CIRA international explore early Muslim dilemma; praying to Jerusalem?

In answer to the video "The Unknown History of Islam 04 - Modern Mecca, Ancient Qibla"

In Medina, when the prophet and the Muslims prayed northward they could not afford the opportunity of praying with the Kaaba in front of them anymore, like they did in Mecca. In addition their backs were now turned to the Kaaba when facing Jerusalem. This matter greatly disturbed them. They had in addition to contend with the annoying talk of the people of the book who saw in this a proof of themselves being on the right path, and that the Muslims were trying to compete with them in this regard. But they are told

2:145"even if you bring to those who have been given the Book every sign they would not follow your qibla, nor can you be a follower of their qibla, neither are they the followers of each other's qibla, and if you follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, then you shall most surely be among the unjust".

The prophet is told that no sign will make the rejectors among the people of the book follow his qibla since their confusion and prejudice is so deep that, although they read the same scriptures, they follow divergent qibla (ways) and accuse eachother of being misguided 2:113.

This early Medinian period was a means of seperating the obedient from the disobedient just as all the previous hardships and sacrifices seperated the believers from others, the submissive from the arrogant. The Muslims were not only uprooted from their homes but had now lost the comforting sight of what they regarded as their spiritual center

2:144"Indeed We see the turning of your face in heaven, so We shall surely turn you to a qibla which you shall like".

The experience was so difficult that the prophet's face was in heaven, conveying the picture that Muhammad was anxiously awaiting the day the qibla would be restored to its original foundation to the extent that it was as if he was in heaven, awaiting for the command. We can almost feel the restrained desire of the Prophet and his reluctance even to say a prayer that reflected his desire. TSuch a decision is one that is only up to God and the servants cannot but patiently endure that hard trial. After several months of waiting, the command for changing the Qibla was finally revealed. It was while the Prophet was praying the noon prayer and he had already performed only two rak'at of the prayer in Bani-Salim Mosque towards the direction of Jerusalem. According to tradition Gabriel took his arm, turning his body so as to make him face the direction of the Kaaba. At the same time Muslims immediately changed their rows, too. Because they had to face southward, the women had to change place and stand in rows behind the men.

In Medina and aproximately a year after the Hijra, the first Temple of monotheism, the Kaaba, was thus definitively established as the Muslims' qibla

2:144"turn then your face towards the Sacred Mosque, and wherever you are, turn your face towards it, and those who have been given the Book most surely know that it is the truth from their Lord; and Allah is not at all heedless of what they do".

This SECOND change of qibla, from Jerusalem towards/ash-Shatr the Kaaba in Mecca was an event of greatest religious significance, and one of the most important commandments given to the Muslims, further cementing their unity and fulfilling the promise made to Ibrahim and Ismail as they were building the Temple long ago. The unity of the divine is thus reflected in the unified manner in which the prayer is performed, which obviously would not be the case if every individual prayed toward a separate direction or in dispersive rows. Wherever Muslims are, they are to turn towards the direction of the sacred Mosque 2:146-150.

This obviously implies during the act of ritual prayers, unless one wants to believe that the verse is telling Muslims to constantly live facing a specific direction. Only one location is said to be dedicated to those performing the ritual prayers, as well as the pilgrimage and it is the Kaaba, Becca, the Ancient House and al masjid al haram, all names referring to one same place with the definite article 2:125,158,196,9:19,22:26,29. This unquestionably links the Kaaba with some of the most important rituals of Islam.

The verses 2:142-152 dealt with all the controversies surrounding the 2 qibla changes, comforting the believers and preparing their minds for the ultimate change of qibla. This was done first by revealing the story of Ibrahim, the various honors bestowed on him by Allah, as well as the honor accorded to his son, Ismail; their prayers for the Kaaba and Mecca, as well as for a prophet and a nation submitted in Islam; their construction of the House and the order then received to cleanse it for the sole worship of Allah, by all the nations, until the Day of Resurrection 5:97,22:25-7.

If Ibrahim's seed was to be blessed in Ismail's progeny, as even stated in the Torah, it was necessary that the new Spiritual Centre should be the house built and purified by Ibrahim and Ismail, and make their nation the inheritors of all those Divine blessings which had been promised to the seed of Abraham.

This ultimate establishement of the Kaaba as the Muslims' Qibla is firstly alluded to in 2:142 (future tense) with an anticipation of the fools' reaction to the command; why would the Muslims turn away from Jerusalem if it was a correct qibla and why had they not always faced the Kaaba if it was the original and true qibla? It then goes back to the past 2:143 with a reminder of how changing the old qibla was a big issue except to the rightly guided and the passage ends with 2:144 establishing the Kaaba as the definite qibla. It is obvious 2:142-144 were revealed at once. It ends the previous test of knowing

2:143"who follows the footsteps of the messenger from who turns upside down on the back of his feet"

by establishing the Kaaba as the final qibla 2:144.