Prayer Direction

Jafar

Selam Jafar,

See Jafar, this is exactly my logic. It's been playing on my mind that at the end of the day we are always going to be praying not AT the black box in the holy mosque in Mecca that apparently muslims pray towards. I'm just having some conflict as the person who I love dearly and will get married to was saying to me that he prays towards Mecca and would hope for me to do the same. But it's really making me terribly sad because I really love him but I just don't think it is necessary to pray towards that direction.

Well since 'direction' doesn't matter at all..
You can always pray with him towards any direction that he choose...

And actually he might not facing Mecca at all.. although he believe he's facing Mecca..
But sometime people got angry when somebody else tell the true fact about his/her illusion..

I remember (if correctly when I read it) in Qur'an that the Prophet Muhammad (pbuh) had to face the Masjid Al Haram to identify himself and his followers as Muslims... so this is why the ritual of praying is done this way in the modern society. But things make me question - the prophet (pbuh) would have been in front of it and could physically see it, so he knew where it was to pray towards right? (or wrong |, please correct me if so). Isn't God everywhere and closer to use than our jugular vein? And the Qibla and Salat are believed to be very closely related... so you do Salat towards Qibla... but then Qibla to me was, as you said, a place of gathering... which then makes me think... where would that be? I pray standing or I might decide to kneel and I'm facing a door (lol a clear door leading into the garden... not just some opaque door.. not that there is anything wrong with that but just wanted to clarify).

Qibla is place of gathering.. and there are thousands or millions of Qibla...
Depending on context and needs..

To be honest I simple said that if you feel at peace for us to pray in a certain direction then so be it. But to me personally, it makes no difference and no sin or transgressing is being done by praying towards a certain direction or not... but maybe i'm wrong (... It's just my gut feeling and something telling me deep inside (..

Yup.. feel free to face any direction, on praying..
Praying is for you and not you for praying..
It's your heart and deeds that count....

Salam / Peace

sushi1992

Well since 'direction' doesn't matter at all..
You can always pray with him towards any direction that he choose...

And actually he might not facing Mecca at all.. although he believe he's facing Mecca..
But sometime people got angry when somebody else tell the true fact about his/her illusion..

Qibla is place of gathering.. and there are thousands or millions of Qibla...
Depending on context and needs..

Yup.. feel free to face any direction, on praying..
Praying is for you and not you for praying..
It's your heart and deeds that count....

Salam / Peace

Selam Jafar ,

Once again, we are in complete agreement. I never was brought up as a traditional muslim. My dad was a "sunni" muslim, but he rejected mosque school, and rejected his family's religious ways and leads his own life and understanding but obviously still believes in the Creator and also believes that the Qur'an minus the absurd translations is the way of life. My mother is a passionate Catholic who believes that Jesus is the son of God and prays to him (or used to until I kinda said mummm..... why not pray directly to God (A) lol xD) which she now does not that I wanted her to feel guilty or anything but just a straighter path as I'm sure you will agree . My partner is also a Sunni muslim, but was brought up in a way that most muslims have not been brought up in. His parents didn't believe in mosque school and he is very moderate, but of course, he follows what his parents tell him which I don't find too far off but of course... traditions do fall in. I feel quite lucky not to have been brought up as a traditional muslim and have led my life like a decent God loving person who tries to be a good humble peaceful person and not purposefully do wrong.

In my opinion, I feel that the Qur'an is all you need - it is the complete book, and these excess rituals are what drives people away into different sects... as God implies in 30.31-32... but then hey... thats the World, and we knew it would happen anyway. The best thing we can do is avoid these rituals and ways of separating humanity .

Peace Jafar peace

Zulf

Peace Sushi,

Just wanted to share...
I always pray to Allah to show me the truth and let me be able to handle it.

I think this is such a wonderful prayer for advancement. We should all strive for advancement, better understanding, and to be better people in the "eyes" of Allah. The wonderful and sometimes scary thing is that you never know what this sort of prayer can lead you too. But as long as you let Allah lead you, you are safe and up for some wonderful new insights. Allah always opens new doors for us to things we didn't see/understand before. We just have to desire it and ask for it. We all need to realize that we are very limited in our understanding. We should ask Allah to let us work ourselves out of our personal, mental fog... into a more and more bright clarity.

I wish you a wonderful life of love, understanding, happiness and prosperity!

sun

sushi1992

Peace Sushi,

Just wanted to share...
I always pray to Allah to show me the truth and let me be able to handle it.

I think this is such a wonderful prayer for advancement. We should all strive for advancement, better understanding, and to be better people in the "eyes" of Allah. The wonderful and sometimes scary thing is that you never know what this sort of prayer can lead you too. But as long as you let Allah lead you, you are safe and up for some wonderful new insights. Allah always opens new doors for us to things we didn't see/understand before. We just have to desire it and ask for it. We all need to realize that we are very limited in our understanding. We should ask Allah to let us work ourselves out of our personal, mental fog... into a more and more bright clarity.

I wish you a wonderful life of love, understanding, happiness and prosperity!

sun

Many Selams to you Zulf,

That really touched my heart and I wish you also a long, healthy and prosperous life of happiness too .

I prayed to Allah last night and said, "Allah, please continue to give me guidance, please guide me to what is the right way" thanking him for blessing me with intelligence and the ability to use my brain lol xD. But after that prayer, today I then realise that essentially, believing in God and the simple structure of life to lead, and asking for forgiveness, being charitable and righteous as Allah always tells us, is such a beautiful and simple request. It saddens me sometimes when I see different sects of muslims. To be honest, I used to say I'm a sunni muslim but I much prefer to just say "Muslim" as there shouldn't really be a separation. All I simply wish to imply by saying I am purely a Muslim is that I follow the Qur'an solely and no other books or hadiths or anything else, as Allah tells us that he has perfected it for us... why do we need to look elsewhere? And what made me happier? Is I only changed around 3 or 4 aspects of my life after reading the Qur'an which made me feel especially blessed that my path was not too far off straight xD, just a bit more praying and not the usual "I'm so tired.... I will pray... -5 minutes later- zzzzz" situations xD ^.^

Thank you Zulf and Peace peace

youssef4342

Peace

I would think a qibla, would be a direction for prayer, as to promote harmony. Instead of people facing all different directions.

sushi1992

Peace

I would think a qibla, would be a direction for prayer, as to promote harmony. Instead of people facing all different directions.

Selam Youssef ), nice to see you again ).

Could you provide verses from the Qur'an and the root translations within the context as to why you think this? If you could provide all verses where this is mentioned then that would be appreciated ).

Peace peace

No longer a Sunna-rejecter

Peace,

2115 To God belongs the east and the west, so wherever you turn, there is God's presence. God is Encompassing, Knowledgeable.

2177 Piety is not to turn your faces towards the east and the west, but piety is one who acknowledges God and the Last day...

2142 The foolish from amongst the people will say, "What has turned them away from the focal point that they were on?" Say, "To God is the east and the west, He guides whomsoever He wishes to a straight path."

Clearly the foolish are the only ones who care about trivial east/west/direction BS.

2143 As such, We have made you a balanced nation so that you may be witnesses over the people, and that the messenger may be witness over you. We did not make the focal point that you came on except so that we know who follows the messenger from those who will turn on their heels. It was a big deal indeed except for those whom God had guided; God was not to waste your acknowledgement. God is Kind and Compassionate over the people.

2144 We see the shifting of your face towards the sky (for guidance); We will thus set for you a focal point/goal that will be pleasing to you, "You shall set yourself towards al-masjid al-haram; and wherever you may be, you shall all set yourselves towards it." Those who have been given the book know it is the truth from their Lord. God is not oblivious of what you do.

The focal point/goal ("qiblah&quot is meant to be faced WHEREVER we are. It is not brought into connection with "al salat".

2145 Even if you come to those who have been given the book with every sign, they will not follow your "qiblah", nor will you follow their "qibalh", nor will some of them even follow each other's "qiblah". If you were to follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, then you would be one of the wicked.

Obviously God is not mentioning a trivial thing such as a "direction of prayer", but, rather, an attitude and goal.

2146 Those to whom We have given the book know it as they know their own children, and a group of them hides the truth while they know.

Do Jews/Christians turn towards Mecca? Do they think that this is the "truth from their Lord"? Or is it a mindset/goal/focus point? We are to face al-masjid-al-haram WHEREVER we are.

sushi1992

Peace,

2115 To God belongs the east and the west, so wherever you turn, there is God's presence. God is Encompassing, Knowledgeable.

2177 Piety is not to turn your faces towards the east and the west, but piety is one who acknowledges God and the Last day...

2142 The foolish from amongst the people will say, "What has turned them away from the focal point that they were on?" Say, "To God is the east and the west, He guides whomsoever He wishes to a straight path."