THE CHANGE OF FIRST QIBLA 1

By
Shaikh Jalilu Issah

In the name of Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful

Transliteration

[002.140. Am taqooloona inna ibraheema wa-ismaAAeela wa-ishaqa wayaAAqooba

waal-asbata kanoo hoodan aw nasara qul aantum aAAlamu ami Allahu waman athlamu
mimman katama shahadatan AAindahu mina Allahi wama Allahu bighafilin AAamma
taAAmaloona
002.141. Tilka ommatun qad khalat laha ma kasabat walakum ma kasabtum wala tus-
aloona AAamma kanoo yaAAmaloona

Translation

[141. That was a people that hath passed away. They shall reap the fruit of what they did,
and ye of what ye do! Of their merits there is no question in your case:
142. The fools among the people will say: "What hath turned them from the Qibla to
which they were used?" Say: To Allah belong both east and West: He guideth whom He
will to a Way that is straight.]

Before proceeding ahead it would be pertinent to mention few lines telling about the
prophets of Allah who spread the light of Tawheed.
 THE CHANGE OF FIRST QIBLA 2
By
Shaikh Jalilu Issah

Adam (AS): The most widely held belief about the origin of Adam has been
that Allah created him from non-existence by His Will using the earth materials. This did
not involve the biological processes of evolution or reproduction. Allah created Man and
Woman from clay in the form and shape, the way they are today. Any belief or
controversy to the contrary is only a speculation.

Prophet Issa (AS): Issa was the last prophet appointed by Allah for Bani Israil.
He is the son of Marrym. They defied his teachings and denied his legitimacy.
Prophet Ismail (AS): Ismail was the elder son of Ibrahim born to Hajirah.
Prophet Ibrahim (AS): Ibrahim was born in the fifth generation from Hud, and
during the reign of a tyrant known as Namrood (Nimrod). Ibrahim and his son Ismail,
following divine instructions, built the Kaaba in Makkah as a House of worship for Allah.
Prophet Ishaq (AS): Ishaq was born to Sarah the first wife of Ibrahim nine years
after the birth of Ismail to Hajirah.
Prophet Yaqub (AS): Ya'qub was one of the twin sons of Ishaq. He was
appointed prophet towards his people after the death of his father. His popular name was
Israil, and his progeny is called Banu Israil (the children of Israil).

It was the claim of them that all these prophets Ibrahim, Ismail, Ishaq and Prophet
Yaqub all belong to Jewish background. And the Christians also supported their view.
These both factions tried to prove that these noble prophets belonged to Jewish
background. Allah challenged them in a verse:
[Am
taqooloona inna ibraheema wa-ismaAAeela wa-ishaqa wayaAAqooba waal-asbata kanoo
hoodan aw nasara] (Or say you that Ibrahim, Ismail, Ishaq Yaqub and Al-Asbat (the
offspring of the twelve sons of Yaquab) were Jews or Christians?). . Allah asks them that
you people claim that Ibrahim, Ismail, Ishaq are they descendants of Jews or Christians?
Then Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala calls his prophet [Qul](say)

[Qul 'A'antum 'A`lamu 'Am Allāhu ] (Say, Do you know

better or does Allah know better …that they all were Muslims?). Allah addresses the
holy prophet (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) and asks him to tell the opponents that who
possesses the greatest possible knowledge – you or Allah? So it is possible that Moses
who came after prophet Ibrahim and his children how could it be possible that those who
say that they are on the religion of who came after them. How it is possible that Moses
after prophet Ibrahim and his children belong to some other religion? How can it be
possible they are on the religion that came after them? And how it is possible that
prophet Essa who came after the prophet Ibrahim, prophet Ismail, prophet Ishaq, and
prophet Yaqub – he is not on the religion of them? That’s why Allah asked them the
question in the verse mentioned above. In point of fact people from other religions as
mentioned above they are trying to hide the truth. All the prophets were on the same
philosophy of life and that was Tawheed (the law of Providence).
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By
Shaikh Jalilu Issah

Allah is saying in this respect that [Wa Man

'Ažlamu Mimman Katama Shahādatan ] (And who is more unjust than he who conceals

the testimony]. Allah says [Wa Mā Allāhu

Bighāfilin `Ammā Ta`malūna] (And Allah is not unaware of what you do?). Jews and
Christians think that whatever they do nobody knows that what they are hiding in their
hearts. But Allah knows their every move of action and every perspective of thoughts.
Because He does understand how to take us – He is the creator and we are His creatures.
And we must not forget one basic point of the mortal life that our every action and move
will be requited for what we did here in this world. This is called the law of Requital
(makafaat-e-amal).
The claim of the opponents and pagans is/was baseless. How it is possible? One
logical question comes into the mind that if these prophets would have been from Jews or
Christians then what would be the status of them on the Day of Judgment? What benefit
we may get from them on the Day of Judgment where we will be requiring to have
shafa’a (intercession) from them? Allah says
[Wa Lā Tus'alūna `Ammā Kānū Ya`malūna]
(And you will not be asked of what they used to do.). You are not responsible that on the
Day of Judgment Allah is not going to ask you that what Ibrahim did. Or what Ismail,
Ishaq and Yaqub did at that time. Allah is not going to ask you these questions. Even
among the followers of Ahlul Bayt. The people, who have come to perform the
pilgrimage, all have to believe in Imam Hussain and to claim to be the follower of Imam
Hussain.
If you look at the life of these holy preachers they always have Allah in their life.
If any Muslim follows the footprints of Imam Hussain (AS) it is sufficient for him to get
the paradise in hereafter life and in this mortal world. Because this is the personality who
has immensely been blessed and all these blessings are believed to have been showered
from the most sublime part of the divine treasures. This is the final and the last and if any
person denies the fact – we do have no remarks in this regard. Consider the most of the
less said. So according to the holy Quran if you don’t give your devout attention to the
imamate (imamat) of Hussan, or if you don’t follow the teachings of this great
personality who directly sought knowledge from Imam Ali and Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu
'alayhi wa sallam) you are off the track. We have to obey the command of Allah and we
have to abide by the system of Tawheed – the same lesson was practically demonstrated
by Imam Hussain. Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala says
[Wa Lā Tus'alūna `Ammā Kānū Ya`malūna]
(And you will not be asked of what they used to do.). On the Day of Judgment Allah is
not going to ask you about those people. Because we have to be accountable for our own
deeds. We do have to decorate our souls and this life. So neither we have to take tension
nor we should make mention of it. Then after that Allah said:

[Sayaqūlu As-
 THE CHANGE OF FIRST QIBLA 4
By
Shaikh Jalilu Issah

Sufahā'u Mina An-Nāsi Mā Wa Llāhum `An Qiblatihim Allatī Kānū `Alayhā] (The fools
(pagans, hypocrites, and Jews) among the people will say:’What has turned them
(Muslims) from their Qiblah to which they used to face in prayer.’). This verse talks
about one important incident, which happened, in Islamic history. Before offering prayer
into the direction of Kaaba the prophet (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) and his
companions used to offer prayer facing to the direction of Bayt ul Muqadas. Criticizers,
and many others used to come to him in order to know the reason that why the Qiblah
was changed? So the opponents concocted and fabricated a false thinking that the
Muslim Community was wrong in their teachings. That’s why now they changed their
Qiblha. It was their argument with the Muslims. These were the frequently asked
questions from the opponents. Even today the proponents of Islam do not have any
logical answer to their FAQs.
So once the prophet (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) went to the masjid and
prayed two rakaat. After he offered his two rakaat of Zuhr prayer. Allah Subhana-Wa-
Ta’aala sent Izrail to go to the prophet (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam). The prophet
(Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) was in the Zuhr prayer. After he offered two rakaat in
the second rakaat the Prophet () faced towards the Kaaba. But some say that the prophet
(Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) offered the Zuhr prayer towards the Jerusalem and then
during offering the prayer the prophet was told not to pray towards the Jerusalem. Then
the revelation came to the holy prophet (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) not to pray
towards the Jerusalem any longer.
In Surah 2-verse

[002.144. Qad nara taqalluba wajhika fee alssama-i falanuwalliyannaka qiblatan tardaha
fawalli wajhaka shatra almasjidi alharami wahaythu ma kuntum fawalloo wujoohakum
shatrahu wa-inna allatheena ootoo alkitaba layaAAlamoona annahu alhaqqu min
rabbihim wama Allahu bighafilin AAamma yaAAmaloona

Allah says (O Muhammad, many a time We noticed you turning your face towards
heaven; now We will make you turn towards a Qiblah THAT WILL PLEASE YOU.
Turn your face during Salah towards the Sacred Mosque (Ka'bah); wherever you are
turn your face in that direction. The people of the Book know this to be the truth from
their Rabb. Allah is not unaware of what they do.)
The opponents of the Muslim Community on the change of the centre were
unable to understand that in point of fact, Bait-ul-Muqadas was the national centre of the
Jews community. It was a centre of a specific community. It had become an emblem of
the settlers who lived around it. But with the advent of Islam the centre was demanded
and desperately it was needed which could have been the centre of the world. So the
Kaaba was selected by Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala as the international centre for the
followers of the Quran and Islam. That’s why under the circumstances the centre had to
 THE CHANGE OF FIRST QIBLA 5
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Shaikh Jalilu Issah

change. The Jews and Christians of that time did not understand and they were unable to
understand the new extensions and expansions of the holy Quran. That’s why the centre
was changed. Now it is permanent.
Jews would think that the prophet (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) was not on the
right path. But now Allah told very clearly to Muhammad about the final and the last
Qibla that was Kaaba. There were many questions in the mind of the opponents that why
the first Qibla was changed and why Kaaba were preferred to Bait ul Muaqads? And
what was the reason behind the logic that Qibla the most important centre of the worship
was changed? There was a big question mark on the faces of opponents and a pungent
criticism on the tips of their snake-like tongues.
Because it is told by the holy Quran that the prophet got the divine directive
directly from Allah to make a new Qibla Kaaba instead of Jerusalem. It was sufficient
for them to believe.
There was a consistent deluge of questions from them. Then Allah told the

prophet (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) [Qul Lillāhi

Al-Mashriqu Wa Al-Maghribu] (To Allah both belong, east and the west.).
[ Yahdī Man Yashā'you] (He guides whom He wills to the
Straight Way.). He guides who wants to have the right directions.
It depends on human beings to choose their own way either to go on the right path
of Siraat-e-Mustaqeem or to go to hell, as mostly are going towards the infernal place of
high fires of Hell. Always remember that the light of the holy Quran is always bright in
its teachings and it gives very evident teachings of the right path. Allah is the most
beneficent and the most merciful. He ever wishes to send the paradise-lost man back into
the environment of the same paradise where from he came out due to his own devilish
wish after eating the fruit of the forbidden tree.

Your comments on the article will be appreciated.

Further will be discussed in next lecture Inshallah.