Prayer is one of the most important acts of worship that prevents believers from immorality and evil, and it’s characterized by its great sanctity in the souls of Muslims and many benefits. This is because it represents a connection between man and Allah, where a Muslim can express his complaints and concerns and talk to Allah about everything he desires. Muslims all over the world have the same direction in prayer. In this article, Why do Muslims pray to the east?
The Origins and Meaning of the Qibla in Islam
In order to answer the question of Why do Muslims pray to the east? It’s important to know the origins of the Qibla and its meaning first. The Qibla is the direction toward which Muslims from all over the world face, and it represents the Grand Mosque in Mecca. It was built by angels, then by the prophet Adam, then by prophet Ibrahim and Ismail. The Qiblah was initially towards Al-Aqsa Mosque, but Allah changed it to Al-Masjid Al-Haram in the second year of the Prophet’s migration, when the noble verse was revealed:
«قَدْ نَرَى تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي السَّمَاءِ فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبْلَةً تَرْضَاهَا فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنْتُمْ فَوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُ».
Qad nara taqalluba wajhika fī as-samā’i fa-lanuwalliyannaka qiblatan tarḍāhā fa-wallī wajhaka shaṭra al-masjid al-ḥarām wa-ḥaythu mā kuntum fa-wallū wujūhakum shaṭrahu.
“We have certainly seen the turning of your face toward heaven, and We will surely turn you to a qibla with which you will be pleased. So turn your face toward al-Masjid al-Haram. And wherever you are, turn your faces toward it.”
In this Ayah, the Prophet PBUH ordered Muslims to face the new Qiblah, and the Qiblah represents part of the Islamic identity.
Do Muslims Have to Face Mecca When Praying?
Yes, a basic condition for the acceptance of prayer is that Muslims face one Qiblah, which is Al-Masjid Al-Haram in Mecca, and this answers the question of why Muslims pray towards the east?
عَنِ الْبَرَاءِ بْنِ عَازِبٍ رَضِيَ اللَّهُ عَنْهُ قَالَ:
«صَلَّيْنَا مَعَ النَّبِيِّ -صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ- نَحْوَ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ سِتَّةَ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا أَوْ سَبْعَةَ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا، ثُمَّ صُرِفْنَا نَحْوَ الْكَعْبَةِ».
On the authority of Al-Bara’ ibn ‘Azib (may Allah be pleased with him), he said:
“We prayed with the Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) facing Bayt al-Maqdis for sixteen or seventeen months, then we were directed towards the Ka‘bah.”
Many people ask this question: where can a Muslim pray? Most of the time, Muslim men pray in mosques while women pray at home, and a Muslim can pray anywhere as long as it is clean and pure.
Why Do Muslims Pray Towards Mecca?
Muslims face Mecca when praying because it contains the Kaaba, which is the Qiblah of Muslims and the Qiblah of Prophet Ibrahim before. The Prophet Mohammed, PBUH wanted to face it because of his great love for Al-Masjid Al-Haram, and Mecca is the birthplace of him, PBUH. It’s the place where the revelation of the Holy Quran began, so mosques are built all over the world so that the direction of prayer is towards the Qiblah.
Some people wonder can Muslims pray in a church? This depends on whether there is a mosque or not. If there is a mosque, the Muslim must pray in it, but if there is no mosque, it is permissible to pray in the church like any other place if it is clean. Some scholars prefer to pray outside it, even in public places such as parks, because there are statues and pictures in the church.
Why Do Muslims Face Towards the Qibla?
Muslims pray towards the Kaaba, the Sacred House of Allah located in Mecca, which has a great status among Muslims, because it is a means of uniting Muslims all over the world. This is also an act of obedience to the commands of Allah Almighty. There is also a difference between Muslims and Jews, as Jews pray towards Jerusalem.
قَالَ النَّبِيُّ -صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ-:
«إِذَا قُمْتَ إِلَى الصَّلَاةِ، فَأَسْبِغِ الوُضُوءَ، ثُمَّ اسْتَقْبِلِ القِبْلَةَ فَكَبِّرْ…» (رواه البخاري ومسلم).
The Prophet (peace and blessings be upon him) said:”When you stand for prayer, perform ablution thoroughly, then face the Qiblah and say Takbir…”
(Reported by Al-Bukhari and Muslim).
Some people ask how do Muslims pray? A Muslim prays five basic prayers. When he hears the voice of the muezzin, he intends to pray, performs Wudu well, then faces the qibla. If you want to know how long a Muslim’s prayer lasts? A Muslim performs certain steps until the prayer is complete, and it may differ from one person to another.
How Do Muslims Know They Are Facing Mecca?
After we knew the answer to the question: why do muslim face east while praying? It’s important to know how Muslims make sure of the direction. The qiblah can be checked by using a compass at first. There are many applications on phones that help in knowing the qibla, and the Google Earth program can be used to determine the direction of the qibla by drawing a line in the distance between the area in which it is located and the Kaaba.
Some people want to know how many rakats each prayer, and this varies according to the type of prayer.
FAQs
Is it compulsory to face qibla while praying?
This is a basic condition for the acceptance of prayer because the qibla is a very important matter for all Muslims and prayer is not valid without it.
But how many times a day do Islam pray? A Muslim prays five times a day, but the reward is equivalent to fifty prayers, and he can pray other optional prayers such as Qiyam al-Layl and al-Duha.
Is it necessary to face qibla while reading the Quran?
It isn’t necessary for Muslims to face the qibla when reading the Quran, unlike prayer, as we explained, but a Muslim must perform Wudu before touching the Quran. However, if he will read using a phone or from his memory, Wudu isn’t required.
Can you make dua without facing qibla?
Yes, it is permissible to supplicate without facing the qibla, but facing the qibla is better and closer to answering the supplication, as the Prophet used to face the qibla while supplicating, as happened in the Battle of Badr and when asking for rain.
When a Muslim prays for a woman at home or a man in the mosque, they can increase their supplication during prayer, as the Muslim is closest to his Lord when he is prostrating.
What to do if I can’t face Qibla?
After knowing the answer to this question: why do muslim face east while praying? If a Muslim is outside the home, he should strive to know the direction of the Qiblah, and if this is difficult for him and he fears that he will miss the prayer, he can pray in any direction and there is nothing wrong with that. He can download some applications or programs that help in determining the Qiblah easily.
Some people wonder about “Can a Muslim Pray for a Non-Muslim?” A Muslim can’t pray for a non-Muslim because Allah won’t accept this prayer, and therefore this will not benefit the other party.
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