The qibla direction: a mosque slightly off the Pole Star

Question

(1) There is a Friday mosque (jami‘ masjid) built about one hundred and three years ago. Recently the worshippers were suffering great hardship in it because of its narrowness. For the purpose of expansion and new construction the mosque was demolished, and in straightening it relative to the original foundation, the north-western corner was advanced three cubits towards the west and the south-eastern corner was moved three cubits towards the east; yet some difference from the Qutb (the Pole Star) still remained.

Answer

Such a slight difference does no harm to the prayer. However, if it could not be corrected in the rebuilding, then the markings of the rows should be drawn correctly in the mosque and the direction corrected in accordance with them; there is no need to demolish the mosque and build it anew.

Source: Fatawa Mahmudiyya

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