I said prayer with the Apostle (ﷺ) turning towards Bait-ul-Maqdis for sixteen months till this verse of Surah Baqara wis revealed:" And wherever you are turn your faces towards it" (ii. 144). This verse was revealed when the Apostle (ﷺ) had said prayer. A person amongst his people passed by the people of Ansar as they were engaged in prayer. He narrated to them (this command of Allah) and they turned their faces towards the Ka'ba.
The Book of Mosques and Places of Prayer - Sahih Muslim 525 a
This narration from Abdullah ibn Umar (may Allah be pleased with him) documents the momentous transition of the qibla from Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) to the Sacred Mosque in Mecca. The sixteen-month period demonstrates the gradual legislative wisdom in Islamic revelation, preparing the Muslim community for this significant change.
Exegesis of the Qibla Transition
The initial direction toward Jerusalem served multiple divine purposes: it maintained a connection with previous Abrahamic traditions, tested the faith of the Muslims in following divine command without apparent wisdom, and distinguished the prayer times from other communities.
The revelation occurred during an actual prayer, demonstrating how divine legislation interacts with real-life circumstances. The immediate implementation by the Ansar shows the Companions' perfect obedience to Allah's commands without hesitation or delay.
Legal and Spiritual Implications
This hadith establishes the obligation of facing the Ka'ba during prayer for those capable. Scholars derived that the change occurred in Rajab, 2 AH, during the Asr prayer according to most accounts.
The incident illustrates the principle of abrogation (naskh) in Islamic law, where later revelations supersede earlier rulings while preserving the wisdom behind the initial legislation.