65/2.16. Chapter:
Sahih Bukhari 4490 — Turning to the Kaaba in Prayer
The Statement of Allah J: "And even if you were to bring to the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians), all the Ayãt (proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations,-etc.) they would not follow your Qiblah (prayer direction)..." (V.2:145)
Hadith About Turning From Sham to the Kaaba in Prayer
Sahih Bukhari : 4490
Sahih BukhariHadith Number 4490
حَدَّثَنَا خَالِدُ بْنُ مَخْلَدٍ، حَدَّثَنَا سُلَيْمَانُ، حَدَّثَنِي عَبْدُ اللَّهِ بْنُ دِينَارٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ بَيْنَمَا النَّاسُ فِي الصُّبْحِ بِقُبَاءٍ جَاءَهُمْ رَجُلٌ فَقَالَ إِنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم قَدْ أُنْزِلَ عَلَيْهِ اللَّيْلَةَ قُرْآنٌ، وَأُمِرَ أَنْ يَسْتَقْبِلَ الْكَعْبَةَ أَلاَ فَاسْتَقْبِلُوهَا. وَكَانَ وَجْهُ النَّاسِ إِلَى الشَّأْمِ فَاسْتَدَارُوا بِوُجُوهِهِمْ إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ.
Ibn 'Umar Narrated from:
While some people were offering morning prayer at Quba' a man came to them and said, "A Qur'anic Order has been revealed to Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) tonight that he should face the Ka`ba at Mecca (in prayer), so you too should turn your faces towards it." At that moment their faces were towards Sham (i.e. Jerusalem) (and on hearing that) they turned towards the Ka`ba (at Mecca).
Reference : Sahih al-Bukhari 4490In-book reference : Book 65, Hadith 17USC-MSA web (English) reference : Vol. 6, Book 60, Hadith 17
Summary of Sahih Bukhari Hadith 4490
This hadith about turning from Sham to the Kaaba repeats the Quba event with a little more detail. The people were in morning prayer when a man came and said that Qur'an had been revealed to the Messenger of Allah صلى الله عليه وسلم that night, and he had been ordered to face the Kaaba. He told them to face it. Their faces had been toward Sham, meaning Jerusalem in the translation, so they turned their faces toward the Kaaba. The main point is not debate or delay. It is worshippers receiving the news of revelation and changing their prayer direction while still praying. This is why searches for Qibla change in prayer often point to this hadith.
What we learn from this hadith
- The command to face the Kaaba is linked to Qur'anic revelation.
- The people were already in prayer when the news arrived.
- They turned from Sham toward the Kaaba after hearing the command.
- The hadith shows obedience inside an ongoing act of worship.
