Masjid al-Qiblatain is known as the masjid with the two
Qiblas. This masjid is situated in Medina and is
renowned in Muslims because of the fact that the Prophet of Islam Hazrat
Muhammad (P.B.U.H) changed his direction from Masid al-Aqsa, Jerusalem to Makkah during a prayer, which he
was leading, as per Allah’s instruction. When this happened all of the
Prophet’s companions also followed Him (P.B.U.H) and changed their directions
towards Makkah. After this event, this masjid was named as Masjid al-Qiblatain.
This masjid had distinctively two mihrabs. One was facing Mecca
and the older one faced towards Jerusalem.
Lately this masjid was amended and the old mihrab had been removed which was
directed towards Jerusalem.
Now the masjid has only one mihrab which is facing towards Mecca.
When the event of changing Qibla occured,
Muslims showed off themselves as the independent religious sector. The Jews, on
the other hand, started to mourn because Muslims had developed a strong
character following the teachings of our beloved Prophet Hazrat Muhammad
(S.A.W). Some people went to Holy Prophet (S.A.W) and asked to change the
orientation to Jerusalem.
They would accept Islam after the orientation is changed to Islam. Following
verses were revealed in Surah Al-Baqarah:
“And even if you were to bring to the people of
the Scripture (Jews and Christians) all the Ayat (proofs, evidence, verses,
lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), they would not follow
your qiblah (prayer direction), nor are you going to follow
their qiblah (prayer direction). And they will not follow each
other’s qiblah (prayer direction). Verily, if you follow their
desires after that which you have received of knowledge (from Allah), then indeed
you will be one of the Zalimun (polytheists, wrong-doers). ” [2:145]
Prophet of Allah, Muhammad (S.A.W) also said in
this regards that:
“The People of the Book do not envy us for
anything as much as they do for the Friday given to us by Allah with which they
are deprived. They also envy us for the qibla which Allah gave us but not them,
and also for the aameen (recital after Surah Fatiha in salat) behind the imam.”
The masjid is situated on the north-west side of
Medina. The
runway to this masjid is known as Khalid bin Al waleed road. It was initially
looked after by Caliph Umar Ibn-e-Alkhatab and after the domination of Ottoman Empire; it was taken care by Hazrat Suleman (A.S)
who renovated it.
The Qiblatain Masjid is one of the initial
masjids in the history of Islam. Quba Masjid was the very first masjid built in
Islamic history. Masjid al-Nabawi (Prophet’s masjid) is also among the early
masjids. Masjid has now a beautiful white building and many people, who visit Medina every year to
perform Hajj and Umrahs, visit this Masjid due to its historical magnitude.
