Verses 142–151

Chapter 2: Al-Baqarah (The Cow) · Printed edition: Volume 2, pp. 129–161

سَيَقُولُ السُّفَهَاءُ مِنَ النَّاسِ مَا وَلَّاهُمْ عَنْ قِبْلَتِهِمُ الَّتِي كَانُوا عَلَيْهَا ۚ قُلْ لِلَّهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَالْمَغْرِبُ ۚ يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ ١٤٢ وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاءَ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًا ۗ وَمَا جَعَلْنَا الْقِبْلَةَ الَّتِي كُنْتَ عَلَيْهَا إِلَّا لِنَعْلَمَ مَنْ يَتَّبِعُ الرَّسُولَ مِمَّنْ يَنْقَلِبُ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيْهِ ۚ وَإِنْ كَانَتْ لَكَبِيرَةً إِلَّا عَلَى الَّذِينَ هَدَى اللَّهُ ۗ وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُضِيعَ إِيمَانَكُمْۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِالنَّاسِ لَرَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ ١٤٣ قَدْ نَرَىٰ تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي السَّمَاءِ ۖ فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبْلَةً تَرْضَاهَا ۚ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ ۚ وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنْتُمْ فَوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُ ۗ وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ لَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ ۗ وَمَا اللَّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا يَعْمَلُونَ ١٤٤ وَلَئِنْ أَتَيْتَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ بِكُلِّ آيَةٍ مَا تَبِعُوا قِبْلَتَكَ ۚ وَمَا أَنْتَ بِتَابِعٍ قِبْلَتَهُمْ ۚ وَمَا بَعْضُهُمْ بِتَابِعٍ قِبْلَةَ بَعْضٍ ۚ وَلَئِنِ اتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ ۙ إِنَّكَ إِذًا لَمِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ ١٤٥ الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ يَعْرِفُونَهُ كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ ۖ وَإِنَّ فَرِيقًا مِنْهُمْ لَيَكْتُمُونَ الْحَقَّ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ ١٤٦ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّكَ ۖ فَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُمْتَرِينَ ١٤٧ وَلِكُلٍّ وِجْهَةٌ هُوَ مُوَلِّيهَا ۖ فَاسْتَبِقُوا الْخَيْرَاتِ ۚ أَيْنَ مَا تَكُونُوا يَأْتِ بِكُمُ اللَّهُ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ١٤٨ وَمِنْ حَيْثُ خَرَجْتَ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ ۖ وَإِنَّهُ لَلْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّكَ ۗ وَمَا اللَّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ ١٤٩ وَمِنْ حَيْثُ خَرَجْتَ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ ۚ وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنْتُمْ فَوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُ لِئَلَّا يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَيْكُمْ حُجَّةٌ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنْهُمْ فَلَا تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَاخْشَوْنِي وَلِأُتِمَّ نِعْمَتِي عَلَيْكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ ١٥٠ كَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا فِيكُمْ رَسُولًا مِنْكُمْ يَتْلُو عَلَيْكُمْ آيَاتِنَا وَيُزَكِّيكُمْ وَيُعَلِّمُكُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَيُعَلِّمُكُمْ مَا لَمْ تَكُونُوا تَعْلَمُونَ ١٥١

142. The fools among the people will say: What has turned them from their qiblah which they had? Say: The East and the West belong only to Allah; He guides him whom He likes to a straight path.
143. And thus We have made you a medium nation so that you may be witnesses for the people and the Messenger may be a witness for you. And We had not made the qiblah which you had but that We might know him who follows the Messenger from him who turns back upon his heels; and though this was surely hard except for those whom Allah has guided aright; and Allah was not going to make your faith to be fruitless; most surely Allah is Affectionate, Merciful to the people.
144. Indeed We see the turning of thy face to heaven, so We shall surely turn thee to a qiblah which thou shalt be pleased with; turn then thy face towards the Sacred Mosque; and wherever you are, turn your faces towards it; and those who have been given the Book most surely know that it is the truth from their Lord; and Allah is not at all heedless of what they do.
145. And even if you bring to those who have been given the Book every sign they would not follow your qiblah, nor can you be a follower of their qiblah, neither are they the followers of each other’s qiblah; and if you follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, then you shall most surely be among the unjust.
146. Those whom We have given the Book recognize him as they recognize their sons; and a party of them most surely conceal the truth while they know [it].
147. The truth is from your Lord, therefore you should not be of the doubters.
148. And every one has a direction to which he would turn; therefore, hasten to [do] good works; wherever you are, Allah will bring you all together; surely Allah has power over all things.
149. And from whatsoever place you come forth, turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque; and surely it is the very truth from your Lord, and Allah is not at all heedless of what you do.
150. And from whatsoever place you come forth, turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque; and wherever you are turn your faces towards it, so that people shall have no argument against you, except such of them as are unjust; so do not fear them, and fear Me; and so that I may complete My favor on you and that you may walk on the right course.
151. Even as We have sent among you a messenger from among you who recites to you Our communications and purifies you and teaches you the Book and the wisdom and teaches you that which you did not know.

Introduction

Ponder on these verses and you will find them well-connected with each other, a common context joining them together like a strand running through the beads. These verses together talk about the appointment of the Kaʿbah as the qiblah (the direction of prayer, and so on) for the Muslims. Therefore, no attention should be paid to those who say that there was a change of sequence in the arrangement of these verses, or that some of them have abrogated the others. Although they narrate some traditions to this effect, but they do not deserve any comment because all of them go against the clear meaning of these verses.

Commentary

سَيَقُولُ السُّفَهَاءُ مِنَ النَّاسِ مَا وَلَّاهُمْ عَنْ قِبْلَتِهِمُ الَّتِي كَانُوا عَلَيْهَا ۚ قُلْ لِلَّهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَالْمَغْرِبُ ۚ يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ ١٤٢

(2:142) The fools among the people will say: What has turned them from their qiblah which they had? Say: The East and the West belong only to Allah; He guides him whom He likes to a straight path.

It is the second introductory sentence for the soon to be promulgated order to make the Kaʿbah as the qiblah of the Muslims. Also, it teaches the reply of the objection which the “fools among the people,” that is, the Jews and the pagans of Mecca, were expected to raise: The Jews because of their partisanship of their own qiblah, Bayt al-Maqdis; and the pagan Arabs because they were always on the look out for any new thing which they could object to.

God prepared the minds for change of qiblah, first by revealing the story of Abraham and various honors bestowed on him by God, as well as the honor accorded to his son, Ishmael; their prayers for the Kaʿbah and Mecca, as well as for the Prophet and the Muslim group; their construction of the House and the order they received to cleanse it for the worship of God.

It is recognized that the change of qiblah from Bayt al-Maqdis to the Kaʿbah was an event of greatest religious significance, one of the most important commandments given to the Muslims after the hijrah (migration) of the Prophet to Medina, when the roots of Islam were firmly taking place and its knowledge and realities were being spread. Understandably, the Jews were not going to remain silent in face of this legislation: According to their thinking this change negated one of their greatest religious prides, that is, qiblah; hitherto the Muslims were following them in their qiblah, and the Jews could claim a precedence over the Muslims in this religious symbol. Moreover, this new legislation was a manifest advancement in the Muslims’ religion—it made all of them to face a single point in their worship and other religious rites. It saved them from looking towards divergent directions—physically; and from difference of opinions—spiritually. Facing towards the Kaʿbah had rather more influence and deeper impression on the souls of the Muslims than the rules of cleanliness and invocation and so on; and their enemies, and particularly the Jews, understood it, and they resented it. Their stories, as narrated in the Qur’an, prove that they were a nation which did not give any credence to anything in this world which was beyond the reach of the five senses. As spiritual things were not of any importance in their eyes, they used to accept the spiritual rules without any protest—they did not consider it worth arguing about. But whenever they were given a Divine Commandment which had any connection with the physical world, which had a material form—like war, emigration, sajdah (prostration), polite speech and so on—they stood up against it, and opposed it very vehemently.

In short, God informed His Messenger what the enemies of Islam were going to say against the change of qiblah, and taught him how they should be replied, how their arguments should be refuted.

Their objection: The first qiblah was prescribed by God for the previous prophets. Why was it changed to another House which had no such distinction? Was this change affected by the order of God? How could God contravene His Own previously ordained rule, or abrogate His Own law? (We have mentioned under the verse of “Abrogation” that the Jews do not believe in abrogation.) Or, was it done without any order from God? If so, then the Muslims have deviated from the right path and have left guidance for misguidance. (This objection has not been mentioned in so many words in the Qur’an, but the suggested reply points to it.)

Reply: When God prescribes a house like the Kaʿbah as qiblah, it is not based on any specialty of that house or stone; there is no unalterable and inseparable quality in that building which could demand that honor as a right. Being chosen as a qiblah is not an inviolable and natural characteristic of any building. Every article, every building and every direction is equally capable of being selected for this purpose; and none has any especial claim for it. Everything belongs to God, He issues orders about it, whatever He likes, in any way He likes, and whenever He likes.

Whatever He decrees, it is for the guidance of the people, for their individual and collective good and perfection. He does not order but for guidance, and He does not guide except to the way which leads directly to their perfection and well-being.

The fools among the people will say: It means the Jews and the polytheists of Arabia; and that is why they have been referred to as “the people.” They have been called “fools” because their mentality was not right, and their ideas about the Divine Law were unsound. And that is what foolishness is: crookedness of mind and unsoundness of opinion.

What has turned them from their qiblah which they had? When the verb, al-tawliyah (is joined to its object (without preposition), it means, to turn your face towards that thing, to keep it facing you; as God says: “so We shall surely turn thee to a qiblah which thou shalt like.” When it is followed by the preposition ʿan, it gives the opposite meaning, that is, to turn away from, to turn one’s face from. The verse means: What has turned them away, or turned their faces, from the qiblah which they were using hitherto, that is, Bayt al-Maqdis towards which the Prophet and the Muslims used to pray during his stay at Mecca and for a few months after his emigration to Medina.

The qiblah is attributed to the Muslims, although the Jews were using it centuries before the Prophet. Obviously, their turning from their own qiblah looks more surprising, and gives more room for objection.

And it was for the same reason that the opening phrase says: What has turned them, instead of saying, “What has turned the Prophet and the Muslims.” It would not have looked objectionable in the least if they had said: “What has turned the Prophet and the Muslims from the qiblah of the Jews?”

Say: The East and the West belong only to Allah: Only these two directions were mentioned, because it is through them that all other cardinal and compound directions are fixed, like the North, the South and all the intermediate directions between any two cardinal ones. The East and the West are relative directions which are fixed by the rising and setting of the sun and the stars; they cover all places of the earth (except two imaginary points of the true North and South Poles). Perhaps, it was for this reason that only these two were chosen to represent all the directions.

He guides him whom He likes to a straight path: The word ṣirāt (path) is mentioned here without a definite article al, since it is a common noun, and does not specify a definite path, because nations differ in their paths due to their differences in ability to attain perfection and happiness.

وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاءَ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًا ۗ وَمَا جَعَلْنَا الْقِبْلَةَ الَّتِي كُنْتَ عَلَيْهَا إِلَّا لِنَعْلَمَ مَنْ يَتَّبِعُ الرَّسُولَ مِمَّنْ يَنْقَلِبُ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيْهِ ۚ وَإِنْ كَانَتْ لَكَبِيرَةً إِلَّا عَلَى الَّذِينَ هَدَى اللَّهُ ۗ وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُضِيعَ إِيمَانَكُمْۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِالنَّاسِ لَرَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ ١٤٣

(2:143) And thus We have made you a medium nation so that you may be witnesses for the people and the Messenger may be a witness for you. And We had not made the qiblah which you had but that We might know him who follows the Messenger from him who turns back upon his heels; and though this was surely hard except for those whom Allah has guided aright; and Allah was not going to make your faith to be fruitless; most surely Allah is Affectionate, Merciful to the people.

Apparently it means as follows: As We are going to change very soon the qiblah for you in order that We may guide you to a right path, in the same way We have made you an intermediary nation.

Discourse

The discussion “Relationship Between Prescription of Qiblah and Ummah Being Witnesses for the People and the Messenger Being Witness for the Ummah” appears here in the printed volume. Read it in the Al-Mizan App.

قَدْ نَرَىٰ تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي السَّمَاءِ ۖ فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبْلَةً تَرْضَاهَا ۚ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ ۚ وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنْتُمْ فَوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُ ۗ وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ لَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ ۗ وَمَا اللَّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا يَعْمَلُونَ ١٤٤

(2:144) Indeed We see the turning of thy face to heaven, so We shall surely turn thee to a qiblah which thou shalt be pleased with; turn then thy face towards the Sacred Mosque; and wherever you are, turn your faces towards it; and those who have been given the Book most surely know that it is the truth from their Lord; and Allah is not at all heedless of what they do.

The verse shows that the Messenger of God, before the revelation of the verse of qiblah—that is, this very verse—used to turn his face to heaven, as he waited—or hoped—that God would send some commandment regarding qiblah. He did so because he wished that God would honor him with a qiblah especially prescribed for him. It does not mean that he was not pleased with Bayt al-Maqdis as his qiblah—for be it from the Messenger to do so! God says: “We shall surely turn thee to a qiblah which thou shalt be pleased with.” To be pleased with a thing does not necessarily mean to be displeased with its alternative.

The traditions, describing the occasion of revelation of this verse, say that the Jews reviled the Muslims and boasted against them, all because the Muslims prayed towards Bayt al-Maqdis—the Jews’ qiblah. It made the Messenger of God sad; so he came out in the dark of the night looking towards heaven waiting for a revelation from God, hoping that it would cheer him up. Then this verse was revealed.

Now, suppose he would have received revelation to continue praying towards the previous qiblah, that is, Bayt al-Maqdis, it would have been his proof against the Jews that, he followed the qiblah by the order of God and not in imitation of the Jews. The fact is that there never was, nor there ever is, anything to be ashamed of, if the Prophet and the Muslims prayed facing Bayt al-Maqdis, because the servant has no choice but to accept and obey the order of the Master. But the verse promulgated a new qiblah. It removed the cause of the Jews’ revile and boast, in addition to defining the new qiblah. In this way, it was doubly welcomed—it was a proof against the Jews as well as a source of pleasure for the Messenger of God.

… turn then thy face towards the Sacred Mosque; and wherever you are, turn your faces towards it; and those who have been given the Book most surely know that it is the truth from their Lord; and Allah is not at all heedless of what they do: al-Shaṭr translated here as “towards,” literally means “part of.” “Part of the Sacred Mosque” refers to the Kaʿbah. God used this expression, instead of saying, towards the Kaʿbah, or, towards the Sacred House, to keep the new rule parallel to the previous one. They used to pray to a part of the Remote Mosque, that is, its well-known Rock; so it was changed to a part of the Sacred Mosque, that is, the Kaʿbah. It is quite apart from the fact that the addition of the word, “part of” to “the Mosque” and its qualification with the adjective “Sacred” gives many details of this legislation which would have been lost if this phrase were changed to “the Kaʿbah” or “the Sacred House.”

God begins this verse by giving the order personally to His Messenger (turn then thy face towards the Sacred Mosque), and ends it by including all the Muslims in it (and wherever you are, turn your face towards it). It supports the traditions that the qiblah was changed when the Messenger of God was praying and the Muslims were praying behind him. Therefore, he was personally told to turn towards the Kaʿbah during that prayer; then the verse went on describing a general order which covered him and all the Muslims, for every time and in every place.

… and those who have been given the Book most surely know that it is the truth from their Lord: Their Book contains the prophecies showing the truth of the prophethood of Muḥammad, or that this True Prophet would pray facing towards the Sacred Mosque. In any case, the verse shows that the Jews’ Book had some verses which confirmed—explicitly or implicitly—the truth of this legislation; and God is not at all heedless of what they do; He knows how they hide the truth and conceal the knowledge which they had been given.

وَلَئِنْ أَتَيْتَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ بِكُلِّ آيَةٍ مَا تَبِعُوا قِبْلَتَكَ ۚ وَمَا أَنْتَ بِتَابِعٍ قِبْلَتَهُمْ ۚ وَمَا بَعْضُهُمْ بِتَابِعٍ قِبْلَةَ بَعْضٍ ۚ وَلَئِنِ اتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ مِنْ بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ ۙ إِنَّكَ إِذًا لَمِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ ١٤٥

(2:145) And even if you bring to those who have been given the Book every sign they would not follow your qiblah, nor can you be a follower of their qiblah, neither are they the followers of each other’s qiblah; and if you follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, then you shall most surely be among the unjust.

The verse rebukes them for their obstinacy and stubbornness. Their refusal is not because truth is hidden from them. No, they know very well that it is the truth—they have no doubt about it. Yet they create mischief and invent objection after objection, because they hate the religion and reject the truth. No proof would satisfy them; no sign would make them change their attitude. Even if you bring to them every sign they would not follow your qiblah, because they are obstinate and refuse to accept the truth; nor can you be a follower of their qiblah, because you have a clear proof from your Lord. This Qur’anic sentence may also be interpreted as a prohibition given in the form of a proposition. Neither are they the followers of each other’s qiblah. The Jews face towards Bayt al-Maqdis wherever they may be; and the Christians face towards the East wherever they may be. Neither the former would follow the qiblah, of the latter, nor the latter would accept the qiblah of the former—because all of them follow their own desires.

… and if you follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, then you shall most surely be among the unjust: The admonition (in singular pronoun) is addressed to the Prophet, but it is really meant for his ummah. It also indicates that the Jews, in their recalcitrance, follow their desire and have become unjust.

الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ يَعْرِفُونَهُ كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ ۖ وَإِنَّ فَرِيقًا مِنْهُمْ لَيَكْتُمُونَ الْحَقَّ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ ١٤٦

(2:146) Those whom We have given the Book recognize him as they recognize their sons; and a party of them most surely conceal the truth while they know [it].

The pronoun “him” refers to the Messenger of God, not to “the Book”; the simile, “as they recognize their sons,” fits recognition of a man, not of a book. Nobody says: He recognizes this book as he recognizes his son. Moreover, the subject of the speech is the Messenger of God and the revelation he received regarding the qiblah, it has nothing to do with the Book which was given to the People of the Book. The verse says: The People of the Book recognize the Messenger of God by the prophecies which their Book contains, as they recognize their sons, and a party of them most surely conceal the truth while they know (it).

The previous verses were addressed to the Prophet (in second person singular pronouns); then in this verse he has been mentioned in third person, and the talk is addressed to the believers; then the next verse again reverts to the previous style and is addressed to the Prophet. The style was changed here to show that the truth of the Prophet was clear and well-known to the People of the Book. This change reminds one of a speaker who is talking before a group, one of whom surpasses all in virtues and excellence. The speaker, therefore, addresses him especially (in recognition of his excellence), although the talk is meant for the whole group. Then for some reason, he wants to describe the virtues and excellence of that person; now he turns towards the audience and treats him as absent, mentioning him by pronouns of third person. When that topic is finished, he again assumes the previous style of addressing him directly.

الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّكَ ۖ فَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُمْتَرِينَ ١٤٧

(2:147) The truth is from your Lord, therefore you should not be of the doubters.

It emphasizes the preceding statement and strongly interdicts doubting. The talk in singular pronouns is addressed to the Prophet but is actually intended for the ummah.

وَلِكُلٍّ وِجْهَةٌ هُوَ مُوَلِّيهَا ۖ فَاسْتَبِقُوا الْخَيْرَاتِ ۚ أَيْنَ مَا تَكُونُوا يَأْتِ بِكُمُ اللَّهُ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ١٤٨

(2:148) And every one has a direction to which he would turn; therefore, hasten to [do] good work; wherever you are, Allah will bring you all together; surely Allah has power over all things..

al-Wijhah on the paradigm of, as well as synonymous to, al-qiblah, has the same meaning ‘that to which one faces’. The verse sums up the foregoing statements and draws their attention to another more important reality. Every nation has its own qiblah, pre-scribed for them according to their own needs and atmosphere. Being qiblah is not an inherent and inseparable characteristic of any place or direction; it is not a natural or personal feature of a thing which could not be changed. It is therefore not good for you to waste your time and energy in disputation and argumentation about it. You should rather hasten to do good work and try to excel others in virtuous deeds; God is surely going to gather you on a day about which there is no doubt; and wherever you are, God will bring you all together; surely God has power over all things.

This verse is applicable to the subject of qiblah, as it comes between the verses dealing with that subject. Also, it may be applied to the creative affairs as it points to the Divine Measure and Decree and to the related legislation. We shall explain this topic, God willing, in another place.

وَمِنْ حَيْثُ خَرَجْتَ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ ۖ وَإِنَّهُ لَلْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّكَ ۗ وَمَا اللَّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ ١٤٩

(2:149) And from whatsoever place you come forth, turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque; and surely it is the very truth from your Lord, and Allah is not at all heedless of what you do.

According to some exegetes it means: And from any place you come forth and at any place you come down, turn your face to the Sacred Mosque. Others say that it means: And from whatever town you come out.

The phrase, “from whatsoever place you come forth,” literally means as follows: ‘from whatsoever place thou halt come forth’. Possibly it may refer to Mecca from which the Messenger of God had to come out, as God says: … the town of thine which has driven thee out … ( ).

However, the, verse says that the law to face the Kaʿbah is a firm order which you have to observe in Mecca as well as in other towns and places. Then God emphasizes it in these words: and surely it is the very truth from your Lord, and God is not at all heedless of what you do.

وَمِنْ حَيْثُ خَرَجْتَ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ ۚ وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنْتُمْ فَوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُ

(2:150) And from whatsoever place you come forth, turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque; and wherever you are turn your faces towards it.

The first sentence is repeated here word by word, to show that this law is to be followed in every condition. For example, one says: Fear God when you stand up; fear God when you sit down; fear God when you speak; fear God when you are silent. The speaker wants to emphasize that you should fear God in all conditions and in every situation. This point would be lost if the above sentence were reconstructed in the following way: Fear God when you stand up, when you sit down, when you speak, and when you are silent. The meaning is as follows: Face towards the Sacred Mosque of Mecca whence you had to come out, and wherever you happen to be in the world, turn your faces towards it.

… so that people shall have no argument against you, except those of them who are unjust; so do not fear them, and fear Me; and so that I may complete My favor on you and that you may walk on the right course: These sentences describe the following three benefits of this commandment, and at the same time put the utmost emphasis on obeying this law:

First: The Jews knew from their books that the promised prophet would face towards the Kaʿbah, turning away from Bayt al-Maqdis, as God has pointed to this fact in a foregoing verse, and those who have been given the Book most surely know that it is the truth from their Lord (). If the qiblah were not changed, the Jews could have used it as a proof against the Muslims that the Prophet was not the one whose advent was foretold in the previous books. But now the promulgation of this order has not left them any room for disputation—except those of them who are unjust. This exception gives the following meaning: Of course, those of them who are unjust—because they follow their desire—will never be satisfied; they will continue arguing against it; “so do not fear them,” because they are unjust and they follow their desires—and God does not guide aright the unjust people—“and fear Me.”

Second: Obedience of this rule will lead the Muslims to the completion of Divine favor on them, by perfecting their religion. We shall explain the meaning of the “completion of favor,” when we write the verse: This day have I perfected for you your religion and completed My favor on you and chosen for you Islām as a religion ().

Third: There is the hope that through this rule the Muslims will be guided to the straight path. We have explained the meaning of guidance under the verse: Guide us to the straight path ().

An exegete has written: “The verse of qiblah contains the words, and so that I may complete My favor on you and that you may walk on the right course. Similar words have been used in the ‘Chapter of Victory’, while mentioning the victory of Mecca: Surely We have given to you a clear victory, so that Allah may protect you from your past dealings (with the Meccans) and those to follow and complete His favor to you and keep you on a straight path (). This almost identical expression shows that the verse of qiblah too alludes to the victory of Mecca.”

According to that exegete, “the Kaʿbah in the beginning of Islam was occupied by the idols, which were put there by the polytheists—the power in those days was in the hands of the pagans. Islam was weak, it had no authority or power. Therefore, God told the Prophet to face towards Bayt al-Maqdis, the qiblah of the Jews, who were nearer than the polytheists, to Islam. Then the Prophet emigrated to Medina, and Islam began to gain strength. The time was coming nearer when Mecca would be conquered and the House of God cleansed of the idols’ pollution. God therefore ordered the Prophet to change the direction of qiblah. It was a great bounty favor which God has reserved for the Muslims. And God gave a promise, included in this verse of qiblah, that He would complete His favor on them and guide them to the right course. It was implied in these words that the Kaʿbah would soon be cleansed of the idols and images; the Muslims would be exclusively connected to the Kaʿbah as it would remain exclusively under their care. This verse actually gave the good tidings of the conquest of Mecca. Thereafter, when Mecca was conquered, God reminded them of that promise by using almost similar words in its description: … and complete His favors to you and keep you on a straight path.

Author’s comment: This explanation, although apparently well-founded, is in fact not based on deep reflection; because the words of the Qur’an do not support it. How do we know that the verse of qiblah contains a promise to complete the favor? The answer is: Because of li, a preposition used here for the final cause; so that, in order that) in li-utimma (so that I may complete …). And the verse in Chapter 48 (The Victory), which, according to him, was revealed in fulfilment of that promise, also begins with the same proposition: so that Allah may protect you from your past dealings (with the Meccans) and those to follow and complete His favor to you and keep you on a straight path (). Clearly, both verses contain the same promise to complete the favor in future; neither gives the good news of its fulfilment yet. Moreover, the verse of qiblah gives this promise to all the Muslims while that of the Victory uses singular pronouns and is addressed to the Prophet personally. Clearly they have been revealed in different contexts.

If there is any verse showing the fulfilment of the promise given in both these verses, then it can only be the verse: This day I perfected for you your religion and completed My favor on you and chosen for you Islām as a religion (). We shall explain the meaning of al-niʿmah (favor, bounty, blessing) in the explanation of this verse, and there we shall describe what was the favor and bounty that was completed on that day, and by which God has put the Muslims under His obligation for ever.

There are two other verses which, like the above-mentioned two, contain the promise of completion of favor; but He wishes to purify you and that He may complete His favor on you so that you may be grateful (); even thus does He complete His favor upon you, that haply you may submit (). We shall write under these verses some things related to this topic.

كَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا فِيكُمْ رَسُولًا مِنْكُمْ يَتْلُو عَلَيْكُمْ آيَاتِنَا وَيُزَكِّيكُمْ وَيُعَلِّمُكُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَيُعَلِّمُكُمْ مَا لَمْ تَكُونُوا تَعْلَمُونَ ١٥١

(2:151) Even as We have sent among you a messenger from among you who recites to you Our communications and purifies you and teaches you the Book and the wisdom and teaches you that which you did not know.

The verse begins with the word kamā (like, as, even as), which is obviously a compound of ka (like, as) and mā which changes the verb into maṣdar. The connotation, therefore, is as follows: “We have bestowed Our favors on you by appointing the Kaʿbah as your qiblah. It is the House that Abraham built, and he prayed to Us for its good and blessings. We have done this in the same way as We have favored you by sending to you a messenger from among you who recites to you Our communications and teaches you the Book and the wisdom and purifies you. We did so in answer to the pleading of Abraham, when he and his son, Ishmael, prayed to Us: Our Lord! and raise up in them a messenger from among themselves, who shall recite to them Thy communications and teach them the Book and wisdom and purify them.” This verse, in short, says that it was God’s favor on this ummah that he sent the Prophet among them, as it was a favor to appoint the Kaʿbah as their qiblah.

Who are the people referred to by the second person pronouns in “among you a messenger from among you”? The application may be restricted or extended, depending on the level of explanation whether it is interpreted esoterically, literally or legislatively. Esoterically, it is addressed especially to the earlier mentioned: Submissive group (), that is, those who were given authority over religion and followers of religion; literally all the Muslims from the progeny of Ishmael (that is, the Arabs of Mudar tribe) are included; legislatively, it covers all the Muslims, Arabs and non-Arabs alike.

… recites to you Our communications: al-Āyāt (verses, signs—translated here as communications) obviously refers to the verses of the Qur’an, because it is the words (not the meanings) that are recited; al-tazkiyah (to purify) is to remove dirt, filth and blemish. The Prophet cleansed them thoroughly—from wrong beliefs like polytheism and rejection of true faith, from vile and base character like pride and avarice, and from evil and immoral actions and things like murder, fornication and intoxicants.

… and teaches you the Book and the wisdom and teaches you that which you did not know: It encompasses all primary and secondary aspects of religious knowledge.

These verses have variously changed the pronouns used for God, using third and first persons, singular and plural; and for others, using first, second and third persons. The reason of every such change may be understood by a little meditation.

Examining Narrations

1. al-Qummi narrates in his al-Tafsīr that Imam al-Ṣādiq said about the words of God, The fools among the people will say …: “The qiblah was changed to the Kaʿbah after the Prophet prayed towards Bayt al-Maqdis for thirteen years in Mecca; and (also) after his emigration to Medina he prayed towards Bayt al-Maqdis for seven months.” (He said:) “Then God turned him towards Mecca. And it was because the Jews used to revile the Messenger of God, saying that he was their follower (as) he prayed to their qiblah. The Messenger of God became very sad because of it; and he came out in the middle of the night looking to the horizons of the heaven, waiting for an order in this regard from God. When it was day and the time of the noon prayer arrived, the Prophet, was in the mosque of Banu Salim. And he had (already) prayed two rakʿahs of ẓuhr, when Gabriel came down; and he held the Prophet’s upper arms and turned him towards the Kaʿbah. And he brought down to him (the revelation): Indeed We see the turning of thy face to heaven, so We shall surely turn thee to a qiblah which thou shalt like; turn then thy face towards the Sacred Mosque. Thus, the Prophet had prayed two rakʿahs towards Bayt al-Maqdis, and (prayed the remaining) two rakʿahs towards the Kaʿbah. Then the Jews and the fools said: ‘What has turned them from their qiblah which they had?’ ” (Majmaʿ al-bayān)

Author’s comment: There are numerous traditions of similar meaning narrated by the Sunni and Shia narrators, which are recorded in the books of traditions. The reports differ about the time when the qiblah was changed. Most of them say that it happened in the month of Rajab in the second year of hijrah—the seventeenth month after the emigration; and this timing looks more correct. God willing, we shall describe some other related topics in a separate discourse.

2. There are traditions from Sunni narrators, which explain the witnessing of this ummah concerning the people and the witnessing of the Prophet for them, in these terms: “The nations will deny, on the Day of Judgment, that the prophets had conveyed any message to them. Then God will ask the prophets to bring their proof that they had really conveyed the message—and God knows it better. So, the ummah of Muḥammad will be brought in and they will testify (for the prophets).

Then the (other) nations will say: ‘How do you know?’ They will say: ‘We knew it from the information which God revealed in His Book on the tongue of His truthful Prophet.’ Then Muḥammad will be brought there and he will be asked about the condition of his ummah. So he will testify for their purity, justice and probity. And this is the meaning of the words of God: How will it be, then, when We bring from every people a witness and bring you as a witness for these? ()

Author’s comment: This theme is supported by other traditions narrated by al-Ṣuyūṭī in al-Durr al-manthūr and others. But how is it that the Prophet would testify about his ummah that they were pure and just? It can be accepted only if it is taken to mean that he will testify for a selected group, not for the whole ummah. Otherwise, such traditions have to be rejected, as is self-evident from the Qur’an and the sunnah. How can the Prophet sanction or approve all those oppressions, cruelties, tyrannies and massacres perpetrated by this ummah, and whose like was never seen in any of the previous nations? How can he testify that all those Pharaohs and ṭāghūts of this ummah were pure, just and upright? What is this tradition, if not a calumny against this upright religion? A joke with the realities of this illustrious faith? Moreover, it is based on the wrong idea that a hearsay testimony is acceptable!

3. The correct meaning of the verse may be seen in a tradition narrated from Imam al-Bāqir that he said: “Only the imams and the messengers will be witnesses for the people. And as for the (general) ummah, it is unthinkable that God would call them as witnesses—and there are among them those whose testimony is not accepted for a bundle of vegetable.” (al-Manāqib)
4. Imam al-Ṣādiq said about the verse, that you may be witnesses …: “(It is) then (wrong) if you think that God in this verse means all the monotheists, the people of qiblah (that is, the Muslims). Do you think that a person whose evidence is not acceptable in this world about a al-ṣāʿ (a weight about 3 kilograms) of date, God will call him as a witness on the Day of Judgment and will accept his evidence in presence of all the previous nations? Certainly not. God does not mean (here) such of his creatures; He means only that ummah in which the prayer of Abraham was granted; you are the best ummah raised up for the [benefit of] men (); and they are the medium ummah and they are the best ummah raised up for the men.” (al-ʿAyyāshī)

Author’s comment: We have described it under that verse with the help of the Qur’an itself.

5. Imam al-Ṣādiq narrates from his father, from the Prophet, that he said: “It is among the (bounties) which God gave to my ummah and (by which) He made them excel all other nations, that He gave them three attributes which (previously) were not given but to a prophet … And when He sent a prophet, made him a witness for his nation; and surely God, Blessed and High is He, has made my ummah a witness for the creatures, as He says: so that the Messenger may be a witness for you, and you may be witnesses for the people (). (Qurb al-asnād)

Author’s comment: This tradition is not in conflict with the above explanation, because the word ummah refers to that submissive ummah in which the prayer of Abraham was accepted.

6. Amir al-muʾminin [Imam ʿAlī] says, inter alia, in a tradition describing the Day of Judgment: “They will gather in a place where every one will be required to speak; (but) no one shall speak: except he whom the Beneficent Allah permits and who speaks the right thing (). Then the Messenger shall be asked to stand (and speak); and that is (the meaning of) His word to Muḥammad: How will it be, then, when We bring from every people a witness and bring you as a witness for these? (). And he is the witness of the witnesses, and the witnesses are the messengers.” (al-ʿAyyāshī)
7. Abu Basir, narrating from the fifth or the sixth Imam, says: “I said to him: ‘Did (God) order him (that is, the Prophet) to pray towards Bayt al-Maqdis?’ He said: ‘Yes. Don’t you see that God, Blessed and High is He!, says: And We had not made the qiblah which you had but that We might distinguish him who follows the Messenger from him who turns back upon his heels … ’ ” (al-Tahdhīb)

Author’s comment: This tradition shows that the words: which you had, are related to: the qiblah, and that the whole phrase refers to Bayt al-Maqdis; and it was the qiblah which the Messenger of God had. As we have mentioned earlier, this explanation is in conformity with the context. Also, it supports what has been narrated in a hadith from Imam al-ʿAskarī:

“The Meccans were attached to the Kaʿbah. Therefore God wished to distinguish the followers of Muḥammad, from his opponents, by following the qiblah which he disliked. And because the people of Medina were inclined towards Bayt al-Maqdis, He ordered them to go against it and to turn towards the Kaʿbah, in order that He may show who follows Muḥammad (even) in that which is not to his liking; such a man, then, believes in his truth and agrees with him …”

It also shows the incorrectness of the interpretation, to which we had made a passing reference in the Commentary, and which runs as follows: The phrase, which you had, is the second object of the verb, We had not made. Accordingly, the verse means: And We did not make the qiblah, that is, the Kaʿbah, which you had before Bayt al-Maqdis. In support of this interpretation, they quote the words, but that We might distinguish him who follows the Messenger from him who turns back upon his heels. The absurdity of this interpretation and of this argument is self-evident.

8. al-Zubayri, narrating from Imam al-Ṣādiq says: “I asked him: ‘Will you not tell me about the faith, whether it is word with deed or (only) word without deed?’ He said: ‘The faith is deed, all of it; and (utterance of) the word is one of those deeds; (it is) obligatory from God, described in His Book; its light is clear, its proof well-established; the Book bears witness for it and calls to it. And when God turned his Prophet towards the Kaʿbah, away from Bayt al-Maqdis, the Muslims said to the Prophet: “What do you see (about) our prayers which we used to pray towards Bayt al-Maqdis? What shall be our position about these? And what shall be the position of those of us who have passed away and they were praying towards Bayt al-Maqdis?” Then God revealed (the verse): and Allah was not going to make your faith to be fruitless; most surely Allah is Affectionate, Merciful to the people. Thus God named the prayer as “faith.” Whoever therefore fears God, guarding his limbs (from sins), fulfilling (obligation of) each of these limbs which God has laid down for it, he shall meet God with perfect faith, (and he shall be) from the people of the Garden. And whoever acted falsely about any of these (limbs), or transgressed what God had ordered about it, he shall meet God (as one) having an incomplete faith.’ ” (al-ʿAyyāshī)

Author’s comment: It has been narrated also by al-Kulayni. Although it says that the verse, and Allah was not going to make your faith fruitless … , was revealed after the qiblah was changed, yet it does not go against the explanation given in the Commentary.

9. “The Prophet prayed towards Bayt al-Maqdis for thirteen years in Mecca, and nineteen months in Medina. Then the Jews reviled him, saying: ‘You are a follower of our qiblah.’ He was very much saddened because of it. Then one night he came out turning his face towards the horizons of the heaven. When it was morning, he prayed the dawn (prayer). Then when he had prayed two rakʿahs of ẓuhr, Gabriel came and told him (the message of God): Indeed We see the turning of thy face to heaven, so We shall surely turn thee to a qiblah which thou shalt like …; then he took hold of the Prophet and turned him towards the Kaʿbah, and those who were (praying) behind him turned their faces (likewise), until the men stood in place of the women, and the women in place of the men. Thus, the early part of his prayer was towards Bayt al-Maqdis, and the latter part towards the Kaʿbah. Then the news reached another mosque in Medina, and its people had already prayed two rakʿahs of ʿaṣr (to Bayt al-Maqdis), and they turned towards the (new) qiblah. So the early part of their prayer was to Bayt al-Maqdis and the latter part towards the Kaʿbah; so that mosque was named the Mosque of the Two Qiblahs.” (al-Faqīh)

Author’s comment: al-Qummi has narrated a similar tradition, with one variation that the Prophet was in the mosque of Banū Sālim.

10. Imam al-Bāqir said explaining the words of God, turn then thy face towards the Sacred Mosque: “Face towards the qiblah, and do not turn away from the qiblah; otherwise your prayer will be void. For, God says to His Prophet concerning the obligatory prayer, turn then your face towards the Sacred Mosque; and wherever you are, turn your face towards it.” (al-ʿAyyāshī)

Author’s comment: There are numerous al-mustafīḍah traditions which say that this verse was revealed about the obligatory prayer.

11. Imam al-Ṣādiq said about the verse: Those whom We have given the Book recognize him as they recognize their sons: “This verse was revealed about the Jews and the Christians. God, Blessed and High is He! says: Those whom We have given the Book recognize him, that is, recognize the Messenger of God, as they recognize their sons. For, surely God, Mighty and Great is He!, had revealed to them, in the Torah and the Gospel and Psalms, the attributes of Muḥammad, and the attributes of his companions, as well as (the story of) his emigration. And this is (the meaning of) the words of God: Muḥammad is the Messenger of Allah; and those with him are severe against the unbelievers, compassionate among themselves; you will see them bowing down, prostrating themselves, seeking grace from Allah and pleasure; their marks are in their faces because of the effect of prostration; that is their description in the Torah and their description in the Gospel … (). And this was the description of the Messenger of God and of his companions in the Torah. Thereafter, when God raised him up, the People of the Book recognized him. (But they rejected him) as God, Great is His Majesty!, says: but when there came to them that which they did recognize, they disbelieved in him (). (al-Qummi)

Author’s comment: A similar tradition has been narrated in al-Kāfī from [Imam] ʿAlī.

Many Shiite traditions say that the words of God, wherever you are, Allah will bring you all together, has been revealed about the companions of al-Qāʾim. Some of those traditions say that it is applied to them according to the principle of the “flow of the Qur’an.”

12. A tradition, narrated by the Sunni narrators says that ʿAlī said about the words of God, so that I may complete My favor on you: Completion of favor is the death in the state of Islam (that is, to die as a Muslim).”
13. Another Sunni tradition says that the completion of favor is entering into the Garden.

Discourse

The discussions “An Academic and Historical Discourse on Ways of Finding the Direction of Qiblah”; “A Sociological Essay on the Meaning of Qiblah and its Benefits” appear here in the printed volume. Read them in the Al-Mizan App.

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1. We have changed the literal translation of these two verses to conform with the author's explanation of the same in Ar. vol. 18 because the literal translation goes against the belief of the sinlessness of the prophets of God. (Ed.) ↩︎

2. The Prophet emigrated to Medina in the month of Rabīʿul-awwal. The nineteenth month after hijrah was Ramaḍān of the second year. (Trans.) ↩︎

3. al-Mustafīḍah is a tradition narrated by a great many narrators, but to a degree less than that required for mutawātir. (Trans.) ↩︎