Question:
I moved to cities 8 years ago and when I moved in my house I had checked the qibla and the book stated 25 degrees for London and all localities so I was praying in that direction for 8 years, a few days ago I checked on qiblalocator.com and there I viewed the qibla of my house and there it shows the qibla is 28 degrees for Leicester for 25 degrees meant I was praying facing slightly to the right and now 28.90 degrees means I am praying facing the left, please can you tell me what happens to the prayers I prayed in the last 8 years?.
Jazakallah khair.
Answer:
In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful.
As-salāmu ‘alaykum wa-rahmatullāhi wa-barakātuh.
When a person is in proximity to the Ka`bah and can see the Ka`bah, his Qiblah (direction for ṣalāh) is the actual Ka`bah itself.When a person is distant from the Ka`bah and cannot see the Ka`bah, his Qiblah is the direction of the Ka`bah.
A person should try to accurately face the Ka`bah to the best of his ability. However, facing upto 45 degrees away from the Ka`bah either way will not nullify one’s ṣalāh.
Therefore, the ṣalāh performed in the previous 8 years is valid.[1]
And Allah Ta’ālā Knows Best
Mufti Faraz Adam,
www.darulfiqh.com