Why do Muslims face Kaaba during prayer?

Answer 1

Muslims Face Mecca for Prayer When Muslims pray, they face Ka'bah which is in Mecca.

Think about the ancient times. Slaves used to bow and some used to prostrate their kings (such as Pharaoh). One bows before someone to express his/her respect. Or some bowed and prostrated some others among them as if they were god.

Worshiping is our first job. We are the slaves of Allah. As it is said in Holy Quran: "I didn't create Jinns and human-being, except for worshiping Me". We must worship only Him. We express our worship in the form as we call it Salat-Prayer. And bowing and prostrating should be only towards the God Almighty. But where is He? To which direction should we face while praying? And Allah ordered his Messenger (Muhammad PBUH) to face to Ka'bah while praying. It is like you worship Me and pray unto Me facing to Ka'bah.

The Qur'an says (2:144 and after)

We have seen you turn your face to the heavens. We shall turn you to a Qiblah that will please you. So turn towards the Holy Mosque (Kaaba), and turn towards it wherever you be. And those who are recipients of the Book (Jews and Christians) surely know that this is the truth from their Lord; and God is not negligent of all that you do. (2:144)

Change of the Qibla from Jerusalem (Bayt al-Maqdis) to Mecca (Ka'ba)

When the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) came from Makkah to Madeenah, he used to face Bayt al-Maqdis when he prayed, and that remained the case for sixteen or seventeen months, as is proven in the two Saheehs (al-Bukhaari and Muslim), in the hadeeth of al-Baraa' ibn 'Aazib (may Allaah be pleased with him and his father), who said: "The Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) prayed towards Bayt al-Maqdis for sixteen or seventeen months, and he was hoping that the Qiblah would be towards the House (i.e., the Ka'bah)…" Then after that Allaah commanded him to face the direction of the Ka'bah (the Sacred House), in the aayah (interpretation of the meaning): "… so turn your face in the direction of al-Masjid al-Haraam (at Makkah). And wheresoever you people are, turn your faces (in prayer) in that direction…" [al-Baqarah 2:144].

Before we answer the question about the wisdom behind this change, we must note the following points:

1. When we Muslims hear of a command from Allaah, we must accept it and submit to it, even if the wisdom behind it is not clear to us, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): "It is not for a believer, man or woman, when Allaah and His Messenger have decreed a matter, that they should have any option in their decision…" [al-Ahzaab 33:36]
2. Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, does not give any command without there being great wisdom behind it - even if we do not understand it - as He says (interpretation of the meaning): "… That is the judgement of Allaah. He judges between you. And Allaah is All-Knowing, All-Wise." [al-Mumtahinah 60:10]
3. Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, does not abrogate any rule except to replace it with something better or similar to it, as He says (interpretation of the meaning): "Whatever Verse (revelation) do We abrogate or cause to be forgotten, We bring a better one or similar to it. Know you not that Allaah is able to do all things?" [al-Baqarah 2:106]
4. Having understood this, we may note that the wisdom behind the changing of the Qiblah has several aspects, including: It is a test for the true believer, because the true believer, unlike others, accepts the commands of Allaah. Allaah has spoken of this in the Qur'aan (interpretation of the meaning): "… And We made the Qiblah which you used to face, only to test those who followed the Messenger from those who would turn on their heels. Indeed it was great (heavy) except for those whom Allaah guided…" [al-Baqarah 2:143]
5. This ummah is the best of nations, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): "You are the best of peoples ever raised up for mankind…" [Aal 'Imraan 3:110]. Confirming the aayat about the Qiblah, Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): "Thus We have made of you (true Muslims) a Wasat (just) (and the best) nation…" [al-Baqarah 2:143]. "Wasat" conveys meanings of justice and of being chosen. So Allaah has chosen for this ummah goodness in all things and the best commands and rules, and thus He chose for them the Qiblah of Ibraaheem, upon whom be peace.
6. Imaam Ahmad reported in his Musnad (6/134-135) from 'Aa'ishah that the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) said about the People of the Book (Jews and Christians): "They do not envy us for anything as much as they envy us for Yawm al-Jumu'ah (Friday), to which Allaah has guided us and from which they have gone astray, and for the Qiblah to which Allaah has guided us and from which they have gone astray, and for our saying 'Aameen' behind the imaam." (For more information on this subject, please refer to Bada'i' al-Fawaa'id by Ibn al-Qayyim, may Allaah have mercy on him, 4/157-174).

Note 2

Muslims face Mecca when they pray because they believe that that was where the first shrine was built.

Note 3

Facing towards Ka'bah doesn't mean that Allah is there. Allah accepts our prayers while we are facing to Ka'bah. And also we don't worship Ka'bah, we worship Allah facing towards the Ka'bah.

1. For example, if you are in a place where you don't know in which direction is the Ka'bah, then you can pray to any direction you want, assuming that we are facing to Ka'bah. That is also accepted.
2. For example, the enemy attacks you from a known direction, you can face to that direction and pray in order to be aware of enemy. If the enemy attacks you, you will leave the prayer and defense.

Note 4

And also before being the qiblah of Ka'bah, Prophet Muhammad PBUH used to face to the sky while praying, then it is commanded to Him PBUH to face the Ka'bah while praying

Note 5

When Islam's founder - Ubu'l Kassim aka Muhammad first started, he wanted to pray to what he thought was the most holy city - he used to face Jerusalem, then after he became leader of Medina, he tried to convert the Jews and could not, that's when he started facing Mecca instead and that's also when he started treated Jews poorly.

Note 6

Muslim's face Mecca whilst praying because that is when Allah got messages from Muhammad the prophet .

Note 7

It is per Allah (God in English and same God in Christianity and Judaism) command to prophet Muhammad (PBUH) and all Muslims to face during praying the direction of Kaaba, in Makkah (or Mecca), in Saudi Arabia.

Answer 2

It is per the explicit command of Allah (God in English) in Quran; Muslims holy book that reflects real God words revelation to prophet Muhammad (PBUH) in its original language (Arabic).
It is per God command to pray facing the direction of Kaba. Muslims face Kaba or Al-Masjid Alharam (in Makkah or Mecca in Saudi Arabia) when praying per command of Allah (or God in English ans same God in Christianity and Judaism).

Quran says (Meaning English Translation):

"We (Allah) have certainly seen the turning of your (prophet Muhammad) face, [O Muhammad], toward the heaven, and We (Allah) will surely turn you to a qiblah with which you will be pleased. So turn your face toward al-Masjid al-Haram. And wherever you [believers] are, turn your faces toward it [in prayer]. Indeed, those who have been given the Scripture well know that it is the truth from their Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what they do. " (2:144)

Answer 3

Correction bro., Muslims DO NOT face east during prayer. They face the Kaabah (Baitullah) in Masjidilharam in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Every Muslim, wherever he/she may be on this earth, has to face the Kaabah/Baitullah during prayer, even while praying in the grand mosque Masjidilharam. In other words, the focal point for Muslim prayer is in the direction of the Kaabah in Mecca.

Answer 4

Muslims face the Kaaba while praying because it was Allah asked them to do in the Qu'ran. Moreover, the Kaaba in considered to be located in the exact center of the Earth. It is also the first place of worship erected for the Muslims although it was taken as a place for worshipping idols at some time. However, thanks be to Allah, the Kaaba was restored to its original purpose.

Answer 5

first Muslims were praying to Jerusalem. then some Jews told to Muslims to are praying to our holy place and this proves that you are not right and our religion is right. then God revealed a verse that Muslims should pray to Kaaba (the black holy cube in mecca which is called symbolically home of God)

this not mean the Judaism is not from God but means by coming new religion from God all believers should accept and follow it.

Answer 6

When Islam began, the faithful faced Jerusalem when praying. Muhammad believed that Islam would join Judaism and Christianity in one great, harmonious accord. He was shocked when he learnt that Jews and Christians, whom he assumed to belong to a single faith, had serious theological differences.
In January 624, during the salat prayer, he told the congregation to turn around so that they faced in the direction of Mecca rather than Jerusalem. By turning towards the Kabah, which had no connection with Judaism or Christianity, Muslims were to demonstrate that they were reverting to the original pure monotheism that he believed Abraham had followed before the religion of the one God had been split into warring sects.

Answer 7

Because the Prophet p.b.u.h. prayed that way and Allah s.w.t. said so.

Answer 8

They believe it is a very holy place.