Every Nation has a Qiblah
Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas said:
﴿æóáößõáøò æöÌúåóÉñ åõæó ãõæóáøöíåóÇ﴾
(For every nation there is a direction to which they face (in their prayers))
"This talks about followers of the various religions. Hence, every nation and tribe has its own Qiblah that they choose, while Allah's appointed Qiblah is what the believers face.''
Abul-`Aliyah said, "The Jew has a direction to which he faces (in the prayer). The Christian has a direction to which he faces. Allah has guided you, O (Muslim) Ummah, to a Qiblah which is the true Qiblah.'' This statement was also related to Mujahid, `Ata' Ad-Dahhak, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, As-Suddi, and others.
This last Ayah is similar to what Allah said:
﴿áößõáøò ÌóÚóáúäóÇ ãöäßõãú ÔöÑúÚóÉð æóãöäúåóÜÌÇð æóáóæú ÔóÂÁó Çááøóåõ áóÌóÚóáóßõãú ÃõãøóÉð æóÍöÏóÉð æóáóÜßöä áøöíóÈúáõæóßõãú Ýöì ãó ÁóÇÊóÜßõã ÝóÇÓúÊóÈöÞõæÇ ÇáÎóíúÑóÇÊö Åöáóì Çááå ãóÑúÌöÚõßõãú ÌóãöíÚÇð﴾
(To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way. If Allah had willed, He would have made you one nation, but that (He) may test you in what He has given you; so compete in good deeds. The return of you (all) is to Allah.) (5:48)
In the Ayah (2:148), Allah said:
﴿Ãóíúäó ãóÇ ÊóßõæäõæÇú íóÃúÊö Èößõãõ Çááøóåõ ÌóãöíÚðÇ Åöäøó Çááøóåó Úóáóì ßõáøö ÔóìúÁò ÞóÏöíÑñ﴾
(Wheresoever you may be, Allah will bring you together (on the Day of Resurrection). Truly, Allah is able to do all things.) meaning: He is able to gather you from the earth even if your bodies and flesh disintegrated and scattered.
﴿æóãöäú ÍóíúËõ ÎóÑóÌúÊó Ýóæóáøö æóÌúåóßó ÔóØúÑó ÇáúãóÓúÌöÏö ÇáúÍóÑóÇãö æóÅöäøóåõ áóáúÍóÞøõ ãöä ÑøóÈøößó æóãóÇ Çááøóåõ ÈöÛóÜÝöáò ÚóãøóÇ ÊóÚúãóáõæäó - æóãöäú ÍóíúËõ ÎóÑóÌúÊó Ýóæóáøö æóÌúåóßó ÔóØúÑó ÇáúãóÓúÌöÏö ÇáúÍóÑóÇãö æóÍóíúËõ ãóÇ ßõäÊõãú ÝóæóáøõæÇú æõÌõæåóßõãú ÔóØúÑóåõ áöÆóáÇøó íóßõæäó áöáäøóÇÓö Úóáóíúßõãú ÍõÌøóÉñ ÅöáÇøó ÇáøóÐöíäó ÙóáóãõæÇú ãöäúåõãú ÝóáÇó ÊóÎúÔóæúåõãú æóÇÎúÔóæúäöì æóáÇøñÊöãøó äöÚúãóÊöì Úóáóíúßõãú æóáóÚóáøóßõãú ÊóåúÊóÏõæäó ﴾
(149. And from wheresoever you start forth (for prayers), turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid Al-Haram (at Makkah), that is indeed the truth from your Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what you do.) (150. And from wheresoever you start forth (for prayers), turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid Al-Haram (at Makkah), and wheresoever you are, turn your faces towards it (when you pray) so that men may have no argument against you except those of them that are wrongdoers, so fear them not, but fear Me! Ü And so that I may complete My blessings on you and that you may be guided.)