Sahih al-Bukhari 4486
Narrated Al-Bara:
The Prophet (ﷺ) prayed facing Bait-ulMaqdis (i.e. Jerusalem) for sixteen or seventeen months but he 
wished that his Qibla would be the Ka`ba (at Mecca). (So Allah Revealed (2.144) and he offered `Asr 
prayers(in his Mosque facing Ka`ba at Mecca) and some people prayed with him. A man from among 
those who had prayed with him, went out and passed by some people offering prayer in another 
mosque, and they were in the state of bowing. He said, "I, (swearing by Allah,) testify that I have 
prayed with the Prophet (ﷺ) facing Mecca." Hearing that, they turned their faces to the Ka`ba while they 
were still bowing. Some men had died before the Qibla was changed towards the Ka`ba. They had 
been killed and we did not know what to say about them (i.e. whether their prayers towards Jerusalem 
were accepted or not). So Allah revealed:-- "And Allah would never make your faith (i.e. prayer) to be 
lost (i.e. your prayers offered (towards Jerusalem). Truly Allah is Full of Pity, Most Merciful towards 
mankind." (2.143)
حَدَّثَنَا أَبُو نُعَيْمٍ، سَمِعَ زُهَيْرًا، عَنْ أَبِي إِسْحَاقَ، عَنِ الْبَرَاءِ، رضى الله عنه أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم صَلَّى إِلَى بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ سِتَّةَ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا أَوْ سَبْعَةَ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا، وَكَانَ يُعْجِبُهُ أَنْ تَكُونَ قِبْلَتُهُ قِبَلَ الْبَيْتِ، وَإِنَّهُ صَلَّى ـ أَوْ صَلاَّهَا ـ صَلاَةَ الْعَصْرِ، وَصَلَّى مَعَهُ قَوْمٌ، فَخَرَجَ رَجُلٌ مِمَّنْ كَانَ صَلَّى مَعَهُ، فَمَرَّ عَلَى أَهْلِ الْمَسْجِدِ وَهُمْ رَاكِعُونَ قَالَ أَشْهَدُ بِاللَّهِ لَقَدْ صَلَّيْتُ مَعَ النَّبِيِّ صلى الله عليه وسلم قِبَلَ مَكَّةَ، فَدَارُوا كَمَا هُمْ قِبَلَ الْبَيْتِ، وَكَانَ الَّذِي مَاتَ عَلَى الْقِبْلَةِ قَبْلَ أَنْ تُحَوَّلَ قِبَلَ الْبَيْتِ رِجَالٌ قُتِلُوا لَمْ نَدْرِ مَا نَقُولُ فِيهِمْ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ ‏{‏وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُضِيعَ إِيمَانَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِالنَّاسِ لَرَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ ‏}‏