The qiblah’s reorientation toward the Ka‘bah (Rajab 2 / January 624):
While the Prophet (saw) was striving to acquire military strength against the threats posed largely by the Quraysh, in the second year of the hijrah, he was confronted with a sedition attempt spearheaded by the Jews. The Jews asserted that prophets had always emerged from al-Quds and its surrounding region and that they had spread their religion from there; thus, if Muhammad was truly a prophet, they claimed, he too should go there and propagate his religion from that land. Indeed, the qiblah of the mosque built in Medina was directed toward al-Masjid al-Aqsa in al-Quds. Muslims, both before and after the hijrah, would face al-Quds during prayer. With the support of the hypocrites, the Jews calculated that they might cause the Prophet to leave Medina of his own accord. However, he was fully aware of the aim of his enemies. Yet, he had no choice but to await a command from Allah. In such moments of distress, he had become accustomed to receiving the guidance of his Lord. Meanwhile, the Jews did not remain idle; they began to spread rumors, saying, “Since the Muslims turn toward our qiblah when performing prayer, it must mean that our qiblah is the true one. And if our qiblah is true, then our religion must also be true. So why do they not return to our religion?” When the Prophet Muhammad heard such talk, he became distressed and his heart grew heavy. One day, the Prophet visited the neighborhood of the Banu Salamah. After a meal, while he was leading the obligatory dhuhr prayer in the mosque there, a revelation came that brought relief to his heart: “Indeed, We see you (O Prophet) turning your face towards heaven. Now We will make you turn towards a direction (of prayer) that will please you. So turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque (in Mecca)—wherever you are, turn your faces towards it. Those who were given the Scripture certainly know this to be the truth from their Lord. And Allah is never unaware of what they do.” (Baqarah, 2:144)
As soon as this verse was revealed, the Prophet, though amid prayer, turned his face toward the Ka‘bah. The congregation also turned along with their rows. The men moved to where the women had stood, and the women to where the men had been. Thus, the remaining units of the prayer were performed facing the new qiblah. (Today, there is a mosque at the location where this event took place. It is known as al-Masjid alQiblatayn, “the Mosque of the Two Qiblahs.”) After the verse regarding the change of the qiblah was revealed, certain modifications were made in al-Masjid al-Nabawi. The stone that had been placed on the qiblah side to indicate the mihrab was removed and repositioned at the location of the door facing Mecca. The door that had been on the southern side was relocated to the northern side. The change of the qiblah caused the Muhajirun to remember their former homeland five times a day during prayer. A desire arose in their hearts to prevail over those who had driven them out of their land. On the other hand, the shared direction of prayer that had existed between the People of the Book and the Muslims was now ended. Before long, the Jews resumed their campaign of sedition and this time attempted to bargain with the Prophet over the qiblah. They claimed that if he resumed praying toward al-Quds, they would become Muslim. Knowing full well that the Prophet would not accept their proposal, they sought to shift the blame for their refusal to embrace Islam onto him. In doing so, they also attempted to pressure him into making a misstep through such manipulation. However, Allah the Almighty guided the Prophet with the following revelation: “Even if you were to bring every proof to the People of the Book, they would not accept your direction (of prayer), nor would you accept theirs; nor would any of them accept the direction (of prayer) of another. And if you were to follow their desires after (all) the knowledge that has come to you, then you would certainly be one of the wrongdoers.” (Baqarah, 2:145) In accordance with the revelations he received, the Prophet, through the change of the qiblah, not only established unity in worship but also fostered unity of heart and purpose, placing Mecca at the center of the Muslims’ focus from a very early stage.
The prescribing of fasting as an obligation (Sha‘ban 2 / February 624):
Fasting, refraining for a period from food, drink, and certain pleasures as a means of disciplining the self, known in Arabic as sawm, was not unfamiliar to the Arabs, as it had been practiced in various faith traditions. However, the manner in which it was observed and the meanings attributed to it among them were intertwined with idolatrous beliefs. The Prophet used to fast three days each month, completely free from the negative practices of others, and he would advise his companions to do the same. However, particularly after the Hijrah, during interactions with the Jews of Medina, the Islamic teachings he sought to present to humanity as a source of peace, by virtue of his prophetic mission, became a subject of ridicule by the Jews. At that point, he was once again supported by Allah. In the month of Sha‘ban during the second year after the Hijrah, the following verses were revealed, making it obligatory upon Muslims to fast during the month of Ramadan each year: “O believers! Fasting is prescribed for you—as it was for those before you—so perhaps you will become mindful (of Allah). (Fast a) prescribed number of days. But whoever of you is ill or on a journey, then (let them fast) an equal number of days (after Ramadan). For those who can only fast with extreme difficulty, compensation can be made by feeding a needy person (for every day not fasted). But whoever volunteers to give more, it is better for them. And to fast is better for you, if only you knew. Ramadan is the month in which the Qur’an was revealed as a guide for humanity with clear proofs of guidance and the decisive authority. So whoever is present this month, let them fast. But whoever is ill or on a journey, then (let them fast) an equal number of days (after Ramadan). Allah intends ease for you, not hardship, so that you may complete the prescribed period and proclaim the greatness of Allah for guiding you, and perhaps you will be grateful.” (Baqarah, 2:183 – 185) With the revelation of these verses that commanded the obligation of fasting, the Prophet and the Muslims observed the fast for the first time during the month of Ramadan in the second year after the Hijrah. The fact that the month in which fasting was made obligatory was the same month in which revelation began, Ramadan, held deep significance for the Muslims. It served as a sign that this month would henceforth be known as the “Month of the Qur’an”, encompassing all the revelations sent to their Prophet. With the obligation of Islamic fasting, the Prophet gained a greater ability to further distinguish the unique identity of the Muslims within the society of Medina.
