This unnamed man was one of the Jews of Madinah when the qibla was changed from Bayt al-Maqdis to the Ka'bah, some fifteen or sixteen months after the Hijrah. The change caused confusion among Muslims, Jews and idolaters alike, as the Qur'an foretold: "The foolish people will begin questioning, 'Why have they turned away from the qibla that they were upon?'" [2:142]. This man used it to question the Prophet ﷺ's prophethood: "If this man is a prophet, why is he praying one day facing north and the other day south?" Allah answered such objections in Surah al-Baqarah, which also explained the principle of abrogation.
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