تحويل القبلة
The Change of Qiblah
Rajab or Sha'ban, 2 AH (624 CE)
Masjid al-Qiblatayn, Madinah مسجد القبلتين – المدينة
Approximately sixteen or seventeen months after the Hijrah, the direction of prayer (Qiblah) was changed from Masjid al-Aqsa in Jerusalem to the Ka'bah in Makkah. This occurred while the Prophet ﷺ was leading the Dhuhr (or Asr) prayer in the mosque of Banu Salamah. Midway through the prayer, the revelation came commanding the change, and the Prophet ﷺ and the congregation turned from facing Jerusalem to facing Makkah.
Why this matters
The change of Qiblah was a test of faith — those who truly followed the Prophet ﷺ obeyed immediately, while hypocrites and doubters used it as a point of criticism. The mosque where this occurred became known as Masjid al-Qiblatayn (the Mosque of the Two Qiblahs). The Ka'bah, built by Ibrahim, was restored as the center of Muslim worship.
Quran references
قَدْ نَرَىٰ تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ ۖ فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبْلَةًۭ تَرْضَىٰهَا ۚ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ
Surah Al-Baqarah, 144
We have certainly seen the turning of your face toward the heaven. So We will surely turn you to a Qiblah with which you will be pleased. So turn your face toward al-Masjid al-Haram.
Hadith references
Sahih al-Bukhari, #4486
Narrated by: Al-Bara' ibn Azib
“We prayed with the Prophet ﷺ toward Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) for sixteen or seventeen months. Then he was turned toward the Ka'bah.”