Situations in which the obligation to face the qiblah is waived

Perhaps the questioner
wants to know about the situations in which the obligation to face the
qiblah whilst praying is waived, and it is valid to face a direction other
than the qiblah. 

One of the conditions of prayer being valid is facing the
qiblah, and prayer is not valid without that, because Allaah has enjoined
that repeatedly in the Qur’aan. Allaah says (interpretation of the
meaning): 

“so turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid Al-Haraam
(at Makkah). And wheresoever you people are, turn your faces (in prayer) in
that direction”

[al-Baqarah 2:144] 

When the Prophet
(peace and blessings of Allaah be upon him) first came to Madeenah, he used
to pray facing towards al-Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem), with the Ka’bah behind
him and Syria in front of him. But after that he hoped [?} that Allaah would
change that, so he started lifting his face towards the heavens, looking for
Jibreel to come down with the Revelation telling him to turn towards the
Ka’bah, as Allaah says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“Verily, We have seen the turning of your (Muhammad’s)
face towards the heaven. Surely, We shall turn you to a Qiblah (prayer
direction) that shall please you, so turn your face in the direction of
Al-Masjid Al-Haraam (at Makkah)”[al-Baqarah 2:144] 

So Allaah commanded him to turn towards al-Masjid al-Haraam,
but there are three exceptions from that: 

1 – If a person is unable to do that, such as one who is sick
and is facing a direction other than the qiblah, and cannot turn to face it.
The duty to face towards the qiblah is waived in this case, because Allaah
says (interpretation of the meaning): 

“So keep your duty to Allaah and fear Him as much as you
can”

[al-Taghaabun 64:16] 

“Allaah burdens not a person beyond his scope”

[al-Baqarah 2:286] 

And the Prophet (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him) said: “If I command you to do a thing, then do as much of it as you
can.” Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 7288; Muslim, 1337. 

2 – If a person is a state of intense fear, such as one who
is fleeing from an enemy or from a wild animal, or from a flood which may
drown him. In that case he should pray no matter which direction he is
facing. The evidence for that is the verse in which Allaah says
(interpretation of the meaning): 

“And if you fear (an enemy), perform Salaah (pray) on foot
or riding. And when you are in safety, offer the Salaah (prayer) in the
manner He has taught you, which you knew not (before)”

[al-Baqarah 2:239] 

The phrase “if you fear” is general in meaning and
includes all kinds of fear. And the phrase “And when you are in safety,
offer the Salaah (prayer) in the manner He has taught you, which you knew
not (before)” indicates that whatever part of the prayer a person
omitted because of fear, there is no sin on him because of that – and that
includes facing towards the qiblah. 

This is also indicated by the two verses quoted above, and
the hadeeth in which it says that obligations are connected to one’s ability
to do them. 

3 – When offering naafil (supererogatory) prayers when
travelling, whether by plane, car or atop a camel; one may pray in whatever
direction one is facing. This applies to naafil prayers such as Witr, night
prayers (qiyaam), Duha and so on. 

The traveller should offer all the naafil prayers exactly
like one who is not travelling, except the regular Sunnah prayers such as
the Sunnahs of Zuhr, Maghrib and ‘Isha’. The Sunnah is not to offer these
prayers. 

If a person wants to offer naafil prayers whilst travelling,
he may offer them whatever direction he is facing. This is narrated in
al-Saheehayn from the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of
Allaah be upon him). 

In these three cases it is not obligatory to face towards the
qiblah. 

With regard to one who is
ignorant, he has to face towards the qiblah, but if he tries to work it out
then he finds out that he got it wrong, he does not have to repeat the
prayer. We do not say that the obligation to face the qiblah is waived,
rather he has to face the qiblah and he should try his best to do so. If he
does his best then finds out that he got it wrong, he does not have to
repeat his prayer. The evidence for that is the fact that the Sahaabah who
were unaware that the qiblah had been changed to the Ka’bah were praying
Fajr one day in the mosque of Quba’ when a man came to them and said:
“Qur’aan has been revealed to the Messenger of Allaah (peace and
blessings of Allaah be upon him) this night, and he has been commanded to
face towards the Ka’bah, so turn to face it.” They were facing towards Syria
and they turned to face towards the Ka’bah.

Narrated by al-Bukhaari, 304; Muslim, 526. 

After the Ka’bah had been behind them, they put it in front
of them, so they turned around but continued to pray. This happened at the
time of the Messenger of Allaah (peace and blessings of Allaah be upon
him), but he did not denounce it, so it is acceptable according to
sharee’ah, i.e., if a person makes a mistake in the direction of the qiblah
because he is unaware of it, he does not have to repeat the prayer, but if
he comes to know of it, even during the prayer, then he has to turn to face
the qiblah. 

Facing towards the qiblah is one of the conditions of prayer
without which the prayer is not valid, except in the three cases mentioned
above, unless a person makes a mistake after doing his best to find out. 

Majmoo’ Fataawa Ibn ‘Uthaymeen,
12/433-435 

And Allaah knows best.