Facing the two Qiblah Imam Burhan Alddin Ibrahim bin Abdurrahim bin Jama’ah (790H)

Abstract

This book was written by Imam Burhanuddin Ibrahim Ibn Abdurrahim bin Jama’ah, who died in the year 790H. In this book, he answers the following question – ‘Did the Prophets perform prayers towards Jerusalem or did they face the Kaaba?’

There are two views on this issue: the first states that only Prophet Muhammad, may Allah praise him, faced Jerusalem. The other viewpoint states that all the Prophets faced Jerusalem and only our Prophet faced the Kaaba  in Makkah. 

This book was compiled at the behest of the King of Egypt. In this work, the scholar compiled all the narrations pertinent to this topic. He then mentioned the story of Prophet Muhammad; may Allah praise him, facing the Kaaba  and Jerusalem before the Hijrah and the incidents that are attached to that.

He then spoke of the surrounding incidents that relate to the abrogation of this command that was issued regarding praying towards Jerusalem.

He then mentioned that the strongest view was that all prophets prayed towards Jerusalem – in the sense that they prayed there when Prophet Muhammad, may Allah praise him, ascended into the heaven and he leads them in a prayer. That was before the hijrah and before the command was given to turn towards the Kaaba. This matter pertains to the textual evidence, and there is no room for one to rationalize an opinion in this matter.