Offering Namaz... when and how?

[~MuNiYa~]

Salaam All,
Dilemma at hand... My friend and I,both 5 times namazees, studying together in the library. Asr time comes around and my friend finds a room to pray in, I asked her how does she know what side khaba is on and she says she doesnt and just reads namaz facing any direction (we were inside so we couldnt see the sun either). I didnt pray, I waited to go home.

Who in this case waa correct?

[Sadiaa]

AoA, you can get a namaz compass from one of the Islamic stores. Or any compass would do as long as you know the degrees or something for the Kabaa.

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"I put my trust in Allah, my Lord and your Lord! There is not a moving creature, but He has a grasp of its forelock. Verily, my Lord is on the straight path. (The truth)"
(11:55-56)

"...Indeed my prayer, my sacrifice, my living and my dying are for Allaah, the Lord of the worlds" (6:162)

[Aazib]

Salaam,

If you are somewhere (and time is running out), then you can make your best estimation - find the nearest window or something and see which way a road is going and check it up on a map etc.

Anyway, the important thing is that if one has no means of finding the direction, then so long as one tried their best, they'll have an excuse of Yawm al-Qiyaamah - which is why we do all these actions.

Wallahu A'lam.

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Wahb ibn Munabbih said, "... Then honour yourself by rejecting the characteristics of the fools, and instead subject yourselves to the characteristics of the scholars. And custom yourself to the actions of the gentle, patient ones and forbid yourself from the actions of the
wretched, and make it compulsory upon yourself that you follow the behaviour of the scholars, and separate yourself from the ways of the wicked people..."

[Gandalf]

Actually, as a general precaution, it is recommended that if you do not know the direction of the Qibla, that you pray the namaz in all 4 directions. It is important that the qibla falls within the area formed by your knees.

If, however, you cannot do this (insufficient time), then you should pray in the one direction you feel is correct.

Allah knows Best.

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(The Wizard in Grey)

[secret_obsession]

i think both are correct because if you don't know the direction than you can pray at any direction.
and waiting till get home is fine too , if it is not being kaza.
Allah knows better.

[~MuNiYa~]

Thank You guys for your responses.. but are these opinions or is anyone citing other sources?

Please advise.

[Hasnain]

Salaam

Originally posted by Aazib:

If you are somewhere (and time is running out), then you can make your best estimation - find the nearest window or something and see which way a road is going and check it up on a map etc.

Anyway, the important thing is that if one has no means of finding the direction, then so long as one tried their best, they'll have an excuse of Yawm al-Qiyaamah - which is why we do all these actions.

Wallahu A'lam.

I agree.

Muniya, in this case your friend was more correct. This is because we know from various ahadeeth that the prayer is to be prayed on time and at it's earliest time as possible. There is great reward and significance attached to the prayer which is prayed on time, so far as to say, that if water is not available and the time of prayer is short, then it is permissible to make tayammam (dry ablution using earth/dust).

In the case of determining the direction of the Qiblah, then as has already been advised, the best estimation will suffice Insha'Allaah. There is also a hadeeth of the Prophet - salallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam - while he was in Madeenah: "From east to west is Qiblah." (sorry, i'll have to look up the reference for the hadeeth)

Madeenah, as we know from the maps, is north of Makkah. The Prophet - salallaahu 'alayhi wa sallam - thus mentioned (if we face the south i.e. Makkah while standing in Madeenah) that between the right (west) and the left (east) is all a direction of the Qiblah i.e. 180 degree angle in front. Based on this hadeeth, the scholars have said that if we are living in the west and the Qiblah is to our east, then from north to south includes the Qiblah

Therefore if one is unaware as to the direction of Makkah, then he/she should try his/her best to calculate north and south (for those of us in the West) and then pray between the two points while facing east. However, if one cannot determine east or any other useful cordinates, then insha'Allaah he/she should perform the prayer according to his/her best judgement and it shall be accepted Insha'Allaah, as He - subhaan wa ta'aala - is Most Merciful.

... and Allaah knows best.

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"No leaf falls except that He knows of it, and no rain drop forms except that He has willed it."