حَدَّثَنَا عَبْدُ الْوَهَّابِ بْنُ عِيسَى ، نا أَبُو هَاشِمٍ الرِّفَاعِيُّ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ يَزِيدَ ، نا أَبُو بَكْرِ بْنُ عَيَّاشٍ ، ثنا أَبُو إِسْحَاقَ ، عَنِ الْبَرَاءِ ، قَالَ : " صَلَّيْنَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ بَعْدَ قُدُومِهِ الْمَدِينَةَ سِتَّةَ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا نَحْوَ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ ، ثُمَّ عَلِمَ اللَّهُ سُبْحَانَهُ هَوَى نَبِيِّهِ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ ، فنزلت : قَدْ نَرَى تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي السَّمَاءِ فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبْلَةً تَرْضَاهَا فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ سورة البقرة آية 144 ، فَأَمَرَهُ أَنْ يُوَلِّيَ إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ ، وَمَرَّ عَلَيْنَا رَجُلٌ وَنَحْنُ نُصَلِّي نَحْوَ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ ، فَقَالَ : إِنَّ نَبِيَّكُمْ صَلَّى اللَّهُ عَلَيْهِ وَسَلَّمَ قَدْ حَوَّلَ وَجْهَهُ إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ ، فَتَوَجَّهْنَا إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ وَقَدْ صَلَّيْنَا رَكْعَتَيْنِ " .
Sayyiduna Bara’ (may Allah be pleased with him) narrates: After the arrival of the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) in Madinah Munawwarah, for about sixteen months we used to perform prayers facing Bayt al-Maqdis, following him. Allah Almighty was aware of His Prophet’s desire. He revealed this verse: “We see the turning of your face towards the sky; We shall surely turn you to a Qiblah that will please you, so turn your face towards Masjid al-Haram.” Allah commanded the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allah be upon him) to face the Ka‘bah. The narrator says: A man passed by us while we were performing prayer facing Bayt al-Maqdis. He informed us: “Your Prophet has turned his face towards the Ka‘bah.” So we turned our faces towards the Ka‘bah, even though we had already performed two rak‘ahs.