Islam and Peace
The Policy of Peace in Islam How to attain normalcy in Jerusalem
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When this injunction regarding the Qiblah
(direction of prayer) was revealed, 360 idols were
still in position in the Ka’bah, at that time a long-
established centre of polytheism. The presence of
these idols must certainly have made Muslims feel
reluctant to face in the direction of the Ka’bah at
prayer time. How could believers in monotheism
turn their faces towards what was, in effect, a
structure strongly associated with polytheism? It is
significant that along with the change of Qiblah
came the injunction to treat this problem as a matter
requiring patience, and not to hesitate in facing the
Ka’bah: “O believers, seek assistance in prayer. God
is with those who are patient” (2:153).
As history tells us, this state of affairs continued for
six long years, till the conquest of Mecca (630) when
the Ka’bah was cleared of idols. This establishes a
very important principle of Islam which may be
termed as Al fasl bayn al-qaziyatayn, that is, the
separation of two different facets of a problem from
each other. According to this principle, the Ka’bah
and the idols were given separate consideration. By
remaining patient on the issue of the presence of the
