• Prayers & Duties >> Salah (Prayer)

    Question ID: 146626Country: India

    Title: Qibla direction for namaz while travelling in bus

    Question: (1) Many times I come across situation, that time left for namaz (Asar/Maghrib namaz) is very less. So I need to offer fardh namaz in bus (from work to reaching home) and bus goes from west towards east direction (Qiblah for our locality is in the west). But my sitting position in the bus is such that Qiblah occurs in opposite direction in this position. Can I offer namaz facing this direction (Namaz direction in east)? (2) Is this niyat for namaz “I offer fardh namaz of Maghrib 3 rakat, my face towards Kabah" correct? (3) Standing in running bus is hard so can I offer namaz sitting (fardh namaz)?

    Answer ID: 146626

    Bismillah hir-Rahman nir-Rahim !

    (Fatwa: 432/469/M=4/1438)

    (1) Facing Qiblah is a condition for the validity of salah. When you know that the bus is heading towards east and the Qiblah is towards west then it shall not be lawful for you to offer salah facing towards east. If the position of sitting is in opposite direction then you should change your sitting position towards Qiblah. If it is difficult for you to offer salah standing then you should offer as you wish and then reoffer the salah when you reach home.

    (2) Yes, it is correct to make intention in this way.

    (3) See answer number 1 for the same.

    Allah (Subhana Wa Ta'ala) knows Best

    Darul Ifta,

    Darul Uloom Deoband, India