وقد صلى أهله من العصر ركعتين فحولوا نحو الكعبة، فكانت أول صلاتهم إلى بيت المقدس وآخرها إلى الكعبة فسمي ذلك المسجد مسجد القبلتين فقال المسلمون: صلاتنا إلى بيت - المقدس تضيع يا رسول الله؟ فأنزل الله عز وجل " وما كان الله ليضيع إيمانكم " يعني صلاتكم إلى بيت المقدس، وقد أخرجت الخبر في ذلك على وجهه في كتاب النبوة.

For those within Masjid al-Haram, it is permissible to face any side of the Ka’ba during prayer. One praying inside the Ka’ba may also face any of its walls. However, the best position is to stand between the two columns on the red tile and face the corner containing the Black Stone. If someone is above the Ka’ba and it is time for prayer, they should lie down and incline their head toward the Bayt al-Ma'mur (Heavenly House). Similarly, anyone praying on Mount Abu Qubays should face the Ka’ba, as the Qiblah extends upward to the sky. The Prophet (saws) prayed toward Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) for thirteen years in Makkah after receiving prophethood and for nineteen months in Madinah. The Jews mocked him, saying that he was following their Qiblah, causing him great distress. One night, he turned his face toward the heavens in anticipation, and in the morning, after completing two units (rak'ahs) of the Dhuhr prayer, Archangel Jibril (a.s) came to him and said: "We have seen you turning your face toward the sky, so We shall turn you to a Qiblah that pleases you. Turn your face toward the Sacred Mosque (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:144)." Archangel Jibril (a.s) then took the Prophet’s hand and turned him toward the Ka’ba, and those behind him also turned, so that men and women changed their positions. Thus, his initial prayer was toward Bayt al-Maqdis, and the remainder was toward the Ka’ba. The news reached a mosque in Madinah where people had already prayed two rak'ahs of 'Asr. They turned toward the Ka’ba, and so their initial prayer direction was toward Bayt al-Maqdis and its completion was toward the Ka’ba. This mosque became known as Masjid al-Qiblatayn (the Mosque of the Two Qiblahs). The Muslims then asked: "O’ Messenger of Allah (saws), what happens to our prayers toward Bayt al-Maqdis?" Allah (swt) revealed: "Allah (swt) would not make your faith to be in vain (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:143)," meaning that their prayers toward Bayt al-Maqdis were accepted.

Hadith 3

وَ رُوِيَ عَنْ عَبْدِ اَلرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ أَبِي عَبْدِ اَللَّهِ: أَنَّهُ سَأَلَ اَلصَّادِقَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ أَعْمَى صَلَّى عَلَى غَيْرِ اَلْقِبْلَةِ فَقَالَ «إِنْ كَانَ فِي وَقْتٍ فَلْيُعِدْ وَ إِنْ كَانَ قَدْ مَضَى اَلْوَقْتُ فَلاَ يُعِيدُ» قَالَ وَ سَأَلْتُهُ عَنْ رَجُلٍ صَلَّى وَ هِيَ مُتَغَيِّمَةٌ ثُمَّ تَجَلَّتْ فَعَلِمَ أَنَّهُ صَلَّى عَلَى غَيْرِ اَلْقِبْلَةِ فَقَالَ «إِنْ كَانَ فِي وَقْتٍ فَلْيُعِدْ وَ إِنْ كَانَ اَلْوَقْتُ قَدْ مَضَى فَلاَ يُعِيدُ.

It was narrated from Abdul Rahman ibn Abi Abdullah that he asked Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s) about a blind man who prayed facing a direction other than the Qiblah. Imam (a.s) replied: "If it is still within the prayer time, he should repeat the prayer. If the time has passed, he does not need to repeat it." He further asked about a man who prayed during cloudy weather and afterward, when the clouds cleared, realized he had prayed in the wrong direction. The Imam said: "If it is still within the prayer time, he should repeat the prayer. If the time has passed, he does not need to repeat it”.

Hadith 4

وَ رَوَى زُرَارَةُ وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ مُسْلِمٍ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: «يُجْزِي اَلْمُتَحَيِّرَ أَبَداً أَيْنَمَا تَوَجَّهَ إِذَا لَمْ يَعْلَمْ أَيْنَ وَجْهُ اَلْقِبْلَةِ.

Zurarah and Muhammad ibn Muslim narrated from Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (a.s) that He said: "For one who is confused (about the direction of the Qiblah), it suffices for him to pray in whichever direction he faces if he does not know where the Qiblah is."

Hadith 5

وَ سَأَلَهُ مُعَاوِيَةُ بْنُ عَمَّارٍ: عَنِ اَلرَّجُلِ يَقُومُ فِي اَلصَّلاَةِ ثُمَّ يَنْظُرُ بَعْدَ مَا فَرَغَ فَيَرَى أَنَّهُ قَدِ اِنْحَرَفَ عَنِ اَلْقِبْلَةِ يَمِيناً أَوْ شِمَالاً فَقَالَ لَهُ «قَدْ مَضَتْ صَلاَتُهُ وَ مَا بَيْنَ اَلْمَشْرِقِ وَ اَلْمَغْرِبِ قِبْلَةٌ.

Muawiya ibn Ammar asked Him about a man who stands for prayer and, after finishing, realizes that he had deviated to the right or the left of the Qiblah. Imam (a.s) replied: "His prayer is valid, for the area between the east and the west is (considered) the Qiblah."

Commentary 2

ونزلت هذه في قبلة المتحير " ولله المشرق والمغرب فأينما تولوا فثم وجه الله.

And this was revealed concerning those who are confused about the direction: "To Allah (swt) belongs the east and the west; wherever you turn, there is the face of Allah (swt)" (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:115)

Hadith 6

وَ رَوَى مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ أَبِي حَمْزَةَ عَنْ أَبِي اَلْحَسَنِ اَلْأَوَّلِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: «إِذَا ظَهَرَ اَلنَّزُّ مِنْ خَلْفِ اَلْكَنِيفِ وَ هُوَ فِي اَلْقِبْلَةِ يَسْتُرُهُ بِشَيْءٍ.

Muhammad ibn Abi Hamzah narrated from Imam Abu al-Hasan al-Awwal (a.s) that He said: "If a seepage (liquid or discharge) appears behind a latrine (toilet) and it is in the direction of the Qiblah, one should cover it with something."

Commentary 3

ولا يقطع صلاة المسلم شئ يمر بين يديه من كلب أو امرأة أو حمار أو غير ذلك.

Nothing that passes in front of a Muslim while he is praying — whether it be a dog, a woman, a donkey, or anything else — invalidates the prayer.

Hadith 7

وَ نَهَى رَسُولُ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ، عَنِ اَلْبُزَاقِ فِي اَلْقِبْلَةِ.

The Messenger of Allah (saws) forbade spitting in the direction of the Qiblah.

Hadith 8

وَ رَأَى ص نُخَامَةً فِي اَلْمَسْجِدِ فَمَشَى إِلَيْهَا بِعُرْجُونٍ مِنْ عَرَاجِينِ اِبْنِ طَابٍ فَحَكَّهَا ثُمَّ رَجَعَ اَلْقَهْقَرَى فَبَنَى عَلَى صَلاَتِهِ وَقَالَ اَلصَّادِقُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ «وَ هَذَا يَفْتَحُ مِنَ اَلصَّلاَةِ أَبْوَاباً كَثِيرَةً.

The Prophet (saws) saw phlegm (or a spittle) in the mosque. He walked over to it with a palm branch from the branches of Ibn Tab and scraped it off, then returned backward and continued his prayer. And Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s) said: "This opens many doors regarding (permissible) actions during prayer."

Hadith 9

وَ نَهَى صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ عَنِ اَلْجِمَاعِ مُسْتَقْبِلَ اَلْقِبْلَةِ وَ مُسْتَدْبِرَهَا وَ نَهَى عَنِ اِسْتِقْبَالِ اَلْقِبْلَةِ بِبَوْلٍ أَوْ غَائِطٍ.

The Prophet, forbade engaging in sexual intercourse while facing or with one's back to the Qiblah. He also forbade facing the Qiblah when urinating or defecating.

Hadith 10

وَقَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «لاَ يَبْزُقَنَّ أَحَدُكُمْ فِي اَلصَّلاَةِ قِبَلَ وَجْهِهِ وَ لاَ عَنْ يَمِينِهِ وَ لْيَبْزُقْ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ وَ تَحْتِ قَدَمِهِ اَلْيُسْرَى.

Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (a.s) said: "None of you should spit in front of themselves or to their right while praying. Instead, they should spit to their left or beneath their left foot."

Hadith 11

قَالَ اَلصَّادِقُ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: «مَنْ حَبَسَ رِيقَهُ إِجْلاَلاً لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ فِي صَلاَتِهِ أَوْرَثَهُ اَللَّهُ تَعَالَى صِحَّةً حَتَّى اَلْمَمَاتِ.

Imam Jafar ibn Muhammad Al-Sadiq (a.s) said: "Whoever holds back their saliva out of reverence for Allah (swt), the Mighty and Majestic, during prayer, Allah (swt) will grant them health until their death."

Commentary 4

وقد روى فيمن لا يهتدي إلى القبلة في مفازة أنه يصلي إلى أربع جوانب.

It has also been narrated regarding someone who cannot determine the Qiblah in a desert or wilderness that they should pray in all four directions.

Hadith 12

وَ رَوَى زُرَارَةُ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ أَنَّهُ قَالَ: «لاَ صَلاَةَ إِلاَّ إِلَى اَلْقِبْلَةِ» قَالَ قُلْتُ وَ أَيْنَ حَدُّ اَلْقِبْلَةِ قَالَ «مَا بَيْنَ اَلْمَشْرِقِ وَ اَلْمَغْرِبِ قِبْلَةٌ كُلُّهُ» قَالَ قُلْتُ فَمَنْ صَلَّى لِغَيْرِ اَلْقِبْلَةِ أَوْ فِي يَوْمِ غَيْمٍ فِي غَيْرِ اَلْوَقْتِ قَالَ «يُعِيدُ.

Zurarah narrated from Imam Muhammad ibn Ali Al-Baqir (a.s) that He said: "There is no prayer except toward the Qiblah." Zurarah asked: "And where is the boundary of the Qiblah?" Imam (a.s) replied: "The entire area between the east and the west is the Qiblah." Zurarah then asked: "What if someone prays facing a direction other than the Qiblah, or on a cloudy day when they miss the correct time?" Imam (a.s) said: "They must repeat the prayer”.

Hadith 13

وَقَالَ فِي حَدِيثٍ آخَرَ ذَكَرَهُ لَهُ: «ثُمَّ اِسْتَقْبِلِ اَلْقِبْلَةَ بِوَجْهِكَ وَ لاَ تَقَلَّبْ بِوَجْهِكَ عَنِ اَلْقِبْلَةِ فَتَفْسُدَ صَلاَتُكَ فَإِنَّ اَللَّهَ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ يَقُولُ لِنَبِيِّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ فِي اَلْفَرِيضَةِ «فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ اَلْمَسْجِدِ اَلْحَرٰامِ وَ حَيْثُ مٰا كُنْتُمْ فَوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُ» فَقُمْ مُنْتَصِباً» فَإِنَّ رَسُولَ اَللَّهِ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ قَالَ «مَنْ لَمْ يُقِمْ صُلْبَهُ فَلاَ صَلاَةَ لَهُ وَ اِخْشَعْ بِبَصَرِكَ لِلَّهِ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ وَ لاَ تَرْفَعْهُ إِلَى اَلسَّمَاءِ وَ لْيَكُنْ حِذَاءَ وَجْهِكَ فِي مَوْضِعِ سُجُودِكَ.

In another narration, the Imam said : "Then turn your face toward the Qiblah and do not turn your face away from the Qiblah, lest your prayer become invalid. Allah (swt), the Mighty and Majestic, says to His Prophet in the obligatory prayer: 'Turn your face toward the Sacred Mosque (Surah Al-Baqarah 2:144); and wherever you are, turn your faces toward it.' Stand upright." The Prophet (saws) said: "Whoever does not straighten their spine (while standing) has no prayer." And lower your gaze in humility before Allah (swt), the Mighty and Majestic; do not raise it to the sky. Let your gaze be directed in front of you toward your place of prostration”.

Hadith 14

وَقَالَ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ لِزُرَارَةَ: «لاَ تُعَادُ اَلصَّلاَةُ إِلاَّ مِنْ خَمْسَةٍ اَلطَّهُورِ وَ اَلْوَقْتِ وَ اَلْقِبْلَةِ وَ اَلرُّكُوعِ وَ اَلسُّجُودِ.

Imam (a.s) said to Zurarah: "The prayer is not to be repeated except for five things: purification (taharah), time (observing the prayer time), facing the Qiblah, bowing (ruku'), and prostration (Sujood)”.

Commentary 5

وقال أبي رضي الله عنه في رسالته إلي: إذا أردت أن تصلي نافلة وأنت راكب فصلها، واستقبل برأس دابتك حيث توجهت بك مستقبل القبلة ومستدبرها ويمينا ويسارا، فان صليت فريضة على ظهر دابتك فاستقبل القبلة وكبر تكبيرة الافتتاح ثم امض حيث توجهت بك دابتك واقرأ، فإذا أردت الركوع والسجود فاركع واسجد على شئ يكون معك مما يجوز عليه السجود ولا تصلها إلا على حال اضطرار شديد وتفعل فيها إذا صليت ماشيا مثل ذلك إلا أنك إذا أردت السجود سجدت على الأرض. وقال فيها: إذا تعرض لك سبع وخفت فوت الصلاة فاستقبل القبلة وصل صلاتك بالايماء، وإن خشيت السبع وتعرض لك فدر معه كيف دار وصل بالايماء.

My father, may Allah (swt) be pleased with him, said in his letter to me: "If you want to perform a supererogatory (nafl) prayer while riding, pray and turn the head of your mount in whatever direction it faces, whether toward the Qiblah or otherwise, right or left. If you pray a mandatory (fardh) prayer while on the back of your mount, face the Qiblah, say the opening takbir (Allahu Akbar), and then proceed in whichever direction your mount takes you, reciting. When you wish to bow and prostrate, bow and prostrate on something you have with you that is permissible to prostrate upon. Do not pray a mandatory prayer in this manner unless there is a severe necessity. If you are walking, follow the same procedure, but when you wish to prostrate, you must prostrate on the ground." The letter also stated : "If a wild animal approaches and you fear missing the prayer, face the Qiblah and pray using gestures. If you fear the animal and it continues to circle you, move with it as it moves and pray using gestures."

Hadith 15

وَ رُوِيَ: «أَنَّهُ إِذَا عَصَفَتِ اَلرِّيحُ بِمَنْ فِي اَلسَّفِينَةِ وَ لَمْ يَقْدِرْ عَلَى أَنْ يَدُورَ إِلَى اَلْقِبْلَةِ صَلَّى إِلَى صَدْرِ اَلسَّفِينَةِ.

It is narrated that "If the wind blows strongly upon someone on a ship, and they are unable to turn toward the Qiblah, they should pray facing the front of the ship”.

Hadith 16

وَقَالَ اَلنَّبِيُّ صَلَّى اَللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَ آلِهِ: «كُلُّ وَاعِظٍ قِبْلَةٌ وَ كُلُّ مَوْعُوظٍ قِبْلَةٌ لِلْوَاعِظِ.

The Prophet, said: "Every preacher is a Qiblah, and every one being preached to is a Qiblah for the preacher."

Commentary 6

يعني في الجمعة والعيدين وصلاة الاستسقاء في الخطبة يستقبلهم الامام و يستقبلونه حتى يفرغ من خطبته.

This means that during the Jumu’ah sermon (Khutbah), the Eid prayers, and the prayer for rain (Salat al-Istisqa), the Imam (preacher) faces the people, and they face him until he completes his sermon.

Hadith 17

وَقَالَ رَجُلٌ لِلصَّادِقِ عَلَيْهِ اَلسَّلاَمُ: إِنِّي أَكُونُ فِي اَلسَّفَرِ وَ لاَ أَهْتَدِي إِلَى اَلْقِبْلَةِ بِاللَّيْلِ فَقَالَ «أَ تَعْرِفُ اَلْكَوْكَبَ اَلَّذِي يُقَالُ لَهُ اَلْجَدْيَ» قُلْتُ نَعَمْ قَالَ «فَاجْعَلْهُ عَلَى يَمِينِكَ وَ إِذَا كُنْتَ عَلَى طَرِيقِ اَلْحَجِّ فَاجْعَلْهُ بَيْنَ كَتِفَيْكَ.

A man said to Imam Al-Sadiq (a.s): "I am sometimes traveling and cannot determine the Qiblah at night." The Imam asked: "Do you know the star that is called 'al-Jady' (the North Star)?" The man replied: "Yes." The Imam said: "Place it to your right, and if you are on the pilgrimage route, place it between your shoulders”.