Qiblah Direction and the Obligatory Salat
How important is it to find the Qiblah (Kabah) direction and face it in a salat? Some Ahadith are presented in the short article.
وَ مِنْهُ، عَنِ الصَّادِقِ ع فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى فَأَيْنَما تُوَلُّوا فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ اللَّهِ قَالَ هَذَا فِي النَّوَافِلِ خَاصَّةً فِي حَالِ السَّفَرِ فَأَمَّا الْفَرَائِضُ فَلَا بُدَّ فِيهَا مِنِ اسْتِقْبَالِ الْقِبْلَةِ.
And from him,
‘From Al-Sadiq-asws regarding Words of the Exalted: therefore wherever you turn to, so there would be the Face of Allah [2:115]. He-asws said: ‘This is regarding the optional Salat in a situation of travelling. As for the obligatory, there is no escape from facing the Qiblah’’.[1]
قُرْبُ الْإِسْنَادِ، عَنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ طَرِيفٍ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ عُلْوَانَ عَنِ الصَّادِقِ عَنْ أَبِيهِ ع أَنَّ عَلِيّاً ع كَانَ يَقُولُ مَنْ صَلَّى عَلَى غَيْرِ الْقِبْلَةِ وَ هُوَ يَرَى أَنَّهُ عَلَى الْقِبْلَةِ ثُمَّ عَرَفَ بَعْدَ ذَلِكَ فَلَا إِعَادَةَ عَلَيْهِ إِذَا كَانَ فِيمَا بَيْنَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَ الْمَغْرِبِ.
(The book) ‘Qurb Al Isnaad’ – from Al Hassan Bin Tareyf, from Al-Husayn Bin Ulwan,
‘From Al-Sadiq-asws, from his-asws father-asws: ‘Ali-asws had said: ‘One who prays Salat to other than the Qiblah while he is viewing that he is upon the Qiblah, then he knows after that, there is no repeating upon him, when it was among what is between the east and the west’’.[2]
When realising the Qiblah direction during the Salat:
أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ أَحْمَدَ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ عَمْرِو بْنِ سَعِيدٍ عَنْ مُصَدِّقِ بْنِ صَدَقَةَ عَنْ عَمَّارٍ السَّابَاطِيِّ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) قَالَ فِي رَجُلٍ صَلَّى عَلَى غَيْرِ الْقِبْلَةِ فَيَعْلَمُ وَ هُوَ فِي الصَّلَاةِ قَبْلَ أَنْ يَفْرُغَ مِنْ صَلَاتِهِ قَالَ إِنْ كَانَ مُتَوَجِّهاً فِيمَا بَيْنَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَ الْمَغْرِبِ فَلْيُحَوِّلْ وَجْهَهُ إِلَى الْقِبْلَةِ سَاعَةَ يَعْلَمُ وَ إِنْ كَانَ مُتَوَجِّهاً إِلَى دُبُرِ الْقِبْلَةِ فَلْيَقْطَعِ الصَّلَاةَ ثُمَّ يُحَوِّلُ وَجْهَهُ إِلَى الْقِبْلَةِ ثُمَّ يَفْتَتِحُ الصَّلَاةَ .
Ahmad Bin Idrees, and Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Muhammad Bin Ahmad, from Ahmad Bin Al Hassan Bin Ali, from Amro Bin Saeed, from Musaddaq Bin Sadaqa, from Ammar Al Sabaty,
(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah-asws having said regarding a man who prays Salāt upon other than the Qibah. So, he comes to know while he is during the Salāt, before he is free from his Salāt, said: ‘If he was facing towards what is between the east and the west, so let him turn his face towards the Qiblah the moment he comes to know; and if he was facing towards the back of the Qiblah, so let him cut off the Salāt, then turn his face towards the Qiblah, then open (begin again) the Salāt’.[3]
6- النِّهَايَةُ لِلشَّيْخِ، قَالَ: مَنْ تَوَجَّهَ إِلَى الْقِبْلَةِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْعِرَاقِ وَ الْمَشْرِقِ قَاطِبَةً فَعَلَيْهِ أَنْ يَتَيَاسَرَ قَلِيلًا لِيَكُونَ مُتَوَجِّهاً إِلَى الْحَرَمِ بِذَلِكَ جَاءَ الْأَثَرُ عَنْهُمْ ع.
(The book) ‘Al Nihaya’ of the Sheykh who said,
‘One from the people of Al-Iraq who diverts to the Qiblah and the whole of the east, upon him is to divert left a little for him to be facing towards the Sanctuary (Hurrum)’ – the Ahadeeth of that have come from them-asws’’.[4]
وَ لِقَوْلِهِمْ ع مَا بَيْنَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَ الْمَغْرِبِ قِبْلَةٌ.
And due to their-asws words: ‘Whatever is between the east and the west is Qiblah’.[5]
Case of Moving Qiblah Direction when upon a Ride:
الْعَيَّاشِيُّ، عَنْ حَرِيزٍ قَالَ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ فِي التَّطَوُّعِ خَاصَّةً فَأَيْنَما تُوَلُّوا فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ واسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ وَ صَلَّى رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص إِيمَاءً عَلَى رَاحِلَتِهِ أَيْنَمَا تَوَجَّهَتْ بِهِ حَيْثُ خَرَجَ إِلَى خَيْبَرَ وَ حِينَ رَجَعَ مِنْ مَكَّةَ وَ جَعَلَ الْكَعْبَةَ خَلْفَ ظَهْرِهِ.
Al Ayyashi, from Hareyz who said,
‘Abu Ja’far-asws said: ‘Allah-azwj Revealed this Verse regarding the optional Salat in particular: therefore wherever you turn to, so there would be the Face of Allah; surely Allah is Capacious, Knowing [2:115], and Rasool-Allah-saww prayed Salat in gestures being upon his‑saww riding animal wherever it headed with him-saww when he-saww went out to (Battle of) Khyber, and when he-saww returned from Makkah, and he-saww made the Kabah to be behind his-saww back’’.[6]
مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ عَنِ ابْنِ مُسْكَانَ عَنِ الْحَلَبِيِّ أَنَّهُ سَأَلَ أَبَا عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) عَنْ صَلَاةِ النَّافِلَةِ عَلَى الْبَعِيرِ وَ الدَّابَّةِ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ حَيْثُمَا كُنْتَ مُتَوَجِّهاً قَالَ فَقُلْتُ عَلَى الْبَعِيرِ وَ الدَّابَّةِ قَالَ نَعَمْ حَيْثُمَا كُنْتَ مُتَوَجِّهاً قُلْتُ أَسْتَقْبِلُ الْقِبْلَةَ إِذَا أَرَدْتُ التَّكْبِيرَ قَالَ لَا وَ لَكِنْ تُكَبِّرُ حَيْثُمَا كُنْتَ مُتَوَجِّهاً وَ كَذَلِكَ فَعَلَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ( صلى الله عليه وآله ) .
Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, from Muhammad Bin Sinan, from Ibn Muskan,
(It has been narrated) from Al-Halby who asked Abu Abdullah-asws about the optional Salāt upon the camel and the riding animal. So he-asws said: ‘Yes, whichever direction you may be facing’. So I said, ‘Upon the camel and the riding animal?’ He-asws said ‘Yes, whichever direction you may be’. I said, ‘Do I have to face the Qiblah when I intend to exclaim the Takbīr?’ He-asws said: ‘No, but you can exclaim Takbīr whichever direction you are facing, and like that is what Rasool-Allah-saww did’.[7]
عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ عَبْدِ الرَّحْمَنِ بْنِ الْحَجَّاجِ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) فِي الرَّجُلِ يُصَلِّي النَّوَافِلَ فِي الْأَمْصَارِ وَ هُوَ عَلَى دَابَّتِهِ حَيْثُ تَوَجَّهَتْ بِهِ فَقَالَ نَعَمْ لَا بَأْسَ .
Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Ibn Abu Umery, from Abdul Rahman Bin Al Hajjaj,
(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah-asws regarding the man who prays the optional Salāt in the cities, and he is upon a riding animal, wherever he may be facing with it’. So he-asws said: ‘Yes, there is no problem’.[8]
عَلِيٌّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ وَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَحْيَى عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ جَمِيعاً عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي عُمَيْرٍ عَنْ حَمَّادِ بْنِ عُثْمَانَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ( عليه السلام ) أَنَّهُ سُئِلَ عَنِ الصَّلَاةِ فِي السَّفِينَةِ فَقَالَ يَسْتَقْبِلُ الْقِبْلَةَ فَإِذَا دَارَتْ وَ اسْتَطَاعَ أَنْ يَتَوَجَّهَ إِلَى الْقِبْلَةِ فَلْيَفْعَلْ وَ إِلَّا فَلْيُصَلِّ حَيْثُ تَوَجَّهَتْ بِهِ قَالَ فَإِنْ أَمْكَنَهُ الْقِيَامُ فَلْيُصَلِّ قَائِماً وَ إِلَّا فَلْيَقْعُدْ ثُمَّ لْيُصَلِّ .
Ali, from his father, and Muhammad Bin Yahya, from Ahmad Bin Muhammad, altogether from Ibn Abu Umeyr, from Hammad Bin Usman,
(It has been narrated) from Abu Abdullah-asws having been asked about the Salāt in the ship, so he-asws said: ‘He should face the Qiblah. So when he circles (the ship turns), and he is able to face towards the QIblah’ so let him do so, or else, so let him pray Salāt wherever he is facing with it’. He-asws said: ‘So if he is able to stand, so let him pray Salāt standing, or else, so let him be seated, then let him pray Salāt’.[9]
فِقْهُ الرِّضَا، قَالَ: إِذَا أَرَدْتَ تَوَجُّهَ الْقِبْلَةِ فَتَيَاسَرْ مِثْلَيْ مَا تَيَامَنُ فَإِنَّ الْحَرَمَ عَنْ يَمِينِ الْكَعْبَةِ أَرْبَعَةُ أَمْيَالٍ وَ عَنْ يَسَارِهِ ثَمَانِيَةُ أَمْيَالٍ.
(The book) ‘Fiqh Al-Reza-asws’ – He-asws said: ‘When you want to divert to the Qiblah, then you can divert to the left double of what you can divert to the right, for the Sanctuary (Hurrum) is on the right of the Kabah by four miles, and on its left by eight miles’’.[10]
Turning Face while in Salat:
الْعَيَّاشِيُّ، عَنْ حَرِيزٍ قَالَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع اسْتَقْبِلِ الْقِبْلَةَ بِوَجْهِكَ وَ لَا تُقَلِّبْ وَجْهَكَ فَتَفْسُدَ صَلَاتُكَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ يَقُولُ لِنَبِيِّهِ ص فِي الْفَرِيضَةِ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرامِ وَ حَيْثُ ما كُنْتُمْ فَوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُ.
(The book) ‘Al Ayyashi’ – from Hareyz who said,
‘Turn towards the Qiblah with your face and do not turn your face, (left and right) for you will spoil your Salat. Allah-azwj Said to His-azwj Prophet-saww regarding the obligatory Salat: turn your face towards the Sacred Masjid; and wherever you are, turn your faces towards it, [2:150]’’.[11]
بيان: زُرَارَةُ فِي الصَّحِيحِ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع قَالَ: الِالْتِفَاتُ يَقْطَعُ الصَّلَاةَ إِذَا كَانَ بِكُلِّهِ.
Explanation (Hadeeth only) – Zurara said in ‘Al-Saheeh’ (the correct Hadeeth), from Abu Ja’far‑asws having said: ‘Turning around cuts the Salat when it was with whole of him’’.[12]
قَوْلُهُ ع فِي رِوَايَةِ الْحَلَبِيِ أَعِدِ الصَّلَاةَ إِذَا كَانَ فَاحِشاً. فإن الظاهر تحقق التفاحش بالالتفات بالوجه خاصة إلى أحد الجانبين.
His-asws words in a report by Al-Halby: ‘Repeat the Salat when it was immoral’. The apparent verification of the ‘immorality’, is the turning with the face in particular to one of the two sides.[13]
وَ عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ ع قَالَ: لَا تَلْتَفِتْ عَنِ الْقِبْلَةِ فِي صَلَاتِكَ فَتَفْسُدَ عَلَيْكَ فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ قَالَ لِنَبِيِّهِ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرامِ وَ حَيْثُ ما كُنْتُمْ فَوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُ وَ اخْشَعْ بِبَصَرِكَ وَ لَا تَرْفَعْهُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ وَ لْيَكُنْ نَظَرُكَ إِلَى مَوْضِعِ سُجُودِكَ.
And from Abu Ja’far-asws having said: ‘Do not turn around from the Qiblah during your Salat for it will be spoilt upon you. Allah-azwj Said to His-azwj Prophet-saww: So turn then your face towards the Sacred Masjid; and wherever you are, turn your face towards it. [2:144], and lower your gaze and do not raise it towards the sky, but your looking should be at the place of your Sajdah’’.[14]
The Sanctity of Qabah:
الْعِلَلُ، وَ التَّوْحِيدُ، وَ الْمَجَالِسُ، لِلصَّدُوقِ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ زِيَادٍ وَ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ هِشَامٍ وَ عَلِيِّ بْنِ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ الْوَرَّاقِ عَنْ عَلِيِّ بْنِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ الْفَضْلِ بْنِ يُونُسَ عَنْ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ فِي جَوَابِ ابْنِ أَبِي الْعَوْجَاءِ حَيْثُ أَنْكَرَ الْحَجَّ وَ الطَّوَافَ هَذَا بَيْتٌ اسْتَعْبَدَ اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ بِهِ خَلْقَهُ لِيَخْتَبِرَ بِهِ طَاعَتَهُمْ فِي إِتْيَانِهِ فَحَثَّهُمْ عَلَى تَعْظِيمِهِ وَ زِيَارَتِهِ وَ جَعَلَهُ مَحَلَّ أَنْبِيَائِهِ وَ قِبْلَةً لِلْمُصَلِّينَ لَهُ الْخَبَرَ.
(The books) ‘Al Ilal’, and ‘Al Tawheed’, and ‘Al Majaalis’ of Al Sadouq – from Ahmad Bin Ziyad, and Al-Husayn Bin Ibrahim, and Ahmad Bin Hisham, and Ali Bin Abdullah Al Warraq, from Ali Bin Ibrahim, from his father, from Al Fazl Bin Yunus,
‘From Abu Abdullah-asws having said in answer to Ibn Al Awja when he had denied the Hajj and the Tawaaf: ‘This House (Kabah), Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic is being worshipped by it. He‑azwj Created it in order to Test their obedience with it in their following Him-azwj. He-azwj Urged them upon revering it and visiting it, and Made is a place of His-azwj Prophets, and a Qiblah for the ones praying to Him-azwj’ – the Hadeeth’’.[15]
الْمَحَاسِنُ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنِ النَّضْرِ عَنْ يَحْيَى الْحَلَبِيِّ عَنْ بَشِيرٍ فِي حَدِيثِ سُلَيْمَانَ مَوْلَى طِرْبَالٍ قَالَ: ذَكَرْتُ هَذِهِ الْأَهْوَاءَ عِنْدَ أَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع قَالَ لَا وَ اللَّهِ مَا هُمْ عَلَى شَيْءٍ مِمَّا جَاءَ بِهِ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ إِلَّا اسْتِقْبَالَ الْكَعْبَةِ فَقَطْ.
(The book) ‘Al Mahaasin’ – from his father, from Al Nazr, from Yahya Al Halby, from Bashir, in a Hadeeth by Suleyman, a slave of Tirbal who said,
‘I mentioned these whims (general Muslims) in the presence of Abu Abdullah-asws. He-asws said: ‘No, by Allah-azwj! They are not up anything from what Rasool-Allah-saww had come with, except facing the Kabah only!’’[16]
The Change in Qiblah direction:
فِي تَفْسِيرِ النُّعْمَانِيِّ، بِالْإِسْنَادِ الْمَذْكُورِ فِي كِتَابِ الْقُرْآنِ عَنْ أَمِيرِ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ع قَالَ: إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ ص لَمَّا بُعِثَ كَانَتِ الصَّلَاةُ إِلَى قِبْلَةِ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ فَكَانَ فِي أَوَّلِ بِعْثَتِهِ يُصَلِّي إِلَى بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ جَمِيعَ أَيَّامِ مُقَامِهِ بِمَكَّةَ وَ بَعْدَ هِجْرَتِهِ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ بِأَشْهُرٍ
In Tafseer Al Numani – by the mentioned chain in ‘The book of Quran’ –
‘From Amir Al-Momineen-asws having said: ‘When Rasool-Allah-saww was Send, the Salat was towards the Qiblah of Bayt Al-Maqdis. In the beginning of his-saww Prophet-hood, he-saww prayed Salat towards Bayt Al-Maqdis, entirety of his-saww days of staying at Makkah, and after his-saww emigrating to Al-Medina for months.
فَعَيَّرَتْهُ الْيَهُودُ فَقَالُوا أَنْتَ تَابِعٌ لِقِبْلَتِنَا
The Jews faulted him-saww. They said, ‘You-saww are a follower to our Qiblah!’
فَأَنِفَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ص ذَلِكَ مِنْهُمْ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى عَلَيْهِ وَ هُوَ يُقَلِّبُ وَجْهَهُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ وَ يَنْتَظِرُ الْأَمْرَ قَدْ نَرى تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي السَّماءِ إِلَى قَوْلِهِ لِئَلَّا يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَيْكُمْ حُجَّةٌ يَعْنِي الْيَهُودَ فِي هَذَا الْمَوْضِعِ
It was disrespect to Rasool-Allah-saww from them of that, so Allah-azwj the Exalted Revealed to him-saww while he-saww was turning his-saww face towards the sky awaiting the Command: We have Seen the turning of your face towards the sky, [2:144] – up to His-azwj Word: so that people shall have no accusation against you all, [2:150] – meaning the Jews in this place.
ثُمَّ أَخْبَرَنَا اللَّهُ عَزَّ وَ جَلَّ الْعِلَّةَ الَّتِي مِنْ أَجْلِهَا لَمْ يُحَوِّلْ قِبْلَتَهُ مِنْ أَوَّلِ الْبِعْثَةِ فَقَالَ تَبَارَكَ وَ تَعَالَى وَ ما جَعَلْنَا الْقِبْلَةَ الَّتِي كُنْتَ عَلَيْها إِلَى قَوْلِهِ لَرَؤُفٌ رَحِيمٌ- فَسَمَّى سُبْحَانَهُ الصَّلَاةَ هَاهُنَا إِيمَاناً
Then Allah-azwj Mighty and Majestic Informed us of the reason for which the Qiblah had not been transferred from the beginning of the Prophet-hood. The Blessed and Exalted Said: And We did not Make the Qiblah which you were upon – up to His-azwj Words: Affectionate, Merciful [2:143]. The Glorious Named the Salat as Eman over here’.
وَ قَالَ ع فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرامِ قَالَ مَعْنَى شَطْرِهِ نَحْوُهُ إِنْ كَانَ مَرْئِيّاً وَ بِالدَّلَائِلِ وَ الْأَعْلَامِ إِنْ كَانَ مَحْجُوباً
And he-asws said regarding Words of the Exalted: So turn then your face towards the Sacred Masjid; [2:144]. He-asws said: ‘Mean of ‘Shatra’ is approximately towards it, if it was visible, and with the signs and the flags if it was veiled.
فَلَوْ عُلِمَتِ الْقِبْلَةُ لَوَجَبَ اسْتِقْبَالُهَا وَ التَّوَلِّي وَ التَّوَجُّهُ إِلَيْهَا وَ لَوْ لَمْ يَكُنِ الدَّلِيلُ عَلَيْهَا مَوْجُوداً حَتَّى تَسْتَوِيَ الْجِهَاتُ كُلُّهَا فَلَهُ حِينَئِذٍ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ بِاجْتِهَادِهِ حَيْثُ أَحَبَّ وَ اخْتَارَ حَتَّى يَكُونَ عَلَى يَقِينٍ مِنَ الدَّلَالاتِ الْمَنْصُوبَةِ وَ الْعَلَامَاتِ الْمَبْثُوثَةِ
If you know the Qiblah, it is obligated to face it, and the turning and the directing towards it, and there does not happen to be any existent signs upon it to the extent that all the direction are same, at that time it is for him to pray Salat by his striving wherever he likes and choose (a direction) until he would be upon certainty from the installed signs and the markers spread out.
فَإِنْ مَالَ عَنْ هَذَا التَّوَجُّهِ مَعَ مَا ذَكَرْنَا حَتَّى يَجْعَلَ الشَّرْقَ غَرْباً وَ الْغَرْبَ شَرْقاً زَالَ مَعْنَى اجْتِهَادِهِ وَ فَسَدَ حَالُ اعْتِقَادِهِ
If he inclines away from this direction along with what we-asws mentioned until he makes the east as west, and the west as east, the meaning of his striving would be lost and the state of his belief would be corrupted’.
قَالَ وَ قَدْ جَاءَ عَنِ النَّبِيِّ ص خَبَرٌ مَنْصُوصٌ مُجْمَعٌ عَلَيْهِ أَنَّ الْأَدِلَّةَ الْمَنْصُوبَةَ عَلَى بَيْتِ اللَّهِ الْحَرَامِ لَا تَذْهَبُ بِكُلِّيَّتِهَا حَادِثَةٌ مِنَ الْحَوَادِثِ مَنّاً مِنَ اللَّهِ تَعَالَى عَلَى عِبَادِهِ فِي إِقَامَةِ مَا افْتَرَضَ عَلَيْهِمْ.
He (the narrator) said, ‘And it has come from the Prophet-saww textual Hadeeth there is a consensus upon it that the markings installed upon the Sacred House of Allah-azwj will not go away from us by their whole, due to any incident from the incidents from Allah-azwj the Exalted upon His-azwj servants in establishing what Allah-azwj has Imposed upon them’’.[17]
قَالَ قَالَ زُرَارَةُ قُلْتُ لِأَبِي عَبْدِ اللَّهِ ع الصَّلَاةُ فِي السَّفَرِ [فِي] السَّفِينَةِ وَ الْمَحْمِلِ سَوَاءٌ
He (the narrator) said, ‘Zurara said, ‘I said to Abu Abdullah-asws, ‘The Salat during the journey in the ship and the carriage, are the same?’
قَالَ الناقة [النَّافِلَةُ] كُلُّهَا سَوَاءٌ تُومِئُ إِيمَاءً أَيْنَمَا تَوَجَّهَتْ دَابَّتُكَ وَ سَفِينَتُكَ وَ الْفَرِيضَةُ تَنْزِلُ لَهَا عَنِ الْمَحْمِلِ إِلَى الْأَرْضِ إِلَّا مِنْ خَوْفٍ فَإِنْ خِفْتَ أَوْمَأْتَ
He-asws said: ‘The optional Salat(s), all of these are same. You can indicate by gestures wherever you may be headed on your riding animal, and your ship, while the obligatory Salat, you will have to descend for it from the carriage to the ground, except from fear. If you fear, you can do gestures (without descending).
وَ أَمَّا السَّفِينَةُ فَصَلِّ بِهَا قَائِماً وَ تَوَخَّ الْقِبْلَةَ بِجُهْدِكَ إِنَّ نُوحاً ع قَدْ صَلَّى الْفَرِيضَةَ فِيهَا قَائِماً مُتَوَجِّهاً إِلَى الْقِبْلَةِ وَ هِيَ مُطْبِقَةٌ عَلَيْهِمْ
And as for the ship, pray Salat at it standing and face the Qiblah with your striving. Noah-as had prayed the obligatory Salat in it while standing facing towards the Qiblah, and it had been layered upon them (by flood waters)’.
قَالَ قُلْتُ وَ مَا كَانَ عِلْمُهُ بِالْقِبْلَةِ فَيَتَوَجَّهَهَا وَ هِيَ مُطْبِقَةٌ عَلَيْهِمْ
He (the narrator) said, ‘I said, ‘And what had let him-as know the Qiblah so he-as diverted towards it, and it had been layered (covered) upon them (with flood waters)?’
قَالَ كَانَ جَبْرَئِيلُ ع يُقَوِّمُهُ نَحْوَهَا
He-asws said: ‘Jibraeel-as had stood him-as towards it’.
قَالَ قُلْتُ فَأَتَوَجَّهُ نَحْوَهَا فِي كُلِّ تَكْبِيرَةٍ
He (the narrator) said, ‘I said, ‘So I should be facing towards it during every exclamation of Takbeer?’
قَالَ أَمَّا فِي النَّافِلَةِ فَلَا إِنَّ مَا يُكَبِّرُ فِي النَّافِلَةِ عَلَى غَيْرِ الْقِبْلَةِ أَكْثَرُ
He-asws said: ‘As for regarding the optional Salat, no! Surely, what Takbeers have been exclaimed to other than the Qiblah are more’.
ثُمَّ قَالَ كُلُّ ذَلِكَ قِبْلَةٌ لِلْمُتَنَفِّلِ إِنَّهُ قَالَ فَأَيْنَما تُوَلُّوا فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ واسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ.
Then he-asws said: ‘All that is Qiblah for the one praying optional Salat. He-azwj Said: therefore wherever you turn to, so there would be the Face of Allah; surely Allah is Capacious, Knowing [2:115]’’.[18]
[1] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 81 – The Book Salat – Ch 32 H 24 b
[2] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 81 – The Book Salat – Ch 32 H 15
[3] Al Kafi V 3 – The Book of Salāt CH 8 H 8
[4] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 81 – The Book Salat – Ch 32 H 6
[5] بحار الأنوار (ط – بيروت)، ج81، ص: 55
[6] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 81 – The Book Salat – Ch 32 H 29 a
[7] Al Kafi V 3 – The Book Of Salāt CH 82 H 5
[8] Al Kafi V 3 – The Book Of Salāt CH 82 H 8
[9] Al Kafi V 3 – The Book Of Salāt CH 83 H 2
[10] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 81 – The Book Salat – Ch 32 H 5
[11] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 81 – The Book Salat – Ch 32 H 7
[12] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 81 – The Book Salat – Ch 32 H 7
[13] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 81 – The Book Salat – Ch 32 H 7
[14] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 81 – The Book Salat – Ch 32 H 27 b
[15] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 81 – The Book Salat – Ch 32 H 8
[16] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 81 – The Book Salat – Ch 32 H 10
[17] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 81 – The Book Salat – Ch 32 H 21
[18] Bihar Al-Anwaar V 81 – The Book Salat – Ch 32 H 29 b