Before the Kaaba, which city did Muslims face as the qibla?

Before the Kaaba, Muslims faced Jerusalem as the qibla, or prayer direction.

Early Muslims in Arabia prayed toward Jerusalem before the direction was changed toward the Kaaba in Mecca. The Quran describes this change and presents it as a significant event in the formation of the Muslim community’s distinct religious identity.

The direction was changed during Muhammad’s lifetime after the migration to Medina. The commonly cited date is 2 AH, corresponding approximately to 624 CE, though historians discuss the chronology and details of the event using Islamic textual sources.

Jerusalem remains one of Islam’s most important holy cities, especially because of the Al-Aqsa Mosque and the wider sanctuary known as Al-Haram al-Sharif. The earlier qibla should not be confused with the current direction: Muslims today orient prayer toward the Kaaba, with the exact bearing varying by location on Earth.