Correcting the direction of the Qiblah

QUESTION:

There are some Masaajid (in Lenasia) that are a few degrees off Qiblah. Is it permissible to perform Salaah at these Masaajid?

ANSWER:

At the outset, it should be borne in mind that when a person is performing Salaah before the Ka’aba Sharif (in the Haram of Makkah Mukarramah) then he is required to face the actual Ka’aba, and when a person is not before the Ka’aba Sharif (in the Haram of Makkah Mukarramah), then he is required to face in the direction of the Ka’aba Sharif.

The Fuqaha have written that if a person erred in determining the correct direction of the Qiblah, and therefore performed Salaah slightly away from the Qiblah, then his Salaah will be valid if he was not facing more than 45 degrees away from the direction of the Qiblah. However, if the correct direction of the Qiblah is known, then it is necessary to face in the direction of the Qiblah when performing Salaah. The trustees of these Masaajid should therefore correct the direction of the Qiblah as soon as possible.

عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ صَلَّى اللهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَالَ: ” الْبَيْتُ قِبْلَةٌ لِأَهْلِ الْمَسْجِدِ، وَالْمَسْجِدُ قِبْلَةٌ لِأَهْلِ الْحَرَمِ، وَالْحَرَمُ قِبْلَةٌ لِأَهْلِ الْأَرْضِ فِي مَشَارِقِهَا وَمَغَارِبِهَا مِنْ أُمَّتِي(السنن الكبرى للبيهقي # 2234)

وَمَنْ كَانَ خَارِجًا عَنْ مَكَّةَ فَقِبْلَتُهُ جِهَةُ الْكَعْبَةِ وَهُوَ قَوْلُ عَامَّةِ الْمَشَايِخِ هُوَ الصَّحِيحُ هَكَذَا فِي التَّبْيِينِ(الفتاوى الهندية 1/63)

Re: – Ahsanul Fataawa Vol.2 Pg.313 / Kitaab-un-Nawaazil Vol.3 Pg.

ALLAH TA’ALA KNOWS BEST!

ANSWERED BY:

Maulana Abdul Kader Fazlani

Date:- 21 Shawwal 1445 / 02 May 2024

CHECKED AND APPROVED BY:

Mufti Mohammed Desai Saheb