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Why the mosque called qibla tayn.

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Why the mosque is called masjid qiblatain.

 

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Why the mosque called qibla tayn

In the name of Allah, We praise Him, seek His help and ask for His forgiveness. Whoever Allah guides none can misguide, and whoever He allows to fall astray, none can guide them aright. We bear witness that there is none worthy of worship but Allah Alone, and we bear witness that Muhammad (saws) is His slave-servant and the seal of His Messengers.

 

The literal meaning of the term or name ‘Masjid Qibla-tayn’ is the Masjid with two ‘Qiblas’.

 

Allah Says in the Holy Quran Chapter 2 Surah Baqarah verses 144, 148-149:

144 We see the turning of thy face (for guidance) to the heavens; now shall We turn thee to a ‘Qiblah’ that shall please thee. Turn then thy face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque (of Makkah); wherever ye are turn your faces in that direction. The ‘People of the Book’ know well that that is the Truth from their Lord nor is Allah unmindful of what they do.

148 To each is a goal to which Allah turns him; then strive together (as in a race) toward all that is good. Wheresoever ye are Allah will bring you together. For Allah hath power over all things.

149 From whencesoever thou startest forth turn thy face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque (of Makkah); that is indeed the Truth from thy Lord. And Allah is not unmindful of what ye do.

 

Since the building of the original ‘Masjid al-Aqsa’ by Prophet Sulaimaan (a.s.) in Jerusalem, it was in the direction of the ‘Masjid al-Aqsa’ where the subsequent Prophets and the believers would turn towards during their prayers. For the first thirteen years after the appointment of Prophet Mohamed (saws) as the Last and Final Messenger of Allah (saws)…during the whole period of Makkah….the Prophet (saws) and the believers used to offer their prayers in the direction of Masjid-al-Aqsa.

 

Soon after the ‘Hijrah’ or migration to Madinah, Allah Subhanah Revealed the Verses in the Glorious Quran Commanding the believers that from henceforth the ‘Qibla’ has been changed, and the believers are to face the direction of the Sacred House in Makkah during their prayers.

 

At the Revelation of the above quoted verses, the Messenger of Allah (saws) immediately sent his emissary to declare and make known to all the believers in Madinah that henceforth the direction of the ‘Qibla’ has been changed for the believers by their Lord and they should all face the direction of the Sacred House in Makkah during their prayers, instead of the Masjid al-Aqsa.

 

History records that a group of believers were in the midst of offering their prayers at a local mosque in Madinah when the emissary of the Prophet (saws) reached them and declared his ‘message’ of the change of direction of the ‘Qibla’ aloud. Such was the characteristic of submission and obedience amongst the companions of the Noble Prophet (saws), that as soon as they heard that Allah Subhanah had revealed the Command in His Quran regarding the change of the ‘Qibla’ and Prophet Mohamed had arranged to send an emissary to announce the news to them…..the leader or ‘imam’ of the congregation, in the midst of the prayer, moved immediately from the northerly direction he was facing in his prayers (towards Masjid al-Aqsa) to the southerly direction (of the Masjid Haraam).

 

Because it so happened that in one prayer itself the believers faced two ‘Qibla’ directions; when they started they faced North towards their old ‘Qibla’ of the ‘Masjid al-Aqsa’, and in the midst of their prayer, they moved South to face the ‘Masjid Haraam in Makkah’….the masjid itself became known as the ‘Masjid Qibla-tayn’ or the Masjid with two Qiblas (or more appropriately: a Masjid where one prayer was prayed towards both Qiblas).

 

Whatever written of Truth and benefit is only due to Allah’s Assistance and Guidance, and whatever of error is of me alone. Allah Alone Knows Best and He is the Only Source of Strength.

 

Your brother and well wisher in Islam,

 

 

Burhan

 


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