Imām Ibn al-Jawzī (d. 597/1201) summarized the scholars' opinions in his book "Zād al-Masīr" as follows:

1. The Jews. [Al-Barāʾ ibn ʿĀzib, Mujāhid, Saʿīd ibn Jubayr]
2. The people of Makkah. [Abū Ṣāliḥ from Ibn ʿAbbās]
3. The hypocrites. [Al-Suddī from Ibn Masʿūd and Ibn ʿAbbās]

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Ibn al-Jawzī: It is possible that all these groups made the statement, and the verse was revealed after the change of the Qiblah.

Who are being referred to as "fools" (*sufahāʾ*) in this āyah?

Imām Ibn al-Jawzī (d. 597/1201) summarized the scholars' opinions in his book "Zād al-Masīr" as follows:

1. Sixteen or seventeen months. [Al-Barāʾ ibn ʿĀzib]
2. Seventeen months. [Ibn ʿAbbās]
3. Thirteen months. [Muʿādh ibn Jabal]
4. Nine or ten months. [Anas ibn Mālik]
5. Sixteen months. [via Qatādah]
6. Eighteen months. [via Qatādah]

How long did the Prophet (ﷺ) pray towards Jerusalem before changing Qiblah?

Imām Ibn al-Jawzī (d. 597/1201) summarized the scholars' opinions in his book "Zād al-Masīr" as follows:

1. It was by the command and revelation of Allah. [Ibn ʿAbbās, Ibn Jurayj]
2. It was based on his own reasoning and judgment. [Al-Ḥasan, Abū al-ʿĀliyah, ʿIkrimah, al-Rabīʿ] Additionally, Qatādah states that initially, people were free to face any direction in prayer based on the verse: "To Allah belong the east and the west" (Al-Baqarah: 115) but then the Prophet (ﷺ) commanded them to face Jerusalem.

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Regarding the reason why the Prophet Muḥammad (ﷺ) initially chose to face Jerusalem in prayer, there are two opinions:

a. To win the favor of the People of the Book (Jews and Christians). This was mentioned by some of the commentators.
b. To test the Arabs by having them pray in a direction other than what they were accustomed to. [Al-Zajjāj]

Did the Prophet (ﷺ) face Jerusalem based on revelation, or was it by his own judgement?