Liaison office of Grand Ayatullah Sayyid Ali Al Sistani (L.M.H.L) in London, Europe, North and South America.
784. Our Qibla is the holy Ka'bah, which is situated in Makkah, and
one should offer one's prayers facing it. However, a person who is far, would
stand in such a manner that people would say that he is praying facing the
Qibla, and that would suffice. This also applies to other acts which should be
performed facing the Qibla like, while slaughtering an animal etc.
785. A person offering obligatory prayers while standing should have
his chest and stomach facing the Qibla, and his face should not digress from
Qibla, and the recommended precaution is that the toes of his feet should also
be facing Qibla.
786. If a person offers prayers while sitting, it is necessary that
his face, chest and stomach face the Qibla.
787. If a person cannot offer prayers in the sitting posture, he
should lie on the right hand side in such a manner that the front part of the
body would face the Qibla. And if that is not possible, he should lie on the
left hand side in such a manner that the front part of his body would face the
Qibla. And if even that is not possible, he should lie on his back in such a
manner, that the sole of his feet face the Qibla.
788. Namaz-e-Ihtiyat, and forgotten Sajdah, and forgotten tashahhud
should all be offered facing the Qibla, and on the basis of recommended
precaution, Sajda-e-Sahv should also be offered facing the Qibla.
789. A Mustahab namaz can be offered while one is walking, or riding,
and if a person offers Mustahab prayers in these two conditions, it is not
necessary that he should be facing the Qibla.
790. A person who wishes to offer prayers, should make efforts to
ascertain the direction of Qibla, and for that, he has to either be absolutely
sure, or acquire such information as may amount to certainty, like testimony of
two reliable persons. If that is not possible, he should form an idea from the
Niche (Mehrab) of the Masjid or from the graves of the Muslims, or by other
ways, and act accordingly. In fact, if a non-Muslim who can determine Qibla by
scientific method, indicates Qibla satisfactorily, he can be relied upon.
791. If a person, who has a mere surmise about Qibla, and is in a
position to have a better idea, he should not act on that guess work. For
example, if a guest has an idea about the direction of Qibla on the statement of
the owner of the house, but feels that he can acquire a firmer knowledge about
Qibla by some means, he should not act on his host's words.
792. If a person does not possess any means of determining the
direction of Qibla, or in spite of his efforts, he cannot form an idea about it,
it will be sufficient for him to offer his prayers facing any direction. And the
recommended precaution is that, if he has sufficient time at his disposal, he
should offer the same prayers 4 times, each time facing every one of the four
directions.
793. If a person is sure or guesses that Qibla is on one of the two
directions, he should offer prayers facing both.
794. If a person has to offer prayers facing a few direction, and
wants to offer two prayers like Zuhr prayers and Asr prayers, which should be
offered one after the other, the recommended precaution is that he should offer
the first namaz facing those few directions, and then commence the second
prayers.
795. If a person who is not certain about the direction of Qibla,
wishes to perform acts other than namaz, which should be done facing the Qibla
like, slaughtering an animal, he should act according to his surmise about the
direction of Qibla , and if that does not seem possible, then performing the act
facing any direction will be valid.