Was there a prayer before the era of the Messenger, and how was it, and is it similar to our current prayer?

Scholars differed regarding the Prophet’s first Qibla (direction of prayer), some saying it was Jerusalem and then changed to the Kaaba, while others said it was the Kaaba from the beginning. Prayer was obligatory upon previous nations, but its manner differed. This Ummah (Muslim nation) is distinguished by the validity of prayer in any place, whereas in previous nations it was restricted to specific places. Prayer was enjoined upon our Prophet on the night of Al-Isra’ (the Night Journey) about five years before the Hijra (migration).