Part 6: Three Millahs and the Great Test of the Change of Qiblah

Series: The Change of Qiblah

Introduction

We now have three major foundations for understanding the story of the change of qiblah. We have looked at the issue of the Jewish millah. We have looked at the issue of the Nasrani millah. We have also looked at the position of Millah Ibrahim. In this part, we bring all of them together. The purpose is so that when we enter the verses of the change of qiblah, we already see the important foundational structure that has been built in the previous parts. With that, we will not read the story of the qiblah as merely a story about the change in the prayer direction of Muslims.

This is because before the Qur’an brings us to the verse of the Prophet S.A.W looking up toward the sky, Allah S.W.T had first opened the question of millah. The Jews would not be pleased until the Prophet followed their millah. The Nasrani would also not be pleased until the Prophet followed their millah. Then Allah brings Nabi Ibrahim A.S as a reference that is older, more original and more hanif than those two millahs.

Three Millahs in One Block

The three foundations mentioned in the introduction above do not come merely from our own arrangement. They appear within the same block of verses, within the framework of al-Baqarah 2:119 to 2:152.

In this block, the Qur’an first opens the issue of the Jews and the Nasrani through al-Baqarah 2:120:

وَلَنْ تَرْضَىٰ عَنْكَ الْيَهُودُ وَلَا النَّصَارَىٰ حَتَّىٰ تَتَّبِعَ مِلَّتَهُمْ

“The Jews and the Nasrani will not be pleased with you until you follow their millah.”

Then in al-Baqarah 2:135, the Qur’an records the claim of guidance from those two groups:

وَقَالُوا كُونُوا هُودًا أَوْ نَصَارَىٰ تَهْتَدُوا

“They said: Become Jews or Nasrani, and you will be guided.”

Then Allah commands the answer:

قُلْ بَلْ مِلَّةَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفًا

“Say: Rather, the Millah of Ibrahim, hanif.”

Here we begin to see why these three foundations need to be brought together before we enter the verses of the change of qiblah. The Jews come with their claim of guidance. The Nasrani come with their claim of guidance. The Qur’an answers with the Millah of Ibrahim that is hanif.

With this structure, the change of qiblah no longer appears as an isolated event. It comes after the Qur’an has opened the contest of millah claims between the Jews, the Nasrani and Millah Ibrahim.

The Islam of the Prophets and the Religious Names That Appeared Later

Before we go further, we need to distinguish one thing. The Islam brought by the prophets is not the same as the religious names used by human beings after that.

Nabi Musa A.S was upon Islam to Allah. But the Jewish identity that appeared later does not necessarily represent the pure Islam of Nabi Musa.

Nabi Isa A.S was also upon Islam to Allah. But the Nasrani identity that appeared later does not necessarily represent the pure Islam of Nabi Isa.

Nabi Ibrahim A.S before them was also upon Islam to Allah. Millah Ibrahim in the Qur’an is the hanif path and not shirk. But human claims over Ibrahim can change, become mixed and be distorted.

We need to be careful, and the Qur’an also reminds us. A person may say, “We are the followers of Musa.” But that does not necessarily mean he is truly carrying the original teaching of Nabi Musa A.S. A person may say, “We are the followers of Isa.” But that does not necessarily mean he is truly upon the original teaching of Nabi Isa A.S.

This is because when a long time has passed after a prophet was sent, later followers can change. They may still carry the name of that prophet, but the content of the teaching does not necessarily remain as the prophet brought it. If we understand the 6 Phases of the Rotation of Human Khilafah, we will know that some teachings are inherited, some are abandoned and some new matters are added.

What must be looked at is the content of the teaching itself. Whatever the religion may be, does it bring human beings to submit to Allah? What is their belief? Are they hanif and clean from shirk? Do they live life in the correct way, as a muslim? Most importantly, does it accept the final revelation brought by Nabi Muhammad S.A.W?

Three Millahs and Their Direction of Worship

When we speak about millah in this part, we are looking at three religious paths mentioned before the Qur’an enters the story of the change of qiblah. First, the Jewish path. Second, the Nasrani path. Third, Millah Ibrahim that is hanif. These three paths are important because each of them is not merely a name. Each has a direction of worship, a place they regard as important and a religious symbol they defend.

Because the Jews have their qiblah, and so do the Nasrani and Millah Ibrahim, the issue of qiblah is certainly a major issue. Qiblah is not merely the direction of the face during prayer. Qiblah also shows where a community is directed to face in its worship. When a community has a qiblah, it does not only have a direction. It also has a place that becomes the focus of worship, a sign of unity and a sign of obedience.

That is why when the qiblah was turned toward al-Masjid al-Haram, it was not merely a change of direction for Muslims alone. It became a test for all the millahs being mentioned in the block of verses we are discussing in this series. The Jews were tested because they had long possessed their own direction and claim of inheritance, namely Baitul Maqdis in Jerusalem. The Nasrani were tested because they too had their own direction, symbols and religious claims, which originally faced the direction of the mashriq. Those who claimed to carry Millah Ibrahim were also tested, because not everyone who mentions the name of Ibrahim truly returns to Ibrahim who is hanif.

Here, the change of qiblah becomes a great call. All the millahs are being called to return to the original root, namely Millah Ibrahim that is hanif and muslim. Not Ibrahim who has been claimed by the Jews. Not Ibrahim who has been claimed by the Nasrani. Not Ibrahim who has been mixed with shirk and idol worship.

Rather, the one being called to is Ibrahim who is hanif. Ibrahim who submits to Allah. Ibrahim who is connected to al-Bayt. Ibrahim who, together with Ismail, built and purified the House of Allah. Ibrahim who prayed that a Muslim ummah would emerge. Therefore, the change of qiblah is not merely a geographical matter. It is a great test for all millahs.

Nabi Muhammad S.A.W conveys this command of Allah to humanity. He was not sent to one small group alone. He came as a bearer of glad tidings and a warner. After the truth has been conveyed, whoever wants to accept it, that is the path of guidance. Whoever wants to reject it, that is their choice. Nabi S.A.W is not held responsible for the inhabitants of Jahim.

With that, the change of qiblah becomes a sign that Allah is separating human beings from mixed millah claims, and calling them back to the original root, namely Millah Ibrahim that is hanif, in a state of submission to Allah.

Why the Change of Qiblah Became a Great Test

After we understand that the change of qiblah is a call to return to Millah Ibrahim that is hanif, only then can we see why it became such a great test. This was not merely a test of changing the direction of the face during prayer. This was a test to see who truly submits to the command of Allah when revelation has come.

This is clearly stated in al-Baqarah 2:143:

وَمَا جَعَلْنَا الْقِبْلَةَ الَّتِي كُنْتَ عَلَيْهَا إِلَّا لِنَعْلَمَ مَن يَتَّبِعُ الرَّسُولَ مِمَّنْ يَنْقَلِبُ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيْهِ

“And We did not make the qiblah which you were upon except so that We may know who follows the Messenger and who turns back on his heels.”

This verse shows that the previous qiblah was indeed made a test. Through the change of qiblah, Allah makes manifest who truly follows the Messenger and who turns back.

The meaning of turning back here is not merely turning the body back toward the old direction. It carries the meaning of returning to old beliefs, old habits and old claims after revelation has come bringing a clear separation.

Human beings are indeed quick to defend what they have long held. A direction that has become familiar can become a source of pride. A place that has long been regarded as important can become a religious symbol. A name inherited for generations can make people feel that they are already upon the truth.

But when Allah commands a change, all of that is tested. Those who truly follow the Messenger will accept the change because they know that the Messenger does not move according to his own desire. He moves with revelation. However, those who are already bound to the old direction will feel that the change is a threat. They no longer see it as a command of Allah, but as the loss of influence, the loss of a symbol and the loss of an inheritance they defend. That is why the change of qiblah reveals what is inside the hearts of human beings. Some accept because they submit to revelation. Some reject because they are still defending what they have long held.

Here, the change of qiblah becomes a great test for all, and up to us today, the test still continues. It makes clear the difference between those who follow Allah and the Messenger, and those who merely defend the direction, name and inheritance they have long held.

An Event That Entered Into the Prayer

The event of the change of qiblah becomes even more striking because it was not merely an instruction understood in theory. According to the well-known narration concerning Masjid Qiblatain, the command to change the qiblah reached the Prophet S.A.W while congregational prayer was taking place. He then changed direction from Baitul Maqdis, Jerusalem, to al-Masjid al-Haram, Makkah, and the companions who were praying with him followed that change. Authentic narrations also show that news of the change of qiblah reached other companions in different places while they were praying.

Among the authentic textual evidences that show this are the following narrations. In Sahih al-Bukhari, Ibn Umar R.A narrated that while people were praying Fajr in Quba’, someone came and said that Rasulullah S.A.W had received revelation that night and had been commanded to face the Kaabah. At that time, their faces were facing Sham, so they immediately turned toward the Kaabah. Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 403.

The same narration is also found in Sahih Muslim. Ibn Umar R.A mentioned that people were praying in Quba’, then news came that Rasulullah S.A.W had been commanded to face the Kaabah. So those who were facing Sham immediately turned toward the Kaabah. Reference: Sahih Muslim 526a.

In another narration, al-Bara’ bin Azib R.A narrated that the Prophet S.A.W prayed facing Baitul Maqdis for sixteen or seventeen months. Then when the qiblah was turned toward the Kaabah, a man who had prayed with the Prophet S.A.W went out and passed by a group of people who were praying while in ruku’. The man testified that he had prayed with Rasulullah S.A.W facing the Kaabah. So they too changed their direction toward the Kaabah while they were still in prayer. Reference: Sahih al-Bukhari 40.

In Sahih Muslim, Anas R.A narrated that a man from Bani Salamah passed by a group of people who were praying Fajr while in ruku’. He called out loudly that the qiblah had been changed. So they turned toward the new qiblah in that very state. Reference: Sahih Muslim 527.

Through these narrations, we can see that the change of qiblah was not only an instruction known after the prayer had ended. In several situations, the news of the change arrived while the prayer was still taking place, and the congregation changed direction within the prayer itself.

A Test for the Companions and a Test for Other Millahs

The change of qiblah became a test for several layers of people. First, it became a test for the companions who were with the Prophet S.A.W when the command to change the qiblah took place. If we take the well-known narration concerning Masjid Qiblatain, they witnessed for themselves how Rasulullah S.A.W changed direction in congregational prayer. When the Messenger faced the new direction, they followed the Messenger. This was not a matter of choosing a direction based on habit. This was a matter of following the Messenger when the command of Allah came.

Second, it became a test for other companions who received the news of the change of qiblah afterward. They were not with the Prophet S.A.W when the command was revealed. Some came to know of the change after prayer, once the news had spread to them. However, in certain narrations, there were also congregations who were praying when someone from outside the prayer came bringing news that Rasulullah S.A.W had been commanded to face the Kaabah. The one who spoke was not someone praying in the congregation. The person who came was a messenger from outside. When the congregation was certain that the news was the command of Allah to His Messenger, they immediately changed direction within the prayer.

However, this test did not stop with the companions alone. The change of qiblah also shook the Jews, who had their own direction and claim of inheritance. In the narration of al-Bara’ bin Azib R.A, it is mentioned that the Jews and the People of the Book liked it when the Prophet S.A.W faced Baitul Maqdis, but they disliked it when he was turned toward the Kaabah.

As for the Nasrani, we do not need to portray them as though they witnessed the event directly. But within the structure of the verses we are discussing, the Nasrani remain included in the discussion of millah because the Qur’an had already mentioned the Jews and the Nasrani before entering the story of the change of qiblah.

Thus, the test of qiblah occurred directly for the companions, shook the Jewish claim that existed around the Prophet S.A.W, and in principle remains a call to all millahs to return to Millah Ibrahim that is hanif.

Why Did the Sufaha’ Question It?

After all this structure, we are now more prepared to enter al-Baqarah 2:142:

سَيَقُولُ السُّفَهَاءُ مِنَ النَّاسِ مَا وَلَّاهُمْ عَنْ قِبْلَتِهِمُ الَّتِي كَانُوا عَلَيْهَا

“The sufaha’ among the people will say: What has turned them away from the qiblah which they used to be upon?”

In the first article of this series, we discussed specifically who the as-sufaha’ were who questioned this change of qiblah. Please refer to: Part 1: Who Are as-Sufaha’ Who Questioned the Change of Qiblah? Therefore, in this part, we do not need to repeat that discussion at length.

What we need to look at now is no longer who the sufaha’ were, but why they questioned this change of qiblah. They questioned it not merely because the prayer direction changed. They questioned it because the change of qiblah exposed something.

All this while, they wanted the Muslims to remain under the shadow of their direction. They wanted the Prophet S.A.W to appear as though he still depended on the old qiblah. They wanted the Muslims to continue being seen as a group that did not yet have its own sacred center.

But when Allah turned the qiblah toward al-Masjid al-Haram, that falsehood began to be exposed. The Muslims were no longer walking behind them. The Prophet S.A.W did not submit to their millah. The direction of this ummah was no longer determined by the inheritance of their group.

That is why they asked in a questioning tone:

مَا وَلَّاهُمْ عَنْ قِبْلَتِهِمُ الَّتِي كَانُوا عَلَيْهَا

“What has turned them away from the qiblah which they used to be upon?”

The question appears to be about direction. But in reality, it emerged from a sense of being threatened when this ummah was separated from their influence.

The Change of Qiblah as a Separator

The change of qiblah became a separator because the Qur’an itself mentions this in al-Baqarah 2:143:

وَمَا جَعَلْنَا الْقِبْلَةَ الَّتِي كُنْتَ عَلَيْهَا إِلَّا لِنَعْلَمَ مَن يَتَّبِعُ الرَّسُولَ مِمَّنْ يَنْقَلِبُ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيْهِ

“And We did not make the qiblah which you were upon except so that We may know who follows the Messenger and who turns back on his heels.”

Surah al-Baqarah 2:143

At the time this verse was revealed, the change of qiblah became a test that separated the people surrounding that event. The companions were tested in their obedience to the Messenger. The Jews and the People of the Book were tested in their claim over that direction. Those who questioned the change of qiblah were also made manifest through their question.

This can also be seen in the narration of al-Bara’ bin Azib R.A. In Sahih al-Bukhari 40, it is mentioned that the Jews and the People of the Book liked it when the Prophet S.A.W faced Baitul Maqdis. But when the Prophet S.A.W faced the Kaabah, they disliked it. Here, it becomes clear that the change of qiblah was not merely a change of direction, but a separator between those who followed the Messenger and those who defended old claims.

As long as the Prophet S.A.W faced the direction they liked, they could feel as though the Prophet was still under the shadow of their direction. But when Allah turned the qiblah toward al-Masjid al-Haram, that claim began to collapse.

This is what separates those who follow the Messenger from those who want the Messenger to follow their millah. It also separates those who submit to revelation from those who defend old beliefs. It separates the ummah that accepts the command of Allah from the Jewish and People of the Book claim over their direction of worship.

As for the Nasrani, we do not need to say that they witnessed the event directly. But they still remain within the larger framework of the verses because al-Baqarah 2:120 and 2:135 had mentioned the Jews and the Nasrani before entering the story of the change of qiblah.

So when we call the change of qiblah a separator, it is not merely a free interpretation. Al-Baqarah 2:143 itself states that the qiblah was made to reveal who follows the Messenger and who turns back. With these two evidences, we can see that the change of qiblah truly became a dividing line. It separates obedience to revelation from attachment to the old direction and old claims.

Conclusion

This is where this part can be closed. The change of qiblah is not merely a story of a change in prayer direction. It is a great test that ties together the discussion of the three millahs: the Jews with their claim, the Nasrani with their claim, and Ibrahim with his hanif path.

Through the change of qiblah, Allah separates the ummah that follows the Messenger from those who still defend the old direction, the old name and the old claim. From here, we are now more prepared to enter al-Baqarah 2:142 and understand why the sufaha’ questioned the change of qiblah.