The features of distinction in changing the Qiblah

The change of the qiblah remains a distinctive event in the history of the Islamic call and in the march of building the Muslim state as well. The Messenger (peace be upon him) was eager to change the Qiblah from Al Aqsa Mosque to the House of his father Abraham (peace be upon him) in Makkah.

Allah (may He be Exalted) says: "Verily, We have seen the turning of your (Muhammad's peace be upon him) face towards the heaven. Surely, We shall turn you to a Qiblah (prayer direction) that shall please you, so turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid-Al-Harâm (the sanctuary at Makkah). And wheresoever you people are, turn your faces (in prayer) in that direction. Certainly, the people who were given the Scripture (i.e. Jews and the Christians) know well that, that (your turning towards the direction of the Ka'bah at Makkah in prayers) is the truth from their Lord. And Allâh is not unaware of what they do." [Surat Al Baqarah: 144].

Thus, after sixteen or seventeen months after Hijrah the Qiblah has been changed which means: after almost three and half years from the imposition of Salah during the Journey of Isra' (Night Journey) and Mi`raj (ascension to Heaven).

Muslims remained during these three years performing Salah facing Bayt Al-Maqdis (Palestine) which was a Qiblah for the Jews. And perhaps Allah (may He be Glorified and Exalted) predestined that to test the believers in the truthfulness of their faith and to reveal the falsehood of the Jews as events happened thereafter.

Muslims offered Salah facing Bayt Al-Maqdis (Palestine) in obedience to the command of their lord (Glory be to Him). As for the Jews, they considered that an attempt from Prophet (peace be upon him) to draw near them and obtain legitimacy for himself; thus Satan decorated things for them to please them and said: he followed our Qiblah and soon he shall follow our religion.

The Jews thought that the Prophet (peace be upon him) can be like them and betray the trust of his Lord (Glory be to Him) disobey His Commands, write the book with his own hand, then would say: this is from Allah as they have done. They imagined and thought but their illusions and imaginations have gone with the wind and became disappointed. The Prophet (peace be upon him) offered Salah facing Bayt Al-Maqdis in obedience to his Lord and when he fasted `Ashura' (the tenth day of Muharam), it was not for the sake of the Jews, but he said: "We are more entitled with Moses than them." Moses (Peace be upon him) adopted the religion of Islam exactly as the Prophet (peace be upon him), hence came the change of the Qiblah.

not as an accidental event in history but as a partition between the Muslim nation.

and previous nations, especially, the Jews who deviated and altered the divine books.

The event of changing the Qiblah came to establish the principle of "distinction" which means: dictation of the Muslim nation from others in everything:

in the message, legislation and method, morals and attitudes, and before everything distinction in concept and belief. The event exceeded the limits of time to reach our age. The Messenger (peace be upon him) said: "You shall follows the traditions of those who were before you a span by span, an arm length by an arm length, even if they were to enter the hole of a lizard, you shall do as they did. They said:O Messenger Allah, the Jews and the Christians? The Prophet" who?" meaning: "Who else?" Allah (may He be Exalted) knew their intentions and informed His Messenger (peace be upon him) that many of the Muslim nation in the periods of their weakness and the fall of their civilization shall be dissolved in the civilizations that gained victory over them no matter whether these civilizations are materialists or non-Muslim.

Therefore, the Messenger (peace be upon him) informed us about that future case to avoid. Indeed, the features of dissolution and non-distinction are many among Muslims which you may see in their abstention from the language of the Qur'an and their attachment with foreign languages to the detriment of the Arabic language.

The problem is not in keenness of learning the English language or others, because in the time of our weakness it became the language of science and civilization, but the problem is in our alienation from our mother tongue to the extent that the names of shops were written in foreign languages and the daily life language became full of foreign words.

Moreover, an individual's status is measured by the number of foreign words he or she uses. We also see the features of dissolution in the color and style of clothes, because the strange appearances such as the trousers that are not well tied and others moved quickly to us from the West and did not find but warm welcoming from many youth, whereas the voices which deny these weird appearances have become lower step by step like our habit in the time of weakness along with many features. Indeed, the nations which want to rise should have distinction as a fundamental component of its civilizational and developmental project.