"Turn your face" to truth, not a building.
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Peace be upon all readers,
It saddens me that people are still feeling that the Qiblah represents a physical direction to turn to during a physical devotion. The rejection of ahadith is the first step; actually following the path of the Quran and using the Quran to explain itself is another altogether. There is still a strong tendency amongst God alone people to use the traditional views as a default.
I want to make this example especially in reference to the way people still believe that there is a physical direction to turn to.
2149 Wherever you go, you shall turn your face (during Salat) towards the Sacred Masjid.* This is the truth from your Lord. GOD is never unaware of anything you all do. (Rashad Khalifa trans.)
Wamin haythu kharajta fawalli wajhaka shatra almasjidi alharami wa-innahu lalhaqqu min rabbika wama Allahu bighafilin AAamma taAAmaloona
Note that the "Salat" is actually a parenthetical statement. The verse does not refer in any way to salat. Yet this verse is what is used as the basis of turning to face a building in modern day Arabia.
Contrast that verse with
3030 So set thou thy face steadily and truly to the Faith (establish) God's handiwork according to the pattern on which He has made mankind no change (let there be) in the work (wrought) by God that is the standard Religion but most among mankind understand not. (Abdullah Yusuf Ali)
Faaqim wajhaka lilddeeni haneefan fitrata Allahi allatee fatara alnnasa AAalayha la tabdeela likhalqi Allahi thalika alddeenu alqayyimu walakinna akthara alnnasi la yaAAlamoona
The turning of one's face is the turning of one's purpose or goal; it is not a physical direction.
Heed what God tells you
Righteousness is not turning your faces towards the east or the west. Righteous are those who believe in GOD, the Last Day, the angels, the scripture, and the prophets; and they give the money, cheerfully, to the relatives, the orphans, the needy, the traveling alien, the beggars, and to free the slaves; and they observe the Contact Prayers (Salat) and give the obligatory charity (Zakat); and they keep their word whenever they make a promise; and they steadfastly persevere in the face of persecution, hardship, and war. These are the truthful; these are the righteous.
Will you still insist that there is any benefit at all in physically "facing" a stone building/meteorite (idol).
Peace.