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?Surah 2:173 shows that Allah (swt) gave an order for the Muslims to change their Qibla from (Bayt Al Maqdis in Jerusalem) to the Kabah in Mecca. However, there is no Quranic verse that shows the first order that Allah gave to make the Qibla towards Jerusalem. Does this not prove that there are revelations to Prophet Muhammad besides the Quran?
It is not verse 2.173 rather verse 2.142 . The verse in question is not farly related with Salah , hence any physical direction is uncalled here .
[2:142] The fools among the people would say, "Why did they change the direction of their Qiblah?" Say, "To GOD belongs the east and the west; He guides whoever wills in a straight path."
A discussion in concise form with brother Ahamad Syhair is presented here , which is also available in RF :
01- Those verses are not related with Salah at all . As I told you already that if this is really a part and parcel obligation of Salah , Almighty ALLAH of course could have mentioned that . Almighty ALLAH doesnt run of words nor HE , the Exalted forgets . Hence it is quite redundant to think that Almighty ALLAH did really overlook this issue to relate with Salah though Salah is one of HIS major commandment in the Quran .
02- The verses said that we should turn our faces to the direction of Masjidul Haram from any where we go . The verse expressed this in this way :
..وحيث ماكنتم فولوا وجوهكم شطره . Wherever ye are, turn your faces in that direction ..
Now the expression doesnt restrict this act of following Qiblah for any specific time and/or any specific place . But we know that 05 times Salawat are restricted in the frame of time and space . You cant pray anytime of the day and also the Salah might occupied your 5x1 hours = 5 hours . Rest 24-5= 19 hours you are doing something apart from Salah and station somewhere . According to the command of Almighty GOD , even in those 19 hours apart from the Salah , you should turn your face towards the Masjid-ul-Harm .
Now the ultimate question that arises here that to turn the face towards the Masjidul Harm is impossible from any place we are in any second. Did then GOD , the All-Knowing command us to do something which is impossible to do ? Of course not . The right understanding Wajh (face) in the context of the related verses can clarify the right instruction of GOD , the Exalted, InshALLAH .
You understood the the meaning Wajhu <face > as the physical face of the human body , while Almighty ALLAH gave us the indication to understand the right meaning of Wajh <face> in the context , which is something else . Verse 2.148 says :
2:148 ولكلوجهةهوموليهافاستبقواالخيراتاينماتكونواياتبكماللهجميعااناللهعلىكل شئقدير
[002:148] And everyone has a goal to which he turns his whole attention. Then vie with one another in good works. Wherever you may be ALLAH will bring you all together. Surely, ALLAH has the power to do all that HE wills.
You can see that the word وجهة should be understood here as goal , aim , idea, direction of thinking , motto etc. Therefore those verses which are telling us to turn our faces towards the Al-Masjid Al-Haram , should be understood according to the presentation of the word وجهة < face> in 2:148 . Hence Almighty ALLAH really wants us to turn our goal or aim towards the Al-Masjid Al-harm . What are we going to achieve by doing this ? Again verse 2.148 explains that by doing this you will be able to do righteous and good works.
This taking us back to the history of the Al-Masjid Al-Harm , when Prophet Abraham and Ishmael built up this sanctuary by the command of Almighty GOD for the Muslims to perform good deeds . These are mentioned frequently in the Quran . few for examples :
[002:125] And (remember that) We designated the House of Worship (built by Ibraheem) to be the resort of peace, and a sanctuary for mankind. So, consider the place where Ibraheem stood to be the (sacred) place to pray. We entrusted Ibraheem and Ismail with the duty of keeping My house (clean and) pure for those who go around it (in a ritual of Tawwaf), those who confine themselves there (to worship in seclusion), and those who bow down and prostrate (before Allah).
[009:028] Oh you believers, (remember)! those who ascribe partners to Allah are really unclean. Therefore, after (the pilgrimage) this year let them not come (anywhere) near the sacred mosque (in Makkah). If you fear poverty, Allah may soon enrich you as He wills. Indeed, Allah is the most Aware, the Wisest.
[009:028] O ye who believe! Truly the Pagans are unclean; so let them not, after this year of theirs, approach the Sacred Mosque. And if ye fear poverty, soon will God enrich you, if He wills, out of His bounty, for God is All-knowing, All-wise.
[002:196] And complete the Hajj or 'umra in the service of God. But if ye are prevented (From completing it), send an offering for sacrifice, such as ye may find, and do not shave your heads until the offering reaches the place of sacrifice. And if any of you is ill, or has an ailment in his scalp, (Necessitating shaving), (He should) in compensation either fast, or feed the poor, or offer sacrifice; and when ye are in peaceful conditions (again), if any one wishes to continue the 'umra on to the hajj, He must make an offering, such as he can afford, but if he cannot afford it, He should fast three days during the hajj and seven days on his return, Making ten days in all. This is for those whose household is not in (the precincts of) the Sacred Mosque. And fear God, and know that God Is strict in punishment.
Hence , the real instruction of Almighty ALLAH is to turn our goal/attention/aim always towards the Al-Masjid Alharm so that we can keep it safe and harmless from the non-believers , perform journey for Hajj , to pray and to stay there for spiritual elevation etc..
Varese 2.142 is talking about the new Qiblah which is 'Siratul Mustqim' (straight path ):
2:142 سيقول السفهاء من الناس ماولاهم عن قبلتهم التي كانوا عليها قل لله المشرق والمغرب يهدي من يشاء الىصراط مستقيم
Well before I am going to answer you on what was the prior Qiblah , I need to define you first what is the Siratul Mustaqim . ALLAH , the Exalted defined Siratul Mustaqim in a very simple way :
3:51 ان الله ربي وربكم فاعبدوه هذا صراط مستقيم
[003:051] Lo! Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is a straight path.
Applying this definition of straight path in verse 2:144 , we can now easily understand that the new Qiblah for the Muslim was to worship ALLAH, the Exalted alone . Before that they used to worship too many gods . And that was their former Qiblah , polytheism . In a simple way ,
Old Qiblah = Disbelief in ALLAH as the true GOD
New Qiblah = Belief in ALLAH as the true GOD.
In fact the verse says that complain raised by the fools , as the verse said The fools among the people would say . , then verse 2.13 and verse2.130 explain that those fools were Mushriq , Muniafiq , Jews and Christians . All of them had a common Qiblah and that was disbelief in ALLAH , the Exalted .They registered the complain that the Muslims joined with Prophet Muhammad and started worshiping one GOD , ALLAH . To them that was the new Qiblah .