Sahih Al Bukhari (40)

حَدَّثنا عَمْرُو بْنُ خَالِدٍ، قَالَ: حَدَّثنا زُهَيْرٌ، قَالَ: حَدَّثنا أَبُو إِسْحَاقَ، عَنِ البَرَاءِ، أَنَّ النَّبِيَّ صَلى الله عَلَيهِ وسَلمَ كَانَ أَوَّلَ مَا قَدِمَ المَدِينَةَ، نَزَلَ عَلَى أَجْدَادِهِ، أَوْ قَالَ: أَخْوَالِهِ مِنَ الأَنْصَارِ، وَأَنَّهُ صَلَّى قِبَلَ بَيْتِ المَقْدِسِ سِتَّةَ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا، أَوْ سَبْعَةَ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا، وَكَانَ يُعْجِبُهُ أَنْ تَكُونَ قِبْلَتُهُ قِبَلَ البَيْتِ، وَأَنَّهُ صَلَّى أَوَّلَ صَلاَةٍ صَلاَّهَا، صَلاَةَ العَصْرِ، وَصَلَّى مَعَهُ قَوْمٌ، فَخَرَجَ رَجُلٌ مِمَّنْ صَلَّى مَعَهُ، فَمَرَّ عَلَى أَهْلِ مَسْجِدٍ وَهُمْ رَاكِعُونَ، فَقَالَ: أَشْهَدُ بِاللهِ لَقَدْ صَلَّيْتُ مَعَ رَسُولِ اللهِ صَلى الله عَلَيهِ وسَلمَ قِبَلَ مَكَّةَ، فَدَارُوا كَمَا هُمْ قِبَلَ البَيْتِ، وَكَانَتِ اليَهُودُ قَدْ أَعْجَبَهُمْ إِذْ كَانَ يُصَلِّي قِبَلَ بَيْتِ المَقْدِسِ، وَأَهْلُ الكِتَابِ، فَلَمَّا وَلَّى وَجْهَهُ قِبَلَ البَيْتِ، أَنْكَرُوا ذَلِكَ.

Al Bara' (ibn `Azib) (may Allah be pleased with him) narrated: When the Prophet (peace be upon him) came to Medina, he stayed first with his grandfathers or maternal uncles from Ansar. He offered his Salah facing Baytul-Maqdis (Jerusalem) for sixteen or seventeen months, but he wished that he could offer Salah facing the Ka`bah (at Makkah). The first Salah which he offered facing the Ka`bah was the `Asr Salah in the company of some people. Then one of those who had offered that Salah with him came out and passed by some people in a masjid who were bowing during their Salah (facing Jerusalem). He said addressing them: By Allah, I testify that I have prayed with Allah's Messenger (peace be upon him) facing Makkah (Ka`bah). Upon hearing that, those people changed their direction towards the Ka`bah immediately. Jews and the people of the scriptures used to be pleased to see the Prophet (peace be upon him) facing Jerusalem in Salah but when he changed his direction towards the Ka`bah, during the Salah, they disapproved of it. Al Bara' added: "Before we changed our direction towards the Ka`bah (Makkah) in Salah, some Muslims had died or had been killed and we did not know what to say about them (regarding their Salah.) Allah then revealed: "And Allah would never make your faith (prayers) to be lost (i.e. the prayers of those Muslims were valid).""