How Can We Fight a Qibla? Identifying the Enemy

@mythociate (21438)
Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
November 2, 2012 11:27pm CST
I saw that word in the Qur`an, and wanted to ask 'What the Heck Is a "Qibla"?' but some meditation on it gave me clues that a Qibla is something-like 'a way-of-life based on a firmly-held belief or -on a tradition.' The main meditation that led me there was in 002.145: "Even if thou wert to bring to the people of the Book all the Signs (together), they would not follow Thy Qibla; nor art thou going to follow their Qibla; nor indeed will they follow each other's Qibla. If thou after the knowledge hath reached thee, Wert to follow their (vain) desires,-then wert thou Indeed (clearly) in the wrong." An example would be 'that couples don't live together until they're married (because you KNOW what's a`gonna happen if they DO ).' And I'm pretty-sure that--even if I could point out all the examples of sanctified couples who HAVE 'lived together' before marriage--my friends who 'follow that Qibla' wouldn't forget it and follow mine instead (even though these friends CLAIM to be Christian, and even though one of the main features of a Christian life is 'detachment from worldly truths'). But I think it's important to know that ALL Qibla's are needless things that need to be cast away when their presence stops leading one to fulfill his mission-from-G*d. How can we best identify those Qibla's in our lives?
1 response
@Naseem00 (1996)
• Pakistan
3 Nov 12
Hello mythociate, Qibla is an Arabic word and it means the direction to which one offers their prayers. Jews at the time before Islam used to pray facing towards Jerusalem, as Islam is a Abrahamic religion, Muslims in the beginning also faced Jerusalem while praying, it was few years later when they were ordered to change the direction while praying towards Kaaba in Mecca, because the prophet Muhammad peace be upon him wished to face towards the Kaaba since it was built by Abraham and Ishmael. The verse from Qur'an that you have cited is from that time. but you are reading it out of context and that is perhaps the reason for your confusion. Here I have cited it along with the verse prior to it [2:145] We have certainly seen the turning of your face, [O Muhammad], toward the heaven, and We 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. [2:146] And if you brought to those who were given the Scripture every sign, they would not follow your qiblah. Nor will you be a follower of their qiblah. Nor would they be followers of one another's qiblah. So if you were to follow their desires after what has come to you of knowledge, indeed, you would then be among the wrongdoers. Please let me know if this helps.
@mythociate (21438)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
3 Nov 12
That DOES help; very enlightening. I STILL think it's kind of a metaphor for 'the patterns people follow in their lives.' 'The direction people face when they pray' is a big indicator of that pattern, sort of like 'the chosen Sabbath' is for Jews & some Christians.
@Naseem00 (1996)
• Pakistan
3 Nov 12
TO us Muslims this is more a religious identity. A Muslim will face towards Mecca while praying. if you like to look at it as a metaphor, you may look at it as that. No worries.
@mythociate (21438)
• Oklahoma City, Oklahoma
25 Nov 12