The Prophet ﷺ and his Companions used to pray in the direction of Jerusalem. When the following verse was revealed: “ So turn thy face towards the inviolable mosque”; and Ye (O Muslims), wheresoever ye may be, turn your face towards it”(ii. 144), a man passed by the people of Banu Salamah. He called them while they were bowing in the morning prayer facing Jerusalem: Lo, the qiblah (direction of prayer) has been changed towards the ka’bah. He called them twice. So they turned their faces towards the Ka’bah while they were bowing.  

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ وَأَصْحَابَهُ كَانُوا يُصَلُّونَ نَحْوَ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ فَلَمَّا نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الآيَةُ { فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنْتُمْ فَوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُ } فَمَرَّ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي سَلِمَةَ فَنَادَاهُمْ وَهُمْ رُكُوعٌ فِي صَلاَةِ الْفَجْرِ نَحْوَ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ أَلاَ إِنَّ الْقِبْلَةَ قَدْ حُوِّلَتْ إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ مَرَّتَيْنِ فَمَالُوا كَمَا هُمْ رُكُوعٌ إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ