Question:
The only masjid in my village deviated from the Qiblah by many degrees, more than 50 degrees. Is it upon me to attend the congregational prayer in this Masjid? How do we pin point the level of deviation which invalidates the prayer?
Answer:
If it was known that the Masjid has deviated, with a complete deviation from the Qiblah, and in the likes of the degrees mentioned, the level of deviation is big, yes. So there is no prayer in it, except if they face the Qiblah in the Masjid, not towards the direction which is in the Masjid. They are to remain in their Masjid and they are to face the Qiblah whilst they are praying in their Masjid, and their prayer is valid.
As for if they prayed after having the knowledge, in that Masjid, that they are facing completely away from the Qiblah, whilst they know this, then the prayer is not valid.
Based upon the statement of Allah the mighty and majestic:
(فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِۚ وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنتُمْ فَوَلُّوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُۥۗ)
“So turn your face toward al-Masjid al-Haram. And wherever you [believers] are, turn your faces toward it [in prayer].” [Al-Baqarah:144]
And the Hadith of the one who prayed improperly, that the Prophet ﷺ said:
“If you stand then face the Qiblah”
This is from the pillars of the prayer, I.e. the facing of the Qiblah, because it is mentioned in the Hadith of the one who prayed improperly amongst 12 or 14 pillars, from it is this.
As for those that say:
“Between the East and the West is Qiblah”
Whilst intentionally praying to other than the Qiblah, and having knowledge through certain present means that this is an evident complete deviation away from the Qiblah, not something small, this Fatwa is not correct, it’s rebuttal is by the aforementioned proofs.
Answered by: Shaykh, the Allamah, the Trustworthy Advisor, Abu Abdirrahman Yahya bin Ali Al-Hajuri – may Allah preserve him
Source: https://t.me/sh_yahia_duroos/12327
Translated by: Abu ‘Abdirrahman ‘Abdullaah bin Ahmed Ash-Shingaani