The Early Muslims Direction of Prayer

Abstract

There is much emphasis put in the Muslim direction of prayer, since the early times. While some have assumptions that the early Muslim communities prayed facing east, more evidence shows that Muslim communities from early years prayed toward Mecca and still continue to do so, to this day.

The Early Muslims Direction of Prayer

Introduction

There exist many assumptions among the religious communities in Holland that the earliest Muslim communities prayed facing the east. This has been with much emphasis as the direction of prayer is an aspect that is keenly observed in the Muslim community and carries much meaning to their prayers (Hoyland, 1997). However, I would like to suggest that indeed the Muslim communities in the early times prayed facing mecca, which is to the South East. Much evidence exists in support of this argument. Many Muslim communities in the present day have gone with this and therefore face the same direction towards Mecca while they pray.

In early Islam practice, there was a sacred meaning that was attached to the direction the Muslims faced during prayer. According to the religious communities in the Middle East, direction of prayer was of much importance on the level of one’s identity and belief. In Islam, direction of prayer was a sign of allegiance to the religion (Hoyland, 1997). Direction in Islam was referred to as qibla. A common saying among the Muslims went that ‘He who prays as we do, taking our direction of prayer (qibla) and eats of our sacrifices; he is a Muslim and under the protection of God (Allah) and His Prophet (Muhammad)’. There is no clear origin of the direction of worship among the early Muslims. The direction of prayer acquired a new description as ‘towards the sacred place of worship’ according to their holy book the Qur’an. Later on this direction was defined with much certainty by the commentators of the Qur’an that it was towards the Ka’ba in Mecca (Hoyland, 1997).

This of course will and has raised many questions regarding its truth and discovery, even to the present day, but to the early Muslim communities, its justification was not so relevant and therefore not much explanation was sought. This has since been passed down through the generations after and it is no wonder today that you will find that Muslims actually pray facing the Mecca (Hoyland, 1997). Much research and speculation continues to date on the same matter. The speculations and quest for this justification are not only among the Muslims but also by the other religious faiths that exist today (Hoyland, 1997).

According to Hoyland, this evidence therefore refutes the many assumptions that the Muslim communities in the earlier times faced the east as their direction of prayer. It is indeed true that there have been beliefs associating some of the Muslim predecessors with Jerusalem. Muslims do honor Jerusalem, but there is very little evidence to support the assumptions that the qibla was to the east. The qibla to Mecca was further supported by one Seventeenth –century witness, Jacob, a bishop of Edessa, who said that the Jews who lived in Jerusalem prayed towards the east, while the Muslims towards the Ka’ba in Mecca.

Conclusion

The belief that the direction of prayer for Muslims is towards Mecca may remain with these and the subsequent generations for a long time coming. The significance of this qibla still determines the identity and commitment to the Islam religion and is taught to young Muslims from an early age so that it can be upheld throughout their lifetime.

Reference

Hoyland, R.G. (1997). Seeing Islam as others saw it: A survey and evaluation of Christian, Jewish and Zoroastrian writings on early Islam. Princeton, New Jersey: The Darwin Press, Inc.