Surah 2. Al-Baqarah

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Verses [Section]: 1-7[1], 8-20 [2], 21-29 [3], 30-39 [4], 40-46 [5], 47-59 [6], 60-61 [7], 62-71 [8], 72-82 [9], 83-86 [10], 87-96 [11], 97-103 [12], 104-112 [13], 113-121 [14], 122-129 [15], 130-141 [16], 142-147 [17], 148-151 [18], 152-163 [19], 164-167 [20], 168-176 [21], 177-182 [22], 183-188 [23], 189-196 [24], 197-210 [25], 211-216 [26], 217-221 [27], 222-228 [28], 229-231 [29], 232-235 [30], 236-242 [31], 243-248 [32], 249-253 [33], 254-257 [34], 258-260 [35], 261-266 [36], 267-273 [37], 274-281 [38], 282-283 [39], 284-286 [40]

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Quran Text of Verse 142-1472. Al-Baqarah Page 22سَیَقُوْلُWill sayالسُّفَهَآءُthe foolish onesمِنَfromالنَّاسِthe peopleمَاWhatوَلّٰىهُمْ(has) turned themعَنْfromقِبْلَتِهِمُtheir direction of prayerالَّتِیْwhichكَانُوْاthey were used toعَلَیْهَا ؕ[on it]قُلْSayلِّلّٰهِFor Allahالْمَشْرِقُ(is) the eastوَ الْمَغْرِبُ ؕand the westیَهْدِیْHe guidesمَنْwhomیَّشَآءُHe willsاِلٰیtoصِرَاطٍa pathمُّسْتَقِیْمٍ straight وَ كَذٰلِكَAnd thusجَعَلْنٰكُمْWe made youاُمَّةًa communityوَّسَطًا(of the) middle wayلِّتَكُوْنُوْاso that you will beشُهَدَآءَwitnessesعَلَیoverالنَّاسِthe mankindوَ یَكُوْنَand will beالرَّسُوْلُthe Messengerعَلَیْكُمْon youشَهِیْدًا ؕa witnessوَ مَاAnd notجَعَلْنَاWe madeالْقِبْلَةَthe direction of prayerالَّتِیْwhichكُنْتَyou were used toعَلَیْهَاۤ[on it]اِلَّاexceptلِنَعْلَمَthat We make evidentمَنْ(he) whoیَّتَّبِعُfollowsالرَّسُوْلَthe Messengerمِمَّنْfrom (he) whoیَّنْقَلِبُturns backعَلٰیonعَقِبَیْهِ ؕhis heelsوَ اِنْAnd indeedكَانَتْit wasلَكَبِیْرَةًcertainly a great (test)اِلَّاexceptعَلَیforالَّذِیْنَthose whomهَدَیguidedاللّٰهُ ؕ(by) Allahوَ مَاAnd notكَانَwillاللّٰهُAllahلِیُضِیْعَlet go wasteاِیْمَانَكُمْ ؕyour faithاِنَّIndeedاللّٰهَAllahبِالنَّاسِ(is) to [the] mankindلَرَءُوْفٌFull of Kindnessرَّحِیْمٌ Most Merciful قَدْIndeedنَرٰیWe seeتَقَلُّبَ(the) turningوَجْهِكَ(of) your faceفِیtowardsالسَّمَآءِ ۚthe heavenفَلَنُوَلِّیَنَّكَSo We will surely turn youقِبْلَةً(to the) direction of prayerتَرْضٰىهَا ۪you will be pleased withفَوَلِّSo turnوَجْهَكَyour faceشَطْرَtowards the directionالْمَسْجِدِ(of) Al-Masjidالْحَرَامِ ؕAl-Haraamوَ حَیْثُand whereverمَاthatكُنْتُمْyou areفَوَلُّوْا[so] turnوُجُوْهَكُمْyour facesشَطْرَهٗ ؕ(in) its directionوَ اِنَّAnd indeedالَّذِیْنَthose whoاُوْتُواwere givenالْكِتٰبَthe Bookلَیَعْلَمُوْنَsurely knowاَنَّهُthat itالْحَقُّ(is) the truthمِنْfromرَّبِّهِمْ ؕtheir Lordوَ مَاAnd notاللّٰهُ(is) Allahبِغَافِلٍunawareعَمَّاof whatیَعْمَلُوْنَ they do وَ لَىِٕنْAnd even ifاَتَیْتَyou comeالَّذِیْنَ(to) those whoاُوْتُواwere givenالْكِتٰبَthe Bookبِكُلِّwith allاٰیَةٍ(the) signsمَّاnotتَبِعُوْاthey would followقِبْلَتَكَ ۚyour direction of prayerوَ مَاۤand notاَنْتَ(will) you (be)بِتَابِعٍa followerقِبْلَتَهُمْ ۚ(of) their direction of prayerوَ مَاAnd notبَعْضُهُمْsome of themبِتَابِعٍ(are) followersقِبْلَةَ(of the) direction of prayerبَعْضٍ ؕ(of each) otherوَ لَىِٕنِAnd ifاتَّبَعْتَyou followedاَهْوَآءَهُمْtheir desiresمِّنْۢfromبَعْدِafterمَا[what]جَآءَكَcame to youمِنَofالْعِلْمِ ۙthe knowledgeاِنَّكَindeed, youاِذًا(would) thenلَّمِنَ(be) surely amongالظّٰلِمِیْنَۘthe wrongdoers 2. Al-Baqarah Page 23اَلَّذِیْنَ(To) those whomاٰتَیْنٰهُمُWe gave [them]الْكِتٰبَthe Bookیَعْرِفُوْنَهٗthey recognize itكَمَاlikeیَعْرِفُوْنَthey recognizeاَبْنَآءَهُمْ ؕtheir sonsوَ اِنَّAnd indeedفَرِیْقًاa groupمِّنْهُمْof themلَیَكْتُمُوْنَsurely they concealالْحَقَّthe Truthوَ هُمْwhile theyیَعْلَمُوْنَ ؔknow اَلْحَقُّThe Truthمِنْ(is) fromرَّبِّكَyour Lordفَلَاso (do) notتَكُوْنَنَّbeمِنَamongالْمُمْتَرِیْنَ۠the doubters

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Translation of Verse 142-147

142. The foolish among the people will ask, "Why did they turn away from the direction of prayer they used to face?" ⁵⁰ Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ "The east and west belong ˹only˺ to Allah. He guides whoever He wills to the Straight Path."

143. And so We have made you ˹believers˺ an upright ⁵¹ community so that you may be witnesses over humanity and that the Messenger may be a witness over you. We assigned your former direction of prayer only to distinguish those who would remain faithful to the Messenger from those who would lose faith. It was certainly a difficult test except for those ˹rightly˺ guided by Allah. And Allah would never discount your ˹previous acts of˺ faith. Surely Allah is Ever Gracious and Most Merciful to humanity.

144. Indeed, We see you ˹O Prophet˺ turning your face towards heaven. Now We will make you turn towards a direction ˹of prayer˺ that will please you. So turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque ˹in Mecca˺-wherever you are, turn your faces towards it. Those who were given the Scripture certainly know this to be the truth from their Lord. And Allah is never unaware of what they do.

145. Even if you were to bring every proof to the People of the Book, they would not accept your direction ˹of prayer˺, nor would you accept theirs; nor would any of them accept the direction ˹of prayer˺ of another. And if you were to follow their desires after ˹all˺ the knowledge that has come to you, then you would certainly be one of the wrongdoers.

146. Those We have given the Scripture recognize this ˹Prophet˺ as they recognize their own children. Yet a group of them hides the truth knowingly.

147. ˹This is˺ the truth from your Lord, so do not ever be one of those who doubt.

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Commentary

50. For about sixteen months after daily prayers became obligatory, Muslims used to face towards Jerusalem before the order came to face a new qiblah (direction of prayer)-the Sacred Mosque in Mecca.

51. i.e., moderate, balanced, and outstanding.