Suppose we're in the future, and humanity has colonized the Moon. Which direction would we pray in on the Moon?
2 Answers
Towards the Earth. Facing the qiblah doesn't have a particular direction, it's different for whatever place you're in.
وَلِلَّهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَالْمَغْرِبُ ۚ فَأَيْنَمَا تُوَلُّوا فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ
And to Allah belongs the east and the west. So wherever you turn, there is the Face of Allah . Indeed, Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing. (Quran 2:115)
لَّيْسَ الْبِرَّ أَن تُوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ قِبَلَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ وَلَٰكِنَّ الْبِرَّ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالْكِتَابِ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ وَآتَى الْمَالَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِ ذَوِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَالْيَتَامَىٰ وَالْمَسَاكِينَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ وَالسَّائِلِينَ وَفِي الرِّقَابِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَى الزَّكَاةَ وَالْمُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِهِمْ إِذَا عَاهَدُوا ۖ وَالصَّابِرِينَ فِي الْبَأْسَاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ وَحِينَ الْبَأْسِ ۗ أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا ۖ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُتَّقُونَ
Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah , the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask [for help], and for freeing slaves; [and who] establishes prayer and gives zakah; [those who] fulfill their promise when they promise; and [those who] are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the righteous. (Quran 2:117)
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Sorry but your answer does not answer the question. How do you
face
earth from another planet? Moon orbits earth at a speed of over 1,000 m/s.– user12537Sep 5, 2015 at 23:39 -
1The moon is not a planet. And we only see one side of the moon, which is the only side people have discussed settling upon. It's called tidal locking.– SayyidSep 6, 2015 at 9:16
I have copied Sayyid's answer because it already is the perfect answer. I just wanted to add a few things to it:
Towards the Earth. Facing the qiblah doesn't have a particular direction, it's different for whatever place you're in.
وَلِلَّهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَالْمَغْرِبُ ۚ فَأَيْنَمَا تُوَلُّوا فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ اللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ
And to Allah belongs the east and the west. So wherever you turn, there is the Face of Allah . Indeed, Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing. (Quran 2:115)
Comment: Earth is Temporary Heaven created by Allah SWT for human beings when you compare earth with all the planets and the stars in the universe. Not even ISS (International Space Station) supports life as we all enjoy it on earth because Allah SWT gifted human beings with countless blessings. We can keep counting how beautifully Allaah SWT has supported life on earth but we will get tired, and still won't be able to thank Allaah SWT enough. Our knowledge of how the life on earth is sustained is still very limited. Allaah SWT says that He hasn't created anything useless. Scientists have proven that Gamma Rays etc. from space sometimes hit us on earth. A person needs to at least take advantage of what human beings do know about life and how it is sustained. Watch at least twenty 1 hour documentaries about how many systems come together to support life, only then You will have a glimpse of what it takes to be alive.
لَّيْسَ الْبِرَّ أَن تُوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ قِبَلَ الْمَشْرِقِ وَالْمَغْرِبِ وَلَٰكِنَّ الْبِرَّ مَنْ آمَنَ بِاللَّهِ وَالْيَوْمِ الْآخِرِ وَالْمَلَائِكَةِ وَالْكِتَابِ وَالنَّبِيِّينَ وَآتَى الْمَالَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِ ذَوِي الْقُرْبَىٰ وَالْيَتَامَىٰ وَالْمَسَاكِينَ وَابْنَ السَّبِيلِ وَالسَّائِلِينَ وَفِي الرِّقَابِ وَأَقَامَ الصَّلَاةَ وَآتَى الزَّكَاةَ وَالْمُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِهِمْ إِذَا عَاهَدُوا ۖ وَالصَّابِرِينَ فِي الْبَأْسَاءِ وَالضَّرَّاءِ وَحِينَ الْبَأْسِ ۗ أُولَٰئِكَ الَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا ۖ وَأُولَٰئِكَ هُمُ الْمُتَّقُونَ
Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allah , the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask [for help], and for freeing slaves; [and who] establishes prayer and gives zakah; [those who] fulfill their promise when they promise; and [those who] are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the righteous. (Quran 2:117)
Comment: Kabaa / Kibla is only a direction and because it's just 1 direction so all the Muslims turn towards it so there's no conflict of positions while praying. Imagine if Islam had not told all the believers to turn towards the Kabaa when praying. Some would turn towards east, others towards west, some towards the north and south, therefore, creating a chaos in the Mosque for everybody while praying.
Once You don't have a clue about the direction of the Kaaba then You are permitted to pray in any direction because The GOD looks at your intentions and not on the positions.