الآية رقم (149) - وَمِنْ حَيْثُ خَرَجْتَ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَإِنَّهُ لَلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ وَمَا اللّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ

(149) - (So from wherever you go out [for prayer, O Muhammad] turn your face toward al- Masjid al-Haram, and indeed, it is the truth from your Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what you do)

Allah (swt) asserts that wherever you are, you have to face the Ka‘ba during your prayer, whether you were in the south or the north, in the east or the west of the earth. In all directions, you have to turn your face in the prayer toward Al-Masjid Al-Haram.

(وَإِنَّهُ لَلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ) (And indeed, it is the truth from your Lord): The truth is the constant thing that never changes, and the truth comes only from the Truth.

No argument is accepted anymore regarding the Qibla and the direction, but why did the direction change from Jerusalem? Jerusalem was for all the prophets; Abraham, Isaac, Jacob, Joseph, Moses, Aaron, David, Solomon, Zechariah, Yahya and Jesus (Peace be upon them all). It was the home of the heavenly messages, and the Prophet (saws) was taken in a night journey to Al-Aqsa Mosque, and then, was ascended from Al-Aqsa Mosque to heaven. The unity in turning toward Jerusalem refers to the unity of religion, belief and faith sent by the prophets and messengers. Allah (swt) says:

{شَرَعَ لَكُم مِّنَ الدِّينِ مَا وَصَّىٰ بِهِ نُوحًا وَالَّذِي أَوْحَيْنَا إِلَيْكَ وَمَا وَصَّيْنَا بِهِ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَمُوسَىٰ وَعِيسَىٰ ۖ أَنْ أَقِيمُوا الدِّينَ وَلَا تَتَفَرَّقُوا فِيهِ ۚ}

(He has ordained for you of religion what He enjoined upon Noah and that which We have revealed to you, [O Muhammad], and what We enjoined upon Abraham and Moses and Jesus – to establish the religion and not be divided therein) (Ash-Shura :13)

This is an evidence of the unity of religion and belief, even if there are many canons.