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Sunan Ibn MajahEstablishing the Prayer and the Sunnah Regarding Them

Sunan Ibn Majah 1020

Chapter: Whoever performs Prayer facing a direction other than the Qiblah without realizing

Differing grades 4 scholars’ grades Sunan Ibn Majah 1020

Narrator:Amir ibn Rabī‘a

حَدَّثَنَا يَحْيَى بْنُ حَكِيمٍ، حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو دَاوُدَ، حَدَّثَنَا أَشْعَثُ بْنُ سَعِيدٍ أَبُو الرَّبِيعِ السَّمَّانُ، عَنْ عَاصِمِ بْنِ عُبَيْدِ اللَّهِ، عَنْ عَبْدِ اللَّهِ بْنِ عَامِرِ بْنِ رَبِيعَةَ، عَنْ أَبِيهِ، قَالَ

كُنَّا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ فِي سَفَرٍ فَتَغَيَّمَتِ السَّمَاءُ وَأَشْكَلَتْ عَلَيْنَا الْقِبْلَةُ فَصَلَّيْنَا وَأَعْلَمْنَا فَلَمَّا طَلَعَتِ الشَّمْسُ إِذَا نَحْنُ قَدْ صَلَّيْنَا لِغَيْرِ الْقِبْلَةِ فَذَكَرْنَا ذَلِكَ لِلنَّبِيِّ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ ‏{فَأَيْنَمَا تُوَلُّوا فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ اللَّهِ}‏ ‏.‏

It was narrated from ‘Abdullah bin ‘Amir bin Rabi’ah that his father said:

“We were with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) on a journey, and the sky was overcast so it was difficult for us to determine the Qiblah. So we performed prayer, and we marked the location.* Later, when the sun reappeared, we realized that we had prayed facing a direction other than the Qiblah. We mentioned that to the Prophet (ﷺ), then the Words were revealed: ‘So wherever you turn there is the Face of Allah.’” [2:115]

Reported by Ibn Majah (No. 1020).

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Classical commentary

Al-Sindi — Hashiyat al-Sindi on Sunan Ibn Majah

قَوْله ( وَأَعْلَمْنَا ) أَيْ وَضَعْنَا الْعَلَامَة عَلَى الْجِهَة الَّتِي صَلَّيْنَا إِلَيْهَا لِنَعْلَم أَنْ قَدْ أَصَبْنَا أَوْ أَخْطَأْنَا قَوْله ( فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّه إِلَخْ ) وَفِيهِ أَنَّ الْمُسَافِر إِذَا صَلَّى إِلَى جِهَة التَّحَرِّي تَصِحّ صَلَاته وَإِنْ ظَهَرَ أَنَّهُ أَخْطَأَ بَلْ ظَاهِر الْآيَة أَنَّهُ يَجُوز إِلَى أَيّ جِهَة شَاءَ لَكِنْ لَا بُدّ مِنْ الْحَمْل عَلَى مَا ذَكَرْنَا عَنْ الْعُلَمَاء وَاَللَّه أَعْلَم.…

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Scholars’ grades

The 4 scholars cited do not give the same grade: each one is shown below.

ScholarGradeApplies toWork
Al-Albanid. 1420 AH Good (hasan)Hasan The hadith No. 1020
Shu'ayb al-Arna'utd. 1438 AH Very weakVery Daif The hadith No. 1020
Zubair Ali Zaid. 1435 AH WeakDaif The hadith No. 1020
Muhammad Fu'ad Abd al-Baqid. 1388 AH Good (hasan)Hasan The hadith No. 1020

On the same subject

Differing grades Jami' at-Tirmidhi 345

We were with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) on a journey on a very dark night and we didn't know the direction of the Qiblah. So each man among us prayed in his own direction. In the morning, when we mentioned that to the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) the following verse was revealed: {So wherever you turn, there is the Face of Allah} [Sūrat al-Baqarah: 115]

‘Āmir ibn Rabī‘ah (may Allah be pleased with him) reported: We were with the Prophet (may Allah's peace and blessings be upon him) on a journey on a very dark night and we didn't know the direction of the Qiblah. So each man among us prayed in his own direction. In the morning, when we mentioned…

فَصَلَّى كُلُّ رَجُلٍ مِنَّا عَلَى حِيَالِهِ فَلَمَّا أَصْبَحْنَا ذَكَرْنَا ذَلِكَ لِلنَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم فَنَزَلَ‏:‏ ‏‏(‏فَأَيْنَمَا تُولُّوا فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ الله‏)‏ ‏

Narrated by Amir ibn Rabī‘a + 1 other version Explained

Verses cited

Sunday, October 18, 2026 7 جمادى الأولى 1448 هـ