Masjid al-Qiblatayn: The Mosque of the Two Qiblas

For approximately 16-17 months after the Hijrah to Medine, Muslims prayed facing Jerusalem (Bayt al-Maqdis), following the practice of the earlier prophets. However, Hz. Peygamber Muhammad (sallallahu aleyhi ve sellem) desired that the qibla be changed to the Kabe in Mekke. The Kur'an records: 'We have certainly seen the turning of your face toward the heaven, and We will surely turn you to a qibla with which you will be pleased. So turn your face toward al-Mescid-i Haram' (2:144). This revelation came while Hz. Peygamber was leading namaz at what is now known as Masjid al-Qiblatayn. The congregation turned from facing Jerusalem (north) to facing Mekke (south) mid-namaz — an unprecedented event that gave the cami its unique name.

The changing of the qibla was far more than a directional adjustment — it was a defining moment in Islamic identity. It established the Kabe as the universal direction of Muslim namaz, connecting the Muslim Ummah to the Ibrahimic tradition. It distinguished Islam as an independent religious tradition rather than a branch of Judaism or Christianity. It also served as a test of faith: some hypocrites and doubters used the change to question Hz. Peygamber's authority, while true believers accepted it as divine wisdom. The Kur'an addressed the controversy directly: 'The foolish among the people will say, What has turned them away from their qibla, which they used to face? Say: To Allah belongs the east and the west. He guides whom He wills to a straight path' (2:142).

Masjid al-Qiblatayn is located approximately 4 kilometers northwest of Masjid al-Nabawi. The original cami had two mihrabs (namaz niches) — one facing Jerusalem and one facing Mekke — symbolizing the transition. The cami has been renovated and expanded over the centuries, and the current structure is a modern building with two minarets and two domes, one white and one blue. It remains a functioning cami where the five daily namazs are held. For hacilar, visiting this cami is a tangible connection to one of the pivotal moments in early Islamic history.