Rules of Qibla
784. Our Qibla is the holy Ka’bah, which is situated in Makkah. Qibla is from the core of the earth to the heavens and one should offer his prayers facing it. However, a person who is far, would stand in such a manner that people would say that he is praying facing the Qibla that would suffice. This also applies to other acts which should be performed facing the Qibla like, while slaughtering an animal etc.
785. A person offering obligatory prayers while standing should have his face, chest, stomach and his feet facing the Qibla, and as per recommended precaution, the toes of his feet should also be facing Qibla, in such a manner that people would say that his feet is facing the Qibla.
786. If a person who is offering his prayers while sitting, and cannot sit in an ordinary posture, then while sitting it is necessary that sole of his feet should be on ground, and while offering prayers his face, chest, stomach and his legs face the Qibla.
787. If a person cannot offer prayers in the sitting posture, he should lie on the right hand side in such a manner that the front part of the body would face the Qibla. And if that is not possible, he should lie on the left hand side in such a manner that the front part of his body would face the Qibla. And if even that is not possible, he should lie on his back in such a manner, that the sole of his feet face the Qibla.
788. Namaz – e – Ihtiyat, and forgotten Sajdah, and forgotten Tashahhud should all be offered facing the Qibla, and as per obligatory precaution, Sajda – e – Sahv should also be offered facing the Qibla.
789. A Mustahab Namaz can be offered while one is walking, or riding, and if a person offers Mustahab prayers in these two conditions, it is not necessary that he should be facing the Qibla.
790. A person who wishes to offer prayers, should make efforts to ascertain the direction of Qibla. If that is not possible, he should form an idea from the Niche (Mehrab) of the Masjid or from the graves of the Muslims, or by other ways, and act accordingly. In fact, if a Fasiq or a non-Muslim who can determine Qibla by scientific method, indicates Qibla satisfactorily, he can be relied upon.
791. If a person, who has a mere surmise about Qibla, and is in a position to have a better idea, he should not act on that guess work. For example, if a guest has an idea about the direction of Qibla on the statement of the owner of the house, but feels that he can acquire a firmer knowledge about Qibla by some means, he should not act on his host's words.
792. If a person does not possess any means of determining the direction of Qibla, or in spite of his efforts, he cannot form an idea about it, if he has sufficient time at his disposal, he should offer the same prayers 4 times, each time facing every one of the four directions. If he do not have enough time then he should act according to the time at his disposal, for example, if he just have time to offer one prayer, then he should offer that in whatever direction he want, and as per obligatory precaution, later after becoming certain about the Qibla one should offer the Qadha. One should offer his prayers in such a way that he becomes certain that ultimately he has offered one of his prayers towards the Qibla, or if it was not towards the Qibla then it was not on its left or right side (90 degree away from Qibla).
793. If a person is sure or guesses that Qibla is on one of the two directions, he should offer prayers facing both sides, however, as per recommended precaution, in case of uncertainty, one should offer his prayers on all four sides.
794. If a person has to offer prayers facing a few directions, and wants to offer two prayers like Zuhr prayers and ‘Asr prayers, which should be offered one after the other, he can offer the first prayer in those few directions and can commence with the second prayer and do the same, or he can pray both together in one direction and can commence both his prayers in other directions.
795. If a person who is not certain about the direction of Qibla, wishes to perform acts other than Namaz, which should be done facing the Qibla like, slaughtering an animal, he should act according to his surmise about the direction of Qibla, and if that does not seem possible, then performing the act facing any direction will be valid.