47/3. Chapter:
Jami at-Tirmidhi 2964 — Faith Not Wasted
Regarding Surat Al-Baqarah
Faith Not Wasted After the Qiblah Change
Jami at-Tirmidhi : 2964
Jami at-TirmidhiHadith Number 2964
حَدَّثَنَا هَنَّادٌ، وَأَبُو عَمَّارٍ قَالاَ حَدَّثَنَا وَكِيعٌ، عَنْ إِسْرَائِيلَ، عَنْ سِمَاكٍ، عَنْ عِكْرِمَةَ، عَنِ ابْنِ عَبَّاسٍ، قَالَ لَمَّا وُجِّهَ النَّبِيُّ صلى الله عليه وسلم إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ قَالُوا يَا رَسُولَ اللَّهِ كَيْفَ بِإِخْوَانِنَا الَّذِينَ مَاتُوا وَهُمْ يُصَلُّونَ إِلَى بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ: (وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُضِيعَ إِيمَانَكُمْ ) الآيَةَ . قَالَ أَبُو عِيسَى هَذَا حَدِيثٌ حَسَنٌ صَحِيحٌ .
Ibn 'Abbas Narrated from:
When The Prophet (ﷺ) Began Facing The Ka'Bah They Said: 'O Messenger Of Allah! How About Our Brothers Who Died While They Were Praying Toward Bait Al-Maqdis?'So Allah Most High Revealed: Allah Would Not Allow Your Faith To Be Wasted. (2:143)
Reference : Jami` at-Tirmidhi 2964In-book reference : Book 47, Hadith 16English translation : Vol. 5, Book 44, Hadith 2964
Summary of Jami at-Tirmidhi Hadith 2964
This Hadith answers a concern that came after the Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم began facing the Ka'bah. Some people asked about their brothers who had died while praying toward Bait Al-Maqdis. They wanted to know what would happen to those earlier prayers. Allah revealed that He would not allow their faith to be wasted. The main message is comfort and reassurance. The Hadith does not treat their past worship as lost, because they had prayed according to what they knew at that time. The phrase faith not wasted is central here. It teaches that Allah knows the condition of His servants and that sincere obedience before a later change is not ignored. The narration is simple, warm, and deeply reassuring.
What we learn from this hadith
- The Companions cared about the worship of those who had died.
- Allah reassured them that their faith would not be wasted.
- Past obedience done under the earlier direction was not treated as lost.
