Praying towards Mecca

[Anonymous]

Is it true that the Prophet originally prayed facing Jerusalem, but after becoming disenchanted with the Jews living at that time in Arabia changed to face*******Mecca?[&quot;The Life of Mohammed&quot; by Washington Irving].</p>

******* Also, in view of the present article concerning idolatory as practiced by Hindus[concerning Bollywood], doesn't the ritual of*******muslims circling*******the Kabba Stone during*******the hadj come uncomfortably close to this?</p>

[Samira]

Is it true that the Prophet originally prayed facing Jerusalem, but after becoming disenchanted with the Jews living at that time in Arabia changed to face Mecca?

Yes, muslims did originally pray towards jerusalem. This is because at the time, the Kaba was full of the pagan Makkans' idols. Once it had been cleaned of this, the new prayer direction was changed to the kaba, by the command of Allah. I'm not aware of it having anything to do with the jews.

Also, in view of the present article concerning idolatory as practiced by Hindus[concerning Bollywood], doesn't the ritual of muslims circling the Kabba Stone during the hadj come uncomfortably close to this?

No. There is no idolatory there. How did you figure that out? We circle the kaba because that is what Allah SWT has commanded us to do, as was originially practiced by the prophets Ibrahim and Isma'il (alaihimus-salam).