قَدْ نَرٰى تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِی السَّمَآءِۚ-فَلَنُوَلِّیَنَّكَ قِبْلَةً تَرْضٰىهَا۪-فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِؕ-وَ حَیْثُ مَا كُنْتُمْ فَوَلُّوْا وُجُوْهَكُمْ شَطْرَهٗؕ-
Translation: We are observing the turning of your face repeatedly towards the heaven, so We will definitely turn you towards that Qiblah in which you are (more) pleased. Turn your face immediately towards the sacred Masjid (Ka’bah). And O Muslims! Wherever you are, turn your face towards the same (direction)
(Part 2, Surah Al-Baqarah, Ayah 144)
When the Beloved and Blessed Nabi صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ came to Madinah Munawwarah, he صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ was ordered to offer Salah, facing the Bayt-ul-Muqaddas. Therefore, he صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ began to offer Salahs, facing that direction. However, the Revered and Renowned Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ wished that the Holy Ka’bah be made the Qiblah of the Muslims. One of its reasons was that the Holy Ka’bah had been the Qiblah of many blessed Ambiya عَـلَـيْهِمُ السَّلَام including Sayyiduna Ibrahim عَـلَيْـهِ الـسَّـلاَم. Moreover, noticing that the Muslims were offering Salah, facing the Bayt-ul-Muqaddas, the Jews felt proud and arrogant and said that the Muslims opposed the religion of the Jews but offered Salah, facing their [i.e. Jews’] Qiblah.
One day, in the state of Salah, the Holy Nabi صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ was looking towards the sky again and over again hoping for the commandment of the change of Qiblah to be revealed. Therefore, during the Salah, the above blessed Ayah was revealed, declaring that the pleasure of the Beloved Rasool of Allah صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ was the pleasure of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. And the beautiful manner in which he صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ turned his blessed/luminous face towards the sky was described in the Holy Quran and the Holy Ka’bah was declared the Qiblah in accordance with his wish and pleasure. Therefore, he صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ turned towards the Holy Ka’bah even during the Salah. The blessed companions عَـلَيْهِمُ الرِّضْوَانْ also instantly turned their faces towards that direction. In this way, they offered two Rak’at of Zuhr Salah facing the Bayt-ul-Muqaddas; and the remaining two Rak’at, facing the Holy Ka’bah.
Almighty Allah wills the pleasure of Muhammad صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ
This Ayah is a great proof that our Merciful Nabi صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ is Beloved of Almighty Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has changed Qiblah in order to please and gladden him. Imam Fakhruddin Muhammad Raazi رَحْمَۃُ اللہِ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ has stated: Without doubt, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has changed the Qiblah because of His Beloved Nabi صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ. In the above Ayah, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has not mentioned that We will turn you towards the Qiblah that pleases Me, but rather Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has said
فَلَنُوَ لِّیَنَّکَ قِبْلَۃً تَرْضٰىہَا ‘Translation from Kanz-ul-Irfan: So We will definitely turn you towards that Qiblah which pleases you.’ It is as if Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has said, ‘O Beloved! Everyone seeks to gain My pleasure but My Will is that you get pleased in both worlds.’ (Tafseer-e-Kabeer, part 2, Al-Baqarah, Taht-al-Ayah, 144, vol. 2, pp. 82)
A’la Hadrat Imam Ahmad Raza Khan رَحْمَۃُ اللہِ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ has stated: Without doubt, the Holy Nabi صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ is a follower of the Will of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. And, without doubt, he does not say anything against the commandment of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. And, without doubt, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ wills the pleasure of the Holy Nabi صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ. (When the Holy Nabi came to Madinah Munawwarah), Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ commanded him to offer Salah, facing the Bayt-ul-Muqaddas. The Beloved and Blessed Nabi صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ obeyed this command. It was an action carried out by the Holy Nabi صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ in order to please Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. However, he wished to offer Salahs facing the Holy Ka’bah. Therefore, in order to fulfil the wish of His Beloved Nabi صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ abrogated His command and declared the Holy Ka’bah to be the Qiblah till the Day of Judgement in accordance with the blessed wish of Holy Nabi صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ. Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has done so in order to please His Nabi صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ. Denial of any of these is the denial of the Holy Quran. The mother of believers Sayyidatuna Ayesha Siddiqah رَضِىَ اللّٰہُ تَعَالٰی عَـنْهَا once humbly said to the Holy Nabi صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ, “مَا ارٰی رَبَّکَ اِلاَّ یُسَارِعُ فِی ہَوَاکَ i.e. I see that your Lord is swift to fulfil your wish. (Bukhari, vol. 3, pp. 303, Hadees 4788)
It is stated in a Hadees related to the Day of Resurrection: Having gathered the former and the latter people, the Lord will say to the Holy Nabi صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ, “کُلُّھُمْ یَطْلُبُوْنَ رِضَائِیْ وَاَنَااَطْلُبُ رِضَاکَ یَامُحَمَّدْ, All these seek to gain My pleasure and, O My Beloved, My Will is that you get pleased. (Fatawa-e-Razawiyyah, vol. 14, pp. 275 - 276)
Khuda ki raza chahtay hayn dau ‘aalam
Khuda chahta hay raza-e-Muhammad
There are many other proofs that the Greatest and Noblest Nabi صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ is the Beloved of Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ. For example, in order to please His Beloved, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ declared the Holy Ka’bah as the Qiblah of the Muslims till the Judgement Day. Similarly, in order to please him, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ reduced fifty Salahs to five and declared them Fard for his Ummah. In order to please him, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ sent down angels during the wars of Badr and Hunayn. In order to please him, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ blessed him with the Ascension [i.e. Mi’raaj]. In order to please him, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ bestowed the Hauz-e-Kausar upon him. In order to please him, Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ will forgive the sins of his Ummatis on the Judgement Day. In order to please him, the pans of the good deeds of his Ummatis will be heavy. His Ummatis will pass the Siraat Bridge safely and will enter Heaven. Allah عَزَّوَجَلَّ has said:
وَ لَسَوْفَ یُعْطِیْكَ رَبُّكَ فَتَرْضٰىؕ(۵)
And indeed it is close that your Lord will give you so much that you will be pleased.
(Part 30, Surah Ad-Duha, Ayah 5)
A’la Hadrat رَحْمَۃُ اللہِ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ has beautifully said:
Tu jo chaahay tu abhi mayl mayray dil kay dhulayn
Kay Khuda dil nahin kerta kabhi mayla tayra
(Hadaiq-e-Bakhshish, pp. 17)
And he has also said:
Raza Pul say ab wajd kertay guzarye
Kay hay ‘رَبِّ سَلِّم’, sada-e-Muhammad
(Hadaiq-e-Bakhshish, pp. 66)
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