While the people were offering the Fajr prayer at Quba' (near Medina), someone came to them and said: "It has been revealed to Messenger of Allah ﷺ tonight, and he has been ordered to pray facing the Kaʿba." So turn your faces to the Kaʿba. Those people were facing Sham (Jerusalem) so they turned their faces towards Kaʿba (at Mecca). (Using translation from Bukhārī 403)   

بَيْنَمَا النَّاسُ بِقُبَاءَ فِي صَلَاةِ الصُّبْحِ إِذْ جَاءَهُمْ آتٍ فَقَالَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ قَدْ أُنْزِلَ عَلَيْهِ قُرْآنٌ وَقَدْ أُمِرَ أَنْ يَسْتَقْبِلَ الْكَعْبَةَ فَاسْتَقْبِلُوهَا وَكَانَتْ وُجُوهُهُمْ إِلَى الشَّامِ فَاسْتَدَارُوا إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ أَخْرَجَاهُ فِي الصَّحِيحِ مِنْ حَدِيثِ مَالِكٍ  

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. (Using translation from Abū Dāʾūd 1045)   

أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ ﷺ وَأَصْحَابَهُ كَانُوا يُصَلُّونَ نَحْوَ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ فَلَمَّا نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الْآيَةُ {فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَحَيْثُمَا كُنْتُمْ فَوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُ} مَرَّ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي سَلَمَةَ فَنَادَاهُمْ وَهُمْ رُكُوعٌ فِي صَلَاةِ الْفَجْرِ نَحْوَ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ أَلَا إِنَّ الْقِبْلَةَ قَدْ حُوِّلَتْ إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ مَرَّتَيْنِ قَالَ فَمَالُوا كَمَا هُمْ رُكُوعٌ إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ  

[Machine] Once, while we were traveling, darkness overtook us and the direction of the Qibla became unclear to us. Each of us prayed according to his own judgment. When it became clear, some of us had prayed in a direction other than the Qibla, while others had prayed towards the Qibla. We then mentioned this to the Messenger of Allah ﷺ , and he said, "Your prayers have passed and been accepted, for Allah says, 'And to Allah belongs the east and the west. So wherever you turn, there is the face of Allah.'" (Quran 2:115)  

أُظْلِمَتْ مَرَّةً وَنَحْنُ فِي سَفَرٍ وَاشْتَبَهَتْ عَلَيْنَا الْقِبْلَةُ فَصَلَّى كُلُّ رَجُلٍ مِنَّا حِيَالَهُ فَلَمَّا انْجَلَتْ إِذَا بَعْضُنَا صَلَّى لِغَيْرِ الْقِبْلَةِ وَبَعْضُنَا قَدْ صَلَّى لِلْقِبْلَةِ فَذَكَرْنَا ذَلِكَ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ مَضَتْ صَلَاتُكُمْ وَنَزَلَتْ {فَأَيْنَمَا تُوَلُّوا فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ اللهِ} [البقرة 115]  

[Machine] We prayed one night in the clouds, and the direction of prayer was hidden from us. We were taught a sign, and when we finished, we looked and realized that we had prayed towards a different direction. We then informed the Messenger of Allah ﷺ about this, and he said, "You have done well, and we were not commanded to repeat it." This was narrated by Muhammad bin Salim from Ata and from Abd Malik al-Arzami from Ata. As for the narration of Muhammad bin Salim from Ata, it has already been mentioned, and as for the narration of Abd Malik, it is found in the collection of Ahmad bin Ubaydullah bin al-Hasan al-Anbari from his father.  

صَلَّيْنَا لَيْلَةً فِي غَيْمٍ وَخَفِيَتْ عَلَيْنَا الْقِبْلَةُ وَعَلَّمْنَا عَلَمًا فَلَمَّا انْصَرَفْنَا نَظَرْنَا فَإِذَا نَحْنُ قَدْ صَلَّيْنَا إِلَى غَيْرِ الْقِبْلَةِ فَذَكَرْنَا ذَلِكَ لِرَسُولِ اللهِ ﷺ فَقَالَ قَدْ أَحْسَنْتُمْ وَلَمْ يَأْمُرْنَا أَنْ نُعِيدَ وَكَذَلِكَ رُوِيَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ عَطَاءٍ وَعَنْ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ الْعَرْزَمِيِّ عَنْ عَطَاءٍ أَمَّا حَدِيثُ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سَالِمٍ عَنْ عَطَاءٍ فَقَدْ مَضَى وَأَمَّا حَدِيثُ عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ فَإِنَّهُ فِي وِجَادَاتِ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللهِ بْنِ الْحَسَنِ الْعَنْبَرِيِّ عَنْ أَبِيهِ  

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ sent a group, in which I was present, on a mission. Darkness fell upon us and we couldn't determine the direction of the qibla (direction of prayer). Some of the companions said that the qibla is towards the north, so pray and draw a line. Others said that the qibla is towards the south, so they prayed and drew a line. However, when morning came and the sun rose, those lines were not aligned with the qibla. We returned from our journey and went to the Prophet ﷺ and asked him about it. He remained silent and then Allah revealed the verse "To Allah belongs the east and the west. So wherever you turn, there is the face of Allah" (Surah Al-Baqarah, 2:115), which means wherever you are, that is the qibla.  

بَعَثَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ سَرِيَّةً كُنْتُ فِيهَا فَأَصَابَتْنَا ظُلْمَةٌ فَلَمْ نَعْرِفِ الْقِبْلَةَ فَقَالَتْ طَائِفَةٌ مِنْهَا الْقِبْلَةُ هَاهُنَا قِبَلَ الشِّمَالِ فَصَلُّوا وَخَطُّوا خَطًّا وَقَالَ بَعْضُهُمُ الْقِبْلَةُ هَاهُنَا قِبَلَ الْجَنُوبِ وَخَطُّوا خَطًّا فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحْنَا وَطَلَعَتِ الشَّمْسُ أَصْبَحَتْ تِلْكَ الْخُطُوطُ لِغَيْرِ الْقِبْلَةِ فَقَدِمْنَا مِنْ سَفَرِنَا فَأَتَيْنَا النَّبِيَّ ﷺ فَسَأَلْنَاهُ عَنْ ذَلِكَ فَسَكَتَ وَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ ﷻ {وَلِلَّهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَالْمَغْرِبُ فَأَيْنَمَا تُوَلُّوا فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ اللهِ} [البقرة 115] أَيْ حَيْثُ كُنْتُمْ وَكَذَلِكَ  

[Machine] The Messenger of Allah ﷺ was praying while facing from Makkah to Madinah on his riding animal, where his face was. And in it was revealed: "So wherever you [might] turn, there is the face of Allah" (Quran 2:115).  

رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يُصَلِّي وَهُوَ مُقْبِلٌ مِنْ مَكَّةَ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ عَلَى رَاحِلَتِهِ حَيْثُ كَانَ وَجْهُهُ قَالَ وَفِيهِ نَزَلَتْ {فَأَيْنَمَا تُوَلُّوا فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ اللهِ} [البقرة 115]  

[Machine] The first thing that was abrogated from the Qur'an, as mentioned to us and Allah knows best, is the matter of the Qiblah. Allah, may He be glorified and exalted, said, "To Allah belong the east and the west. So wherever you [might] turn, there is the Face of Allah." (Quran 2:115) So the Messenger of Allah ﷺ faced towards the direction of the Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) and left the Ancient House (the Kaaba). Allah then abrogated it and turned him towards the Ancient House (the Kaaba) and said, "From wherever you go out [for prayer], turn your face toward al-Masjid al-Haram. And wherever you [believers] may be, turn your faces toward it." (Quran 2:144) According to the statements of Imam ash-Shafi'i (may Allah have mercy on him), this narration is attributed to Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him), who entered into a detailed explanation: when he migrated to Madinah, he faced Bayt al-Maqdis out of devotion to the Ancient House (the Kaaba), and he would have loved it if Allah had made facing the Ancient House (the Kaaba) obligatory for him. So Allah revealed this verse to him before He revealed the verse "We have certainly seen the turning of your face toward the heaven." (Quran 2:144) Sheikh also mentioned that it is narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with him) that it was revealed with regard to their statement, "They have turned away from their qiblah." (Quran 2:142)  

أَوَّلُ مَا نُسِخَ مِنَ الْقُرْآنِ فِيمَا ذُكِرَ لَنَا وَاللهُ أَعْلَمُ شَأْنُ الْقِبْلَةِ قَالَ اللهُ تَبَارَكَ وَتَعَالَى {وَلِلَّهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَالْمَغْرِبُ فَأَيْنَمَا تُوَلُّوا فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ اللهِ} [البقرة 115] فَاسْتَقْبَلَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ فَصَلَّى نَحْوَ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ وَتَرَكَ الْبَيْتَ الْعَتِيقَ فَقَالَ {سَيَقُولُ السُّفَهَاءُ مِنَ النَّاسِ مَا وَلَّاهُمْ عَنْ قِبْلَتِهِمُ الَّتِي كَانُوا عَلَيْهَا} [البقرة 142] يَعْنُونَ بَيْتَ الْمَقْدِسِ فَنَسَخَهَا فَصَرَفَهُ اللهُ إِلَى الْبَيْتِ الْعَتِيقِ فَقَالَ {وَمِنْ حَيْثُ خَرَجْتَ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَحَيْثُمَا كُنْتُمْ فَوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُ} وَفِي كَلَامِ الشَّافِعِيِّ رَحِمَهُ اللهُ بَيَانُ مَا فِي هَذِهِ الرِّوَايَةِ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ ؓ وَهُوَ أَنَّهُ دَخَلَ فِي مَبْسُوطِ كَلَامِهِ فَلَمَّا هَاجَرَ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ اسْتَقْبَلَ بَيْتَ الْمَقْدِسِ مُوَلِّيًا عَنِ الْبَيْتِ الْحَرَامِ وَهُوَ يُحِبُّ لَوْ قَضَى اللهُ لَهُ بِاسْتِقْبَالِ الْبَيْتِ الْحَرَامِ فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ ﷻ هَذِهِ الْآيَةَ إِلَى أَنْ أَنْزَلَ اللهُ {قَدْ نَرَى تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي السَّمَاءِ} [البقرة 144] قَالَ الشَّيْخُ وَرُوِيَ عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّهَا نَزَلَتْ فِي قَوْلِهِمْ {مَا وَلَّاهُمْ عَنْ قِبْلَتِهِمُ الَّتِي كَانُوا عَلَيْهَا} [البقرة 142]  

[Machine] That when the Messenger of Allah ﷺ migrated to Medina and most of its people were Jews, Allah commanded him to face the direction of the Kaaba for prayer. The Jews rejoiced and the Messenger of Allah ﷺ faced the direction of Jerusalem for around sixteen months. However, the Messenger of Allah ﷺ loved the direction of Ibrahim, ﷺ , so he would supplicate to Allah and look towards the sky. So Allah revealed to him, "We see the turning of your face to the heaven. So, We shall surely turn you to a Qiblah (prayer direction) that shall please you, so turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid Al-Haram (Kaaba in Mecca)." (Quran 2:144) It means facing towards it. The Jews became uncertain and said, "What has turned them from their Qiblah (prayer direction) which they used to face?" (Quran 2:142) So Allah revealed, "And to Allah belongs the east and the west, so wherever you face (in prayer), there is the Face of Allah (guidance)." (Quran 2:115) "And We did not make the Qiblah (prayer direction) which you used to face except that We might make evident who would follow the Messenger from who would turn back on his heels." (Quran 2:143) Ibn Abbas said, "And to distinguish clearly between those who are truly certain and those who harbor doubts and suspicions, and Allah said, 'And there is none of you except he shall come to it (the Qiblah) by the will of Allah.' (Quran 2:143) It means it will be turned towards the people who have doubts and suspicions, 'Except the humble among you.' (Quran 2:45) It means those who believe in what Allah revealed." Ash-Shafi'i, may Allah have mercy on him, said regarding the verse, "So, turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid Al-Haram (Kaaba in Mecca)." (Quran 2:144) It means, "And Allah knows best, so turn your face towards the direction towards which Allah directed you."  

أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ ﷺ لَمَّا هَاجَرَ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ وَكَانَ أَكْثَرُ أَهْلِهَا الْيَهُودَ أَمَرَهُ اللهُ أَنْ يَسْتَقْبِلَ بَيْتَ الْمَقْدِسِ فَفَرِحَتِ الْيَهُودُ فَاسْتَقْبَلَهَا رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ بَضْعَةَ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ ﷺ يُحِبُّ قِبْلَةَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَلَيْهِ السَّلَامُ فَكَانَ يَدْعُو اللهَ وَيَنْظُرُ إِلَى السَّمَاءِ فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ ﷻ {قَدْ نَرَى تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي السَّمَاءِ} [البقرة 144] إِلَى قَوْلِهِ {فَوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُ} [البقرة 144] يَعْنِي نَحْوَهُ فَارْتَابَ مِنْ ذَلِكَ الْيَهُودُ وَقَالُوا {مَا وَلَّاهُمْ عَنْ قِبْلَتِهِمُ الَّتِي كَانُوا عَلَيْهَا} [البقرة 142] فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ تَعَالَى {وَلِلَّهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَالْمَغْرِبُ فَأَيْنَمَا تُوَلُّوا فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ اللهِ} [البقرة 115] {وَمَا جَعَلْنَا الْقِبْلَةَ الَّتِي كُنْتَ عَلَيْهَا إِلَّا لِنَعْلَمَ مَنْ يَتَّبِعُ الرَّسُولَ مِمَّنْ يَنْقَلِبُ عَلَى عَقِبَيْهِ} [البقرة 143] قَالَ ابْنُ عَبَّاسٍ وَلِيَمِيزَ أَهْلَ الْيَقِينِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الشَّكِّ وَالرِّيبَةِ قَالَ اللهُ ﷻ {وَإِنْ كَانَتْ لَكَبِيرَةً إِلَّا عَلَى الَّذِينَ هَدَى اللهُ} [البقرة 143] يَعْنِي تَحْوِيلَهَا عَلَى أَهْلِ الشَّكِّ {إِلَّا عَلَى الْخَاشِعِينَ} [البقرة 45] يَعْنِي الْمُصَدِّقِينَ بِمَا أَنْزَلَ اللهُ تَعَالَى قَالَ الشَّافِعِيُّ رَحِمَهُ اللهُ فِي قَوْلِهِ {فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ اللهِ} [البقرة 115] يَعْنِي وَاللهُ أَعْلَمُ فَثَمَّ الْوَجْهُ الَّذِي وَجَّهَكُمُ اللهُ إِلَيْهِ  

[Machine] About Mujahid in his saying, "Wherever you turn, there is the face of Allah" [Al-Baqarah 115], he said, "The Qibla of Allah is wherever you may be, in the east or the west, do not turn except towards it."  

عَنْ مُجَاهِدٍ فِي قَوْلِهِ تَعَالَى {فَأَيْنَمَا تُوَلُّوا فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ اللهِ} [البقرة 115] قَالَ قِبْلَةُ اللهِ فَأَيْنَمَا كُنْتَ فِي مَشْرِقٍ أَوْ مَغْرِبٍ فَلَا تَوَجَّهَنَّ إِلَّا إِلَيْهَا  

[Machine] From the scholars of the people of Madinah, it is reported that they used to say: "Whoever prays without being in a state of purity or without facing the qiblah should repeat the prayer, whether it was performed within its proper time or outside of it, unless their mistake was a slight deviation from the qiblah or a minor mistake." And it has been narrated from Ibrahim al-Nakha'i that he said: "Whoever prays towards a direction other than the qiblah does not need to repeat the prayer."  

عَنِ الْفُقَهَاءِ مِنْ أَهْلِ الْمَدِينَةِ أَنَّهُمْ كَانُوا يَقُولُونَ مَنْ صَلَّى عَلَى غَيْرِ طُهْرٍ أَوْ عَلَى غَيْرِ قِبْلَةٍ أَعَادَ الصَّلَاةَ كَانَ فِي الْوَقْتِ أَوْ غَيْرِ الْوَقْتِ إِلَّا أَنْ يَكُونَ خَطَاؤُهُ الْقِبْلَةَ تَحَرُّفًا أَوْ شَيْئًا يَسِيرًا وَرُوِّينَا عَنْ إِبْرَاهِيمَ النَّخَعِيِّ أَنَّهُ قَالَ فِي الَّذِي يُصَلِّي لِغَيْرِ الْقِبْلَةِ لَا يُعِيدُ