Hadith #320

Arabic Text

English Translation

Wakīʿ narrated from Isrāʾīl, from Abū Isḥāq, from al-Barāʾ ibn ʿĀzib, who said: 'the Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed facing Bayt al-Maqdis for sixteen — or seventeen — months. Then he was directed toward the Kaʿbah, and he loved that. So Allah عز وجل revealed: "We have certainly seen the turning of your face toward the heaven. So We will surely turn you to a qiblah that will please you. So turn your face toward al-Masjid al-Ḥarām" [2:144]. A man who had prayed ʿAṣr with the Prophet ﷺ passed by a group of the Anṣār while they were bowing in their ʿAṣr prayer facing Bayt al-Maqdis. He said — testifying that he had prayed with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ and that the direction had been changed to the Kaʿbah. So they turned while they were bowing in their ʿAṣr prayer.'