Salah, the obligatory prayer, is the second pillar of Islam. The five daily prayers are a unique form of worship; through the prayers a Muslim can experience many valuable spiritual, physical, and ethical gains, if the prayer is devotedly performed. Before the night journey of the Israa and Miraj, prayer was not obligatory, but Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and his companions used to pray. Scholars differ in their opinions; some say the early Muslims in Makkah used to pray two rakaat in the morning and two at night. Others say that the devoted Muslims used to pray at night, offering two rakaat and more. What is important to note is that performing the prayer was not alien to the Muslims, but it did not become prescribed as five daily, obligatory prayers until the night of the Israa and Miraj, which took place approximately a year and a half before the migration to Madinah. First Qiblah When Muslims began to perform the obligatory salah, they used to face Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa, the third holiest site for Muslims, located in Jerusalem. It continued to be the Qiblah since the early phase of Prophet Muhammad's (peace be upon him) mission and for one and a half years after migrating to Madinah in 623/624 AD. During the thirteen years of his prophetic mission in Makkah, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) used to offer his prayers facing Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa. Even after his migration to Madinah, Allah ordered that the Muslims continue facing the same Qiblah, and it was also the same Qiblah for the Jews in Madinah. To the Muslims, the Kaaba which Prophet Ibrahim and Ismail (peace be upon them) built was the holiest place of worship, yet the Muslims were asked to face Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa instead of the Kaaba. Al-Masjid Al-Aqsais of grave importance to all Muslims, as it is the place where Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was taken to on the night of the Israa and Miraj. It is at Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa where Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) led the congregational prayer of all prophets who had gathered in Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa. Significance of Qiblah The Qiblah is a sign of the spiritual unity of Muslims at the time of prayer. The fact that Muslims all over the world are lined and face one direction creates a kind of spiritual unity amongst all Muslims all over the world. Changing of Qiblah Direction Nearly eighteen months after the establishment of the Islamic state in Madinah, new Quranic revelations instructed Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) and Muslims to turn towards the Holy Kaaba in Makkah when they pray. The following verse was revealed to Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him): {We have certainly seen the turning of your face, [O Muhammad], toward the heaven, and We will surely turn you to a qiblah with which you will be pleased. So turn your face toward Al-Masjid Al-Haram. And wherever you [believers] are, turn your faces toward it [in prayer]. Indeed, those who have been given the Scripture well know that it is the truth from their Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what they do.} (Chapter 2, verse 144) During the Asr prayer, Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) was leading his companions in prayer and they were facing Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa. Then, he was commanded to face the Kaaba, so he obeyed and turned around towards Kaaba. Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) turned towards the new Qiblah without hesitation, accurately facing the Kaaba without the use of any scientific instrument or compass. This took place in the second year after Hijra, the migration. Most interpretations date it to the middle of the month of Shaban. The mosque where Prophet Mohammad (peace be upon him) offered this prayer became known as the mosque of the Two Qiblah (Masjid Al-Qiblatain). It is situated in Madinah, a few kilometers from the Prophet's Holy Mosque. It is one of the oldest Mosques in the world, and uniquely contains two mihrab one in the direction of Al-Masjid Al-Aqsa and the other towards Makkah. The mihrab is a semicircular niche in the wall of a mosque that indicates the Qiblah; and it is at this mihrab where the imam stands to lead the prayer. The Prophet himself was very pleased with this change, which he had keenly desired but dared not request. The verse in the Holy Qur'an which addresses the changing of the Qiblah says, {And We did not make the Qiblah which you used to face except that We might make evident who would follow the Messenger from who would turn back on his heels. And indeed, it is difficult except for those whom Allah has guided.} (Chapter 2, verse 143) The Muslims changed their direction promptly in prayer, in compliance with the Divine command and following the example of the Prophet (peace be upon him). In prayer, they turned towards the Kaaba which was henceforth selected as the Qiblah for all the believers, living in any part of the world, for all times to come. The Jews in Madinah reacted by instigating a campaign of criticism, as they felt that the change of the Qiblah deprived them of their argument for refusing to accept Islam. The Jews used the fact that Muslims adopted the Jews' holy city as theirQiblah and they claimed that Judaism was the religion of truth and that Muhammad and his companions should adopt Judaism, instead of calling on the Jews to accept Islam. Their new campaign sought to create doubts in the minds of Muslims as to the basis of their own religion, and they began to fuel dissent among the Muslims. Reasons behind changing the direction of Qiblah
* The Kaaba, which had been constructed by Prophet Ibrahim, was dear to the hearts of the entire Arab society, and to monotheists who followed the tradition of Prophet Ibrahim. * It was necessary that the Muslims have their own distinct and unique identity, just as the adhan or the call to prayer is unique to the Muslims, facing the Kabah was also unique to them.
* It was a test to show who were the true Muslims who believed in the Prophet (peace be upon him) and what was revealed to him, and to expose the hypocrites.
