Hadith 15

Sahih Bukhari

Book 65: Prophetic Commentary on the Qur'an (Tafseer of the Prophet (pbuh))

Chapter 14

The Statement of Allah: "...And We made the Qiblah (prayer direction towards Jerusalem) which you used to face, only to test those who followed the Messenger (Muhammad ) . . ." (V.2:143)

باب قَوْلِهِ ‏{‏وَمَا جَعَلْنَا الْقِبْلَةَ الَّتِي كُنْتَ عَلَيْهَا إِلاَّ لِنَعْلَمَ مَنْ يَتَّبِعُ الرَّسُولَ مِمَّنْ يَنْقَلِبُ عَلَى عَقِبَيْهِ وَإِنْ كَانَتْ لَكَبِيرَةً إِلاَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ هَدَى اللَّهُ وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُضِيعَ إِيمَانَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِالنَّاسِ لَرَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ‏}‏

Sahih al-Bukhari 4488
حَدَّثَنَا مُسَدَّدٌ، حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى، عَنْ سُفْيَانَ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ دِينَارٍ، عَنِ ابْنِ عُمَرَ ـ رضى الله عنهما ـ بَيْنَا النَّاسُ يُصَلُّونَ الصُّبْحَ فِي مَسْجِدِ قُبَاءٍ إِذْ جَاءَ جَاءٍ فَقَالَ أَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ عَلَى النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قُرْآنًا أَنْ يَسْتَقْبِلَ الْكَعْبَةَ فَاسْتَقْبِلُوهَا‏.‏ فَتَوَجَّهُوا إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ‏.‏
Ibn `Umar:

While some people were offering Fajr prayer in the Quba' mosque, some-one came and said, "Allah has revealed to the Prophet (ﷺ) Qur'anic instructions that you should face the Ka`ba (while praying) so you too, should face it." Those people then turned towards the Ka`ba.