۞سَيَقُولُ ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ مِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَا وَلَّىٰهُمۡ عَن قِبۡلَتِهِمُ ٱلَّتِي كَانُواْ عَلَيۡهَاۚ قُل لِّلَّهِ ٱلۡمَشۡرِقُ وَٱلۡمَغۡرِبُۚ يَهۡدِي مَن يَشَآءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٖ مُّسۡتَقِيمٖ
١٤٢
The fools
(pagans, hypocrites, and Jews) among the people will say, "What has turned them
(Muslims) from their Qiblah
[prayer direction (towards Jerusalem)] to which they were used to face in prayer." Say,
(O Muhammad ﷺ) "To Allah belong both, east and the west. He guides whom He wills to a Straight Way."
(142)
وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلۡنَٰكُمۡ أُمَّةٗ وَسَطٗا لِّتَكُونُواْ شُهَدَآءَ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ ٱلرَّسُولُ عَلَيۡكُمۡ شَهِيدٗاۗ وَمَا جَعَلۡنَا ٱلۡقِبۡلَةَ ٱلَّتِي كُنتَ عَلَيۡهَآ إِلَّا لِنَعۡلَمَ مَن يَتَّبِعُ ٱلرَّسُولَ مِمَّن يَنقَلِبُ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيۡهِۚ وَإِن كَانَتۡ لَكَبِيرَةً إِلَّا عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ هَدَى ٱللَّهُۗ وَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيُضِيعَ إِيمَٰنَكُمۡۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِٱلنَّاسِ لَرَءُوفٞ رَّحِيمٞ
١٤٣
Thus We have made you
[true Muslims - real believers of Islamic Monotheism, true followers of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ and his Sunnah (legal ways)], a Wasat
(just) (and the best) nation, that you be witnesses over mankind and the Messenger
(Muhammad ﷺ) be a witness over you. And We made the Qiblah
(prayer direction towards Jerusalem) which you used to face, only to test those who followed the Messenger
(Muhammad ﷺ) from those who would turn on their heels
(i.e. disobey the Messenger). Indeed it was great
(heavy) except for those whom Allah guided. And Allah would never make your faith
(prayers) to be lost
(i.e. your prayers offered towards Jerusalem). Truly, Allah is full of kindness, the Most Merciful towards mankind.
(143)
قَدۡ نَرَىٰ تَقَلُّبَ وَجۡهِكَ فِي ٱلسَّمَآءِۖ فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبۡلَةٗ تَرۡضَىٰهَاۚ فَوَلِّ وَجۡهَكَ شَطۡرَ ٱلۡمَسۡجِدِ ٱلۡحَرَامِۚ وَحَيۡثُ مَا كُنتُمۡ فَوَلُّواْ وُجُوهَكُمۡ شَطۡرَهُۥۗ وَإِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ لَيَعۡلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ ٱلۡحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّهِمۡۗ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَٰفِلٍ عَمَّا يَعۡمَلُونَ
١٤٤
Verily! We have seen the turning of your
(Muhammad's ﷺ) face towards the heaven. Surely, We shall turn you to a Qiblah
(prayer direction) that shall please you, so turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid- al-Haram
(at Makkah). And wheresoever you people are, turn your faces
(in prayer) in that direction. Certainly, the people who were given the Scriptures
(i.e. Jews and the Christians) know well that, that
(your turning towards the direction of the Ka'bah at Makkah in prayers) is the truth from their Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what they do.
(144)
وَلَئِنۡ أَتَيۡتَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ بِكُلِّ ءَايَةٖ مَّا تَبِعُواْ قِبۡلَتَكَۚ وَمَآ أَنتَ بِتَابِعٖ قِبۡلَتَهُمۡۚ وَمَا بَعۡضُهُم بِتَابِعٖ قِبۡلَةَ بَعۡضٖۚ وَلَئِنِ ٱتَّبَعۡتَ أَهۡوَآءَهُم مِّنۢ بَعۡدِ مَا جَآءَكَ مِنَ ٱلۡعِلۡمِ إِنَّكَ إِذٗا لَّمِنَ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ
١٤٥
And even if you were to bring to the people of the Scripture
(Jews and Christians) all the Ayat
(proofs, evidences, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), they would not follow your Qiblah
(prayer direction), nor are you going to follow their Qiblah
(prayer direction). And they will not follow each other's Qiblah
(prayer direction). Verily, if you follow their desires after that which you have received of knowledge
(from Allah), then indeed you will be one of the Zalimun
(polytheists, wrong-doers, etc.).
(145)
ٱلَّذِينَ ءَاتَيۡنَٰهُمُ ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ يَعۡرِفُونَهُۥ كَمَا يَعۡرِفُونَ أَبۡنَآءَهُمۡۖ وَإِنَّ فَرِيقٗا مِّنۡهُمۡ لَيَكۡتُمُونَ ٱلۡحَقَّ وَهُمۡ يَعۡلَمُونَ
١٤٦
Those to whom We gave the Scripture
(Jews and Christians) recognise him
(Muhammad ﷺ or the Ka'bah at Makkah) as they recongise their sons. But verily, a party of them conceal the truth while they know it -
[i.e. the qualities of Muhammad ﷺ which are written in the Taurat (Torah) and the Injeel (Gospel)].
(146)
ٱلۡحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ فَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ ٱلۡمُمۡتَرِينَ
١٤٧
(This is) the truth from your Lord. So be you not one of those who doubt.
(147)
