To Islamic believers in 624 why did Muhammed change the direction of prayer from Jerusalem to Mecca?

Question

Adia you are making assumtions about motivations...imagine that

Answer 1

The sun was in his eyes.

Answer 2

Face Mecca while praying. (Sura 2:144). Face Jerusalem while praying. Originally Muhammad instructed Muslims to face Jerusalem when praying; probably because Solomon established the practice of praying while facing Jerusalem (1 Kings 8:29, 30, 44; 2 Chronicles 6:21; Daniel 6:10). Apparently, Muhammad believed at first that God wanted him to pray facing Jerusalem and he did so for nearly 16-17 months - at least while he thought the he could convert the Jews to his religion. However, later, when the Jews rebuffed him Muhammad preferred to pray towards the Ka'ba in Mecca which, during this point in time, contained 360 idols.

Sahih Bukhari Volume 1, Book 8, Number 392:

Narrated Bara' bin 'Azib:
Allah's Apostle prayed facing Baitul-Maqdis for sixteen or seventeen months but he loved to face the Ka'ba (at Mecca) so Allah revealed: "Verily, We have seen the turning of your face to the heaven!" (2:144) So the Prophet faced the Ka'ba and the fools amongst the people namely "the Jews" said, "What has turned them from their Qibla (Bait-ul-Maqdis) which they formerly observed"" (Allah revealed): "Say: 'To Allah belongs the East and the West. He guides whom he will to a straight path'." (2:142) A man prayed with the Prophet (facing the Ka'ba) and went out. He saw some of the Ansar praying the 'Asr prayer with their faces towards Bait-ul-Maqdis, he said, "I bear witness that I prayed with Allah's Apostle facing the Ka'ba." So all the people turned their faces towards the Ka'ba.

Answer 3

It was the year 630 first off, and it was the year that he lead the army to reclaim Mecca from the Ethiopian invaders, who took the city in 571.

Answer 4

In Islamic belief, he was ordered to do that by God Himself in the following verse:
002-144 We have seen the turning of thy face to heaven . And now verily We shall make thee turn (in prayer) toward a qiblah which is dear to thee. So turn thy face toward the Inviolable Place of Worship, and ye (O Muslims), wheresoever ye may be, turn your faces (when ye pray) toward it. Lo! Those who have received the Scripture know that (this revelation) is the Truth from their Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what they do.
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Cheers & God Bless.

Answer 5

There was a lot of killing going on.

Answer 6

He's a thought, stop asking questions that you're not going to see or care about the answers.

Answer 7

god told him, an angle come down and told him to change it.