Messenger of Allah ﷺ prayed facing Baitul-Maqdis for sixteen or seventeen months but he loved to face the Kaʿba (at Mecca) so Allah revealed: "Verily, We have seen the turning of your face to the heaven!" (2:144) So the Prophet ﷺ faced the Kaʿba and the fools amongst the people namely "the Jews" said, "What has turned them from their Qibla (Baitul-Maqdis) which they formerly observed"" (Allah revealed): "Say: 'To Allah belongs the East and the West. He guides whom he will to a straight path'." (2:142) A man prayed with the Prophet (facing the Kaʿba) and went out. He saw some of the Ansar praying the ʿAsr prayer with their faces towards Baitul-Maqdis, he said, "I bear witness that I prayed with Messenger of Allah ﷺ facing the Kaʿba." So all the people turned their faces towards the Kaʿba.  

كَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ صَلَّى نَحْوَ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ سِتَّةَ عَشَرَ أَوْ سَبْعَةَ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يُوَجَّهَ إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ {قَدْ نَرَى تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي السَّمَاءِ} فَتَوَجَّهَ نَحْوَ الْكَعْبَةِ وَقَالَ السُّفَهَاءُ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَهُمُ الْيَهُودُ مَا وَلاَّهُمْ عَنْ قِبْلَتِهِمُ الَّتِي كَانُوا عَلَيْهَا {قُلْ لِلَّهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَالْمَغْرِبُ يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ} فَصَلَّى مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ رَجُلٌ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ بَعْدَ مَا صَلَّى فَمَرَّ عَلَى قَوْمٍ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ فِي صَلاَةِ الْعَصْرِ نَحْوَ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ فَقَالَ هُوَ يَشْهَدُ أَنَّهُ صَلَّى مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَأَنَّهُ تَوَجَّهَ نَحْوَ الْكَعْبَةِ فَتَحَرَّفَ الْقَوْمُ حَتَّى تَوَجَّهُوا نَحْوَ الْكَعْبَةِ  

When Messenger of Allah ﷺ arrived at Medina, he prayed facing Jerusalem for sixteen or seventeen months but he wished that he would be ordered to face the Kaʿba. So Allah revealed: -- 'Verily! We have seen the turning of your face towards the heaven; surely we shall turn you to a prayer direction (Qibla) that shall please you.' (2.144) Thus he was directed towards the Kaʿba. A man prayed the ʿAsr prayer with the Prophet ﷺ and then went out, and passing by some people from the Ansar, he said, "I testify. that I have prayed with the Prophet ﷺ and he (the Prophet) has prayed facing the Kaʿba." Thereupon they, who were bowing in the ʿAsr prayer, turned towards the Kaʿba.  

لَمَّا قَدِمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ الْمَدِينَةَ صَلَّى نَحْوَ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ سِتَّةَ عَشَرَ أَوْ سَبْعَةَ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا وَكَانَ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يُوَجَّهَ إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى {قَدْ نَرَى تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي السَّمَاءِ فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبْلَةً تَرْضَاهَا} فَوُجِّهَ نَحْوَ الْكَعْبَةِ وَصَلَّى مَعَهُ رَجُلٌ الْعَصْرَ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ فَمَرَّ عَلَى قَوْمٍ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ فَقَالَ هُوَ يَشْهَدُ أَنَّهُ صَلَّى مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ وَأَنَّهُ قَدْ وُجِّهَ إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ فَانْحَرَفُوا وَهُمْ رُكُوعٌ فِي صَلاَةِ الْعَصْرِ  

"When Allah's Messener arrived in Al-Madinah, he faced Bait Al-Maqdis in Salat for sixteen or seventeen months. Messenger of Allah longed to face the direction of the Ka'bah, so Allah Most High revealed: Verily! We have seen the turning of your face towards the heaven. Surely We shall turn you o a Qiblah that shall please you. So turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid Al-Haram.So he faced the Ka'bah, and he liked that. A man performed the Asr prayer with him, then passed by some of the Ansar who were bowing in Salat for Asr while facing Bait Al-Maqdis." He told them that he had faced the direction of the Ka'bah, so they changed (their direction) while they were bowing." [He said:] There are narrations on this topic from Ibn Umar, Ibn Abbas, Umarah bin Aws, Amr bin Awf Al-Muzani and Anas.  

لَمَّا قَدِمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ الْمَدِينَةَ صَلَّى نَحْوَ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ سِتَّةَ أَوْ سَبْعَةَ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يُوَجَّهَ إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَىْ (قَدْ نَرَى تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي السَّمَاءِ فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبْلَةً تَرْضَاهَا فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ) فَوُجِّهَ نَحْوَ الْكَعْبَةِ وَكَانَ يُحِبُّ ذَلِكَ فَصَلَّى رَجُلٌ مَعَهُ الْعَصْرَ ثُمَّ مَرَّ عَلَى قَوْمٍ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ وَهُمْ رُكُوعٌ فِي صَلاَةِ الْعَصْرِ نَحْوَ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ فَقَالَ هُوَ يَشْهَدُ أَنَّهُ صَلَّى مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَأَنَّهُ قَدْ وُجِّهَ إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ قَالَ فَانْحَرَفُوا وَهُمْ رُكُوعٌ قَالَ وَفِي الْبَابِ عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ وَابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ وَعُمَارَةَ بْنِ أَوْسٍ وَعَمْرِو بْنِ عَوْفٍ الْمُزَنِيِّ وَأَنَسٍ  

"When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ arrived in Al-Madinah, he performed Salat facing the direction of Bait Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) for sixteen or seventeen months. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ longed to face toward the Ka'bah, so Allah, Might and Sublime is He revealed: Verily, WE have seen the turning of your face towards the heave. Surely, We Shall turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid Al-Haram (2:144). So he faced the direction of the Ka'bah and he longed for that. (One day) a man performed Salat Al-'Asr along with him." He said: "Then he passed by some people of the Ansar performing Salat Al-'Asr, while they were bowing toward Bait Al-Maqdis. He told them that he testifies that he performed Salat with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and he had faced the direction of the Ka'bah." He said: "So they turned while they were bowing."  

لَمَّا قَدِمَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ الْمَدِينَةَ صَلَّى نَحْوَ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ سِتَّةَ أَوْ سَبْعَةَ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ ﷺ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يُوَجَّهَ إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ ( قَدْ نَرَى تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي السَّمَاءِ فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبْلَةً تَرْضَاهَا فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ ) فَوَجَّهَ نَحْوَ الْكَعْبَةِ وَكَانَ يُحِبُّ ذَلِكَ فَصَلَّى رَجُلٌ مَعَهُ الْعَصْرَ قَالَ ثُمَّ مَرَّ عَلَى قَوْمٍ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ وَهُمْ رُكُوعٌ فِي صَلاَةِ الْعَصْرِ نَحْوَ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ فَقَالَ هُوَ يَشْهَدُ أَنَّهُ صَلَّى مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَأَنَّهُ قَدْ وُجِّهَ إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ قَالَ فَانْحَرَفُوا وَهُمْ رُكُوعٌ  

"When the Messenger of Allah ﷺ arrived in Al-Madinah, he performed Salat facing the direction of Bait Al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) for sixteen or seventeen months. The Messenger of Allah ﷺ longed to face toward the Ka'bah, so Allah, Might and Sublime is He revealed: Verily, WE have seen the turning of your face towards the heave. Surely, We Shall turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid Al-Haram (2:144). So he faced the direction of the Ka'bah and he longed for that. (One day) a man performed Salat Al-'Asr along with him." He said: "Then he passed by some people of the Ansar performing Salat Al-'Asr, while they were bowing toward Bait Al-Maqdis. He told them that he testifies that he performed Salat with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, and he had faced the direction of the Ka'bah." He said: "So they turned while they were bowing." (Using translation from Tirmidhī 2962)   

«لَمَّا قَدِمَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ الْمَدِينَةَ صَلَّى نَحْوَ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ سِتَّةَ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا أَوْ سَبْعَةَ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا وَكَانَ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يُوَجَّهَ إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ جَلَّ وَعَلَا {قَدْ نَرَى تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي السَّمَاءِ فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبْلَةً تَرْضَاهَا فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ} فَمَرَّ رَجُلٌ عَلَى قَوْمٍ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ وَهُمْ رُكُوعٌ فَقَالَ هُوَ يَشْهَدُ أَنَّهُ قَدْ صَلَّى مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ﷺ وَأَنَّهُ وَجَّهَ إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ»  

[Machine] I prayed with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ towards the direction of Al-Masjid al-Aqsa for sixteen months. The Prophet of Allah ﷺ used to love to pray towards the Kaaba, so he would raise his head towards the sky. Then, Allah (ﷻ) revealed the verse: "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" [Quran 2:144]. Al-Bara' said, "We were the qiblah for Allah, then Allah sw the qiblah for us." And in regards to the statement of Allah, "That He may test you." [Quran 2:143], he said, "Allah would not allow the prayer of someone who dies while facing Al-Masjid al-Aqsa to go waste."  

صَلَّيْتُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ نَحْوَ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ سِتَّةَ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا وَكَانَ نَبِيُّ اللهِ ﷺ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يُصَلِّيَ نَحْوَ الْكَعْبَةِ فَكَانَ يَرْفَعُ رَأْسَهُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ ﷻ {قَدْ نَرَى تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي السَّمَاءِ فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبْلَةً تَرْضَاهَا فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ} [البقرة 144] قَالَ الْبَرَاءُ وَالشَّطْرُ فِينَا قِبَلَهُ وَقَالَ فِي قَوْلِ اللهِ تَعَالَى {لِيُضِيعَ إِيمَانَكُمْ} [البقرة 143] قَالَ مَا كَانَ اللهُ لِيُضِيعَ صَلَاةَ مَنْ مَاتَ وَهُوَ يُصَلِّي نَحْوَ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ  

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ arrived in Medina and prayed towards the direction of Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) for sixteen or seventeen months. The Prophet ﷺ preferred to face the Kaaba, so Allah revealed the verse: "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..." (Quran 2:144)

So, a man who was praying with the Prophet ﷺ among a group of Ansar (Medinan Muslims) who were praying in the direction of Bayt al-Maqdis, said: "I testify that the Messenger of Allah ﷺ has been directed towards the Kaaba." So they turned towards the Kaaba. The foolish among the people, who were the Jews, said: "What has turned them away from their qiblah which they used to face?" (Quran 2:142)

Allah then said: "The east and the west belong to Allah. He guides whom He wills to a straight path." (Quran 2:142)  

قَدِمَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ الْمَدِينَةَ فَصَلَّى نَحْوَ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ سِتَّةَ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا أَوْ سَبْعَةَ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا وَكَانَ النَّبِيُّ ﷺ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يُوَجَّهَ نَحْوَ الْكَعْبَةِ فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ ﷻ {قَدْ نَرَى تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي السَّمَاءِ فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبْلَةً تَرْضَاهَا فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ} [البقرة 144] الْآيَةُ فَمَرَّ رَجُلٌ كَانَ يُصَلِّي مَعَ النَّبِيِّ ﷺ عَلَى قَوْمٍ مِنَ الْأَنْصَارِ يُصَلُّونَ وَهُمْ رُكُوعٌ نَحْوَ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ فَقَالَ أَشْهَدُ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَدْ وُجِّهَ إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ فَتَحَرَّفُوا نَحْوَ الْكَعْبَةِ فَقَالَ السُّفَهَاءُ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَهُمُ الْيَهُودُ {مَا وَلَّاهُمْ عَنْ قِبْلَتِهِمُ الَّتِي كَانُوا عَلَيْهَا} [البقرة 142] قَالَ اللهُ ﷻ {قُلْ لِلَّهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَالْمَغْرِبُ يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ} [البقرة 142]