Turning from Jerusalem to Mecca: A Symbolic Break? No Record

There is no historical or theological source describing the change of qibla (prayer direction) from Jerusalem to Mecca as a "symbolic break with the past."

The qibla change occurred in 624 CE (2 AH), ~16 months after the Hijra, per Qur'an 2:144. It signified:

• Distinct Muslim identity separate from Jewish/Christian practice.
• Affirmation of Mecca/Kaaba as the primordial monotheistic center (Ibrahimic).
• Unity of the ummah facing one direction.

It was a divine command, not a human symbolic gesture. The phrase "symbolic break with the past" does not appear in classical tafsir, sira, or hadith literature.