Two students went to a foreign country to gain Islamic knowledge. They both studied together for two years. When they returned to their country, one of them had become a great Islamic scholar, whereas the other one did not have any knowledge. The Islamic scholars of that city deeply pondered over it. They did research on the methods of their gaining knowledge, manners of arguments and manners of sitting, etc., so one thing they mainly found was that the person who became a great Islamic scholar would sit facing Qiblah while memorizing the lesson, whereas the other one would sit with his back towards Qiblah. Hence all the Islamic scholars and jurist agreed on it that this fortunate person became Faqeeh by virtue of sitting facing Qiblah because facing sacred Qiblah while sitting is Sunnah. (Ta’leem-ul-Muta’allim Tareeq-ut-Ta’allum, pp. 114)

O devotees of Rasool! Our sitting, standing, walking, giving, taking, in short, every action should be according to Sunnah. Our Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ would usually sit facing Qiblah and would also persuade his Ummah to do so. The Beloved Rasool صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ وَاٰلِہٖ وَسَلَّمَ has said:

1 Amongst the sitting places the most respectable sitting place is the place in which one sits facing Qiblah. (Majma’-uz-Zawaid, vol. 8, pp. 114, Hadees 12916)

2 There is a respect for everything and the respect for sitting is that one should face Qiblah while sitting. (Majma’-uz-Zawaid, vol. 8, pp. 114, Hadees 12917)

Our pious predecessors would sit facing Qiblah and would keep their things facing Qiblah. It is stated about Sayyiduna Shaykh ‘Abdul Qaadir Jeelani رَحْمَۃُ اللہِ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ that he even would keep the Lota by which he would make Wudu also facing Qiblah. Ameer-e-Ahl-e-Sunnat دَامَتْ بَرَكَاتُـهُمُ الْعَالِيَـه has said, ‘It is [my] desire that everything be kept facing Qiblah.’ (Jinnaat ka Badshah, pp. 14)

Persuading us to perform this blessed deed he دَامَتْ بَرَكَاتُـهُمُ الْعَالِيَـه further has said in ‘Method of becoming Righteous’ i.e. Madani In’aam 27 out of Madani In’amaat: ‘Did you do purdah in purdah (veil within veil) today (at home and outside)? Further, did you try to turn your face towards Qiblah while sitting?’ Those who sit facing Qiblah not only gain Islamic benefits, they also gain worldly benefits. Sayyiduna Imam Shaafi’i رَحْمَۃُ اللہِ تَعَالٰی عَلَیْہِ has said, ‘Four things improve vision, one of them is to sit facing Qiblah.’ (Ihya-ul-‘Uloom, vol. 2, pp. 27)

Dear Islamic brothers! We should also try to form our habit of sitting in the direction of Qiblah. If we have the intention of acting upon Sunnah in our heart, we will get the Sawab of Sunnah. However, we should not sit facing Qiblah or sit with our back towards Qiblah at all during excretion or when wearing no clothes. For Islamic teacher Sunnah is that he should sit with his back towards Qiblah so that the listeners can sit facing Qiblah.

At the end, a very important thing that will increase devotion! In Pakistan, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, etc. when a person faces Ka’bah, at the same time, he also faces Madinah Munawwarah, so one should also add this intention, ‘I turn my face towards Madinah Munawwarah as a token of reverence’.

Baythnay ka haseeⁿ qareenah hay

Rukh udher hay jidher Madinah hay

Ru-baru mayray Khana-e-Ka’bah

Aur afkaar mayn Madinah hay

صَلُّوْا عَلَی الْحَبِیْب! صَلَّی اللہُ تَعَالٰی عَلٰی مُحَمَّد