[Scukonahuy]

Assalamu alaikum. I've recently found out that, for years, I've been praying in the wrong direction. What's the ruling on that? Would I have to repeat all my salats?

[mikelangr]

Since you follow the Shafi' Madhhab Inshaa'Allaah some of the Shafi' might be able to help you or you can also ask on www.shafiifiqh.com

[Zavdpacq]

Assalamu alaikum. I've recently found out that, for years, I've been praying in the wrong direction. What's the ruling on that? Would I have to repeat all my salats?

Salam aleikum sister

To avoid new mistakes, please note that i learnt that Al-Bayroni, and several other Muslim mathematicians and astronomers, have discussed the correct way of determining the Qiblah direction from any point on the Earth's surface. There are two times each year when the sun is directly overhead the Kaaba, this happens on May 27 or May 28 at 9:18 GMT and on July 15 or July 16 at 9:27 GMT. The direction of shadows in any sunlit place on earth will point directly away from the Qiblah. This might help you to determine the exact Qibla direction in your place.

Also, on your exact question, this is a very serious matter and i suggest you contact a scholar in that respect. Read maybe also the following fatwa 42574 from *************

A mistake in the direction of the qiblah
One of my neighbours told me that the qiblah towards which I was praying was wrong and was not in accordance with the qiblah of the neighbouring mosque. Based on this, I changed the direction for a few months, including last Ramadaan. Then I found out that the first qiblah had been correct. What is the ruling on prayers that I did facing the incorrect qiblah? I hope you can answer me because I am confused. Thank you very much.


Praise be to Allaah.

Facing the qiblah is one of the conditions of prayer being valid. Every worshipper has to make sure he faces the qiblah in his prayer, and strive to make sure he is facing in the right direction, whether by means of natural signs or using a compass, if he is able to do that, or by asking trustworthy people in that place who know in which direction the qiblah is.

It seems most likely in the case that you describe that the deviation from the qiblah was very slight. This slight deviation is something that can happen when a person who lives in that area is a little confused and people do not pay attention to this slight difference in direction. If that is the case, i.e., if the deviation from the qiblah was slight, then it does not matter and it does not invalidate the prayer, because those who are far away from the Ka’bah have to face in its general direction; they do not have to face precisely in that direction, because al-Tirmidhi (342) and Ibn Maajah (1011) narrated that Abu Hurayrah (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: The Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “Whatever is between the east and the west is the qiblah.” Classed as saheeh by al-Albaani in al-Irwa’.

Al-San’aani (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Subul al-Salaam (1/260). This hadeeth indicates that what is required is to face in that direction, and not towards the precise location of the Ka’bah when one cannot see it.

Further evidence to this effect is to be seen in the report narrated by al-Bukhaari (144) and Muslim (264) from Abu Ayyoob (may Allaah be pleased with him) who said that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said: “If you need to relieve yourself, then do not face the qiblah or turn your back towards it, whether you are urinating or defecating, rather face to the east or to the west.”

Shaykh al-Islam (may Allaah have mercy on him) said in Sharh al-‘Umdah: This is stating that facing any direction other than the east or the west means that one is either facing the qiblah or turning one’s back towards it. This was addressed to the people of Madeenah and everyone who was in the same direction (in relation to Makkah), because this was the consensus of the Sahaabah (may Allaah be pleased with them). ‘Umar said: Whatever is between the east and the west is the qiblah except at the House. And it was narrated that ‘Uthmaan (may Allaah be pleased with him) said: How can a man make a mistake in his prayer when whatever is between the east and the west is the qiblah, so long he does not turn towards the east deliberately.

Shaykh Ibn ‘Uthaymeen (may Allaah have mercy on him) said: Thus we know that the matter is broad in scope. So if we see a person praying in a direction that is slightly off from the qiblah, that does not matter, because he is facing in its general direction, and this is what he is obliged to do.

Al-Sharh al-Mumti’, 2/273

But if the deviation from the direction of the qiblah was very great, so that you were not praying in the direction of the qiblah at all, such as if you were praying towards the east when the qiblah is towards the west or the north, for example, so long as you based your action on the words of someone who you know attaches great importance to the prayer and you thought that they knew better about the direction of the qiblah, then you do not have to do anything, and the prayers which you offered are still valid, even if you faced the wrong direction when you prayed, because if a person tries his best to get it right, he has done what is required of him, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning):

“So keep your duty to Allaah and fear Him as much as you can”

[al-Taghaabun 64:16]

It says in Fataawa al-Lajnah al-Daa’imah (6/314): If a worshipper does his best to figure out the direction of the qiblah and prays, then he finds out that he was mistaken, his prayer is still valid.

In Fataawa al-Shaykh Ibn Baaz (may Allaah have mercy on him) (10/421) it says: If a believer does his best to figure out the direction of the qiblah, when he is in the desert or is in a city in which he is not sure where the qiblah is, and he prays on that basis, then he finds out that he prayed in a direction other than the qiblah, then he should continue to pray according to his latest estimate, if he believes that it is more correct than his first estimate. His first prayer is still valid because he did his best to work out the qiblah.

[mikelangr]

Is the 'Praying in Wrong Direction' Mas'ala the same in all Madhhaahib? If not, then let us not post non-Shaafi' Fataawa..She follows the Shaafi' brothers and sisters.

[Zavdpacq]

Is the 'Praying in Wrong Direction' Mas'ala the same in all Madhhaahib? If not, then let us not post non-Shaafi' Fataawa..She follows the Shaafi' brothers and sisters.

Salam aleikum

I fully agree this is why i recommended her to contact a scholar and suggested only and only "maybe" to read the following fatwas because as Hanbali these are the ones i am familiar with. I mean mistake in the direction of Qibla is a serious matter and should be dealt with carefully and not just answered by a one sentence answer on this forum.

In short, sister, contact a scholar

[mikelangr]

We will see if any Shaafi' knows the answer.

[gennickhif]

Since no Shafai scholar is answering yet I thought to post a poem on here to pass the time:

Na namaaz aati hai mujko na wudhu aataa hai,
Sijdah mein ghirta hoon jub saamney Tu aataa hai.

[Scukonahuy]

jazakallah for your replies. I think I will have to contact a scholar. I've found the correct direction now alhamdilullah but it turns out after I told my family about it that someone amongst us already knew or had an inclination that the entire household was praying in the wrong direction but had done nothing about it. Will that make a difference? Would I have to offer the salats from the past ten years because I had been misinformed about the direction of the Qiblah? Untill a find the answer from a shafi perspective how do other schools rule on this?

[Drugsonl]

how do other schools rule on this?

in other they dont have to repeat as long as i can remember.

[Ruiceara]

This may give you some answer

http://www.shafiifiqh.com/?p=1400


you can also ask them there for more clarification

here from sunnipath

http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.a...=2830&CATE=400
http://qa.sunnipath.com/issue_view.a...=2216&CATE=400

Wallahu a'lam

[Scukonahuy]

jazakallah for all your replies