068 Question One

This ruling (about the change in the Qiblah) brought comfort to the Messenger of Allah (Sallallahu Alayhi wa Sallam) and his Companions, who were driven out of Makkah and had to depart from the area of Al-Masjid Al-Haram. In Makkah, the Messenger of Allah used to pray in the direction of Bayt Al-Maqdis, while the Ka`bah was between him and the Qiblah. When the Messenger migrated to Al-Madinah, he faced Bayt Al-Maqdis for sixteen or seventeen months, and then Allah directed him to face Al-Ka`bah in prayer.


Reference Tafsir ibn Kathir Abridged English version.