Sura-2 [Al-Baqara medina 87]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s version:

سَيَقُولُ السُّفَهَاء مِنَ النَّاسِ ...

2:142. The fools among the people will say:

C140. Nas: People, the unthinking multitude that sway to and fro, instead of being firm in Allah's Way.

The reference here is to the idolaters, the Hypocrites, and the party of Jews who were constantly seeking to "entangle in their talk" Mustafa and his disciples in Madinah even as the Pharisees and the Sadducees of Jesus' day tried to entangle Jesus (Matt. 22:15, 23)

... مَا وَلاَّهُمْ عَن قِبْلَتِهِمُ الَّتِي كَانُواْ عَلَيْهَا...

"What hath turned them from the Qiblah to which they were used?"

C141. Qiblah: The direction to which Muslims turn in prayer.

Islam lays great stress on social prayer in order to emphasize our universal Brotherhood and mutual cooperation. For such prayer, order, punctuality, precision, symbolical postures, and a common direction are essential, so that the Imam (leader) and all his congregation may face one way and offer their supplications to Allah.

In the early days, before they were organized as a people, they followed as a symbol for their Qiblah the sacred city of Jerusalem, scared both to the Jews and the Christians, the people of the Book. This symbolized their allegiance to the continuity of Allah's revelation.

When, despised and persecuted, they were turned out of Makkah and arrived in Madinah. Al Mustafa under divine direction began to organize its people as an Ummah, an independent people, with laws and rituals of their own. At that stage the Ka'bah was established as Qiblah, thus going back to the earliest centre, with which the name of Abraham was connected, and traditionally also the name of Adam.

Jerusalem still remained (and remains) sacred in the eyes of Islam on account of its past, but Islam is progressive religion, and its new symbolism enabled it to shake off the tradition of a dead past and usher in the era of untrammeled freedom dear to the spirit of Arabia. The change took place about 16 1/2 months after Hijrah.

... قُل لِّلّهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَالْمَغْرِبُ ...

Say:

to Allah belong both East and West;

... يَهْدِي مَن يَشَاء إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ ﴿١٤٢﴾

He guideth whom He will to a Way that is straight.

وَكَذَلِكَ ...

2:143. Thus

C142. Thus: By giving you a Qiblah of your own, most ancient in history, and most modern as a symbol of your organisation as a new nation (Ummah).

... جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا ...

have We made of you an Ummah justly balanced,

C143. Justly balanced: The essence of Islam is to avoid all extravagances on either side. It is a sober, practical religion.

But the Arabic word (wasat) also implies a touch of the literal meaning of Intermediacy. Geographically Arabia is in an intermediate position in the Old World, as was proved in history by the rapid expansion of Islam, north, south, west and east.

... لِّتَكُونُواْ شُهَدَاء عَلَى النَّاسِ...

that ye might be witnesses over the nations,

C144. Witnesses: When two persons dispute, they advance extravagant claims. A just witness comes between them, and brings the light of reason to bear on them, pruning all their selfish extravagances. So the mission of Islam is to curb, for instance, the extreme formalism of the Mosaic law and the extreme "other-worldliness" professed by Christianity.

The witness must be unselfish, equipped with first-hand knowledge, and ready to intervene in the cause of justice. Such is the position claimed by Islam among rival systems. Similarly, within Islam itself, the position of witness to whom disputants can appeal is held by Muhammad Al Mustafa.

... وَيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًا...

and the Messenger a witness over yourselves;

... وَمَا جَعَلْنَا الْقِبْلَةَ الَّتِي كُنتَ عَلَيْهَا إِلاَّ لِنَعْلَمَ مَن يَتَّبِعُ الرَّسُولَ ...

and We appointed the Qiblah to which thou wast used, only to test those who followed the Messenger

... مِمَّن يَنقَلِبُ عَلَى عَقِبَيْهِ ...

from those who would turn on their heels (from the faith).

C145. The Qiblah of Jerusalem might itself have seemed strange to the Arabs, and the change from it to the Ka'bah might have seemed strange after they had become used to the other.

In reality one direction or another, or east or west, in itself did no matter, as Allah is in all places, and is independent of Time and Place. What mattered was the sense of discipline, on which Islam lays so much stress: which of us is willing to follow the directions of the chosen Prophet of Allah? Mere quibblers about non-essential matters are tested by this. (R).

... وَإِن كَانَتْ لَكَبِيرَةً إِلاَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ هَدَى اللّهُ ...

Indeed it was (a change) momentous, except to those guided by Allah.

... وَمَا كَانَ اللّهُ لِيُضِيعَ إِيمَانَكُمْ...

And never would Allah make your faith of no effect.

C146. What became of prayer with the Jerusalem Qiblah?

It was equally efficacious before the new Qiblah was ordained. Allah regards our faith: every act of true and genuine faith is efficacious with Him, even if formalists pick holes in such acts.

... إِنَّ اللّهَ بِالنَّاسِ لَرَؤُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿١٤٣﴾

For Allah is to all people most surely full of kindness, Most Merciful.

قَدْ نَرَى تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي السَّمَاء...

2:144. We see the turning of thy face (for guidance) to the heavens;

C147. This shows the sincere desire of Mustafa to seek light from above in the matter of the Qiblah.

Until the organisation of his own People into a well-knit community, with its distinctive laws and ordinances, he followed a practice based on the fact that the Jews and Christians looked upon Jerusalem as a sacred city. But there was no universal Qiblah among them. Some Jews turned towards Jerusalem as a sacred city. But there was no universal Qiblah among them. Some Jews turned towards Jerusalem, especially during the Captivity, as we shall see later.

At the time of our Prophet, Jerusalem was in the hands of the Byzantine Empire, which was Christian. But the Christians oriented their churches to the East (hence the word "orientation") which is a point of the compass, and not the direction of any sacred place. The fact of the altar being in the East does not mean that every worshipper has his face to the east; for, according at least to modern practice, the seats in a church are so placed that different worshippers may face in different directions.

The Preacher of Unity naturally wanted, in this as in other matters, a symbol of complete unity, and his heart was naturally delighted when the Qiblah towards the Ka'bah was settled. Its connection with Abraham gave it great antiquity; its character of being an Arab centre made it appropriate when the Message came in Arabic, and was preached through the union of the Arabs; at the time it was adopted, the little Muslim community was shut out of it, being exiles in Madinah, but it became a symbol of bore and eventual triumph, of which Muhammad lived to see the fulfilment; and it also became the centre and gathering ground of all peoples in the universal pilgrimage, which was instituted with it.

... فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبْلَةً تَرْضَاهَا...

now shall We turn thee to a Qiblah that shall please thee.

... فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنتُمْ فَوَلُّواْ وُجُوِهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُ...

Turn then thy face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque; wherever ye are, turn your faces in that direction.

C148. The sacred Mosque: i.e. the mosque wherein the Ka'bah is located, in the sacred city of Makkah.

It is not correct to suggest that the command making the Ka'bah the Qiblah abrogates 2:115, where it is stated that East and West belong to Allah, and He is everywhere.

This is perfectly true at all times, before and after the institution of the Qiblah. As if to emphasize this, the same words about East and West are repeated in this very passage; see 2:142 above. Where the Itqan mentions mansukh in this connection, I am sorry I cannot follow that opinion, unless mansukh is defined in a special way, as some of the commentators do. (R).

... وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ أُوْتُواْ الْكِتَابَ لَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ...

The people of the Book know well that that is the truth from their Lord,

C149. Glimmerings of such a Qiblah were already foreshadowed in Jewish and Christian practice but its universality was only perfected in Islam.

... وَمَا اللّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا يَعْمَلُونَ ﴿١٤٤﴾

nor is Allah unmindful of what they do.

وَلَئِنْ أَتَيْتَ الَّذِينَ أُوْتُواْ الْكِتَابَ بِكُلِّ آيَةٍ مَّا تَبِعُواْ قِبْلَتَكَ ...

2:145. Even if thou wert to bring to the People of the Book all the signs (together), they would not follow thy Qiblah;

... وَمَا أَنتَ بِتَابِعٍ قِبْلَتَهُمْ ...

nor art thou going to follow their Qiblah;

... وَمَا بَعْضُهُم بِتَابِعٍ قِبْلَةَ بَعْضٍ...

nor indeed will they follow each other's Qiblah.

C150. See n. 147 to 2:144 above.

The Jews and Christians had a glimmering of the Qiblah idea, but in their attitude of self-sufficiency they were not likely to welcome the Qiblah idea as perfected in Islam.

Nor is Islam, after the fuller knowledge which it has received, likely to revert to the uncertain, imperfect, and varying ideas of orientation held previously.

A very clear glimpse of the old Jewish practice in the matter of the Qiblah and the importance attached to it is found in the book of Daniel, 6:10.

Daniel was a righteous man of princely lineage and lived about 506-538 B.C. He was carried off to Babylon by Nebuchadnezzar, the Assyrian, but was still living when Assyria was overthrown by the Medes and Persians. In spite of the “captivity” of the Jews, Daniel enjoyed the highest offices of state at Babylon, but he was ever true to Jerusalem. His enemies (under the Persian monarch) got a penal law passed against any one who “asked a petition of any god or man for 30 days” except the Persian King.

But Daniel continued true to Jerusalem. “His windows being open in his chambers towards Jerusalem, he kneeled upon his knees three times a day, and prayed, and gave thanks before his God, as he did aforetime.”

... وَلَئِنِ اتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَاءهُم مِّن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ...

If thou, after the knowledge hath reached thee, wert to follow their (vain) desires,

... إِنَّكَ إِذَاً لَّمِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ ﴿١٤٥﴾

then wert thou indeed (clearly) in the wrong.

الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ يَعْرِفُونَهُ كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْنَاءهُمْ ...

2:146. The People of the Book know this as they know their own sons;

C151. The People of the Book should have known all this as well as "they knew their own sons", as their past traditions and teaching should have made them receptive of the new message.

Some commentators construe the demonstrative pronoun "this" to refer to the Prophet. In that case the interpretation would be:

The People of the Book know Muhammad as well as they know their own sons;

they know him to be true and upright;

they know him to be in the line of Abraham; they know him to correspond to the description of the prophet foretold among themselves; but selfishness induces some of them to act against their own knowledge and conceal the truth.

... وَإِنَّ فَرِيقاً مِّنْهُمْ لَيَكْتُمُونَ الْحَقَّ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿١٤٦﴾

but some of them conceal the truth which they themselves know.

الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ فَلاَ تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُمْتَرِينَ ﴿١٤٧﴾

2:147. The truth is from thy Lord, so be not at all in doubt.

C152. Truth only comes from Allah, and it remains truth, however men might try to conceal it or throw doubts on it.

Section 18

وَلِكُلٍّ وِجْهَةٌ هُوَ مُوَلِّيهَا فَاسْتَبِقُواْ الْخَيْرَاتِ ...

2:148. To each is a goal to which Allah turns him; then strive together (as in a race) toward all that is good.

C153. The question is how we are to construe the pronoun, huwa, in the original. The alternative translation would be;

"To each is a goal to which he turns."

The simile of life being a race in which we all zealously run forward to the one goal of good, may be applied individually and nationally. This supplies another argument of the Ka'bah Qiblah, viz., the unity of goal, with diversity of races, traditions and temperaments.

... أَيْنَ مَا تَكُونُواْ يَأْتِ بِكُمُ اللّهُ جَمِيعًا ...

Wheresoever ye are, Allah will bring you together.

... إِنَّ اللّهَ عَلَى كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ ﴿١٤٨﴾

For Allah hath power over all things.

وَمِنْ حَيْثُ خَرَجْتَ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ...

2:149. From whencesoever thou startest forth, turn thy face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque;

C154. The simile of a race is continued, and so the Qiblah command is repeated from that point of view.

In 2:144 it was mentioned as the new symbol of the new nation (Muslim): now it is shown as the symbol of Good, at which we should all aim, from whichever point we started, e.g., as Jews or Christians, or our individual point of view; the Qiblah will unite us as a symbol of the Goal of the Future.

In 2:150 below, it is repeated:

- First for the individual, on the ground of uniformity and the removal of all occasions of dispute and argument; and

- secondly for the Muslim people, on the same ground, as a matter of discipline.

There is another little harmony in the matter of the repetitions.

Note that the race and starting point argument begins at 2:149 and is rounded off in the latter part of 2:150. The latter argument includes the former, and is more widely worded:

"wheresoever ye are": which in the Arabic expression would imply three things;

- in whatever circumstances ye are, or

- at whatever time ye are, or

- in whatever place ye are.

I have spoken before of a sort of musical harmony in verbal repetitions: here there is a sort of pictorial harmony, as of a larger circle symmetrically including a smaller concentric circle.

... وَإِنَّهُ لَلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ وَمَا اللّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ ﴿١٤٩﴾

that is indeed the truth from thy Lord. And Allah is not unmindful of what ye do.

وَمِنْ حَيْثُ خَرَجْتَ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ ...

2:150. So from whencesoever thou startest forth, turn thy face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque;

... وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنتُمْ فَوَلُّواْ وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُ لِئَلاَّ يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَيْكُمْ حُجَّةٌ...

among wheresoever ye are turn your face thither, that there be no ground of dispute against you among the people,

... إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ مِنْهُمْ فَلاَ تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَاخْشَوْنِي...

except those of them that are bent on wickedness; so fear them not, but fear Me;

... وَلأُتِمَّ نِعْمَتِي عَلَيْكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ ﴿١٥٠﴾

and that I may complete My favors on you, and ye may (consent to) be guided.

Asad’s Version:

2: 142

Asad The weak-minded among people will say, “What has turned them away from the direction of prayer which they have hitherto observed?” [note 116]

Yusuf Ali The fools among the people will say: "What hath turned them from the Qiblah to which they were used?" Say: To Allah belong both East and West; He guideth whom He will to a Way that is straight.

Pickthall The foolish of the people will say: What hath turned them from the qiblah which they formerly observed? Say: Unto Allah belong the East and the West. He guideth whom He will unto a straight path.

Transliteration Sayaqu_lus sufaha_'u minan na_si ma_ walla_hum 'an qiblatihimul lati ka_nu_ 'alaiha_, qul lilla_hil masyriqu wal magrib(u), yahdi may yasya_'u ila_ sira_tim mustaqim(in).

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[ Asad’s note 116: Before his call to prophethood, and during the early Meccan period of his ministry, the Prophet – and his community with him – used to turn in prayer towards the Kabah. This was not prompted by any specific revelation, but was obviously due to the fact that the Kabah …was always regarded as the first temple ever dedicated to the One God (cf. 3:96)…………After the exodus to Medina he continued to pray northwards, with only Jerusalem as his ‘qibliah’ (direction of prayer). About sixteen months after his arrival at Median, however, he received a revelation (verse 142-150 of this surah) which definitely established the Kabah as the ‘qiblah’ of the followers of the Quran.

This “abandonment” of Jerusalem obviously displeased the Jews of Medina, who must have felt gratified when they saw the Muslims praying towards their holy city; and it is to them that the opening sentence of his passage refers. If one considers the matter from the historical point of view, there had never been any ‘change’ in the divine commandments relation to the ‘qiblah’: there had simply been no ordinance whatever in this respect before verses 142-150 were revealed. The logical connection ……lies in the fact that it was Abraham who erected the earliest structure of the temple which later came to be known as the ‘Kabah’.]

[ Ali’s notes: 142 Thus: By giving you a Qibla of your own, most ancient in history, and most modern as a symbol of your organization as a new nation (Ummat). (2.143)

Ruby’s Note: I agree with Asad that there was no change in essence in the direction of prayer, it was not clearly established before, and the Prophet in the absence of any clear direction followed what the Jews followed. This is not an act of making the followers of Muhammad a separate nation or it was not to make any division among the followers of the monotheistic faiths such as Judaism and Christianity on the basis of sacredness of Jerusalem vs Kabah, it is rather a natural thing to make Kabah as qiblah because that is the first structure devoted to One God. The importance of Jerusalem is there, but in the grand scheme of things, it is Kabah that merits most to be the qiblah.]

2: 143

Yusuf Ali Thus have We made of you an Ummah justly balanced that ye might be witnesses over the nations and the Apostle a witness over yourselves; and We appointed the Qiblah to which thou wast used only to test those who followed the Apostle from those who would turn on their heels (from the faith). Indeed it was (a change) momentous except to those guided by Allah. And never would Allah make your faith of no effect. For Allah is to all people most surely full of kindness Most Merciful.

Pickthall Thus We have appointed you a middle nation, that ye may be witnesses against mankind, and that the messenger may be a witness against you. And We appointed the qiblah which ye formerly observed only that We might know him who followeth the messenger, from him who turneth on his heels. In truth it was a hard (test) save for those whom Allah guided. But it was not Allah's purpose that your faith should be in vain, for Allah is full of pity, Merciful toward mankind.

Transliteration Wa kaza_lika ja'alna_kum ummataw wasatal litaku_nu_ syuhada_'a 'alan na_si wa yaku_nar rasu_lu 'alaikum syahida_(n), wa ma_ ja'alnal qiblatal lati kunta 'alaiha_ illa_ lina'lama may yattabi'ur rasu_la mimmay yanqalibu 'ala_ 'aqibaih(i), wa in ka_nat lakabiratan illa_ 'alal lazina hadalla_h(u), wa ma_ ka_nalla_hu liyudi'a ima_nakum, innalla_ha bin na_si la ra'u_fur rahim(un).

2: 144

Asad We have seen thee [O Prophet] often turn thy face towards heaven [for guidance] : and now We shall indeed make thee turn in prayer in a direction which will fulfill thy desire. Turn, then, thy face towards the Inviolable House of Worship; and wherever you all may be, turn your faces towards it [in prayer].

Yusuf Ali We see the turning of thy face (for guidance) to the heavens; now shall We turn thee to a Qiblah that shall please thee. Turn then thy face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque; wherever ye are turn your faces in that direction. The people of the book know well that that is the truth from their Lord nor is Allah unmindful of what they do.

Pickthall We have seen the turning of thy face to heaven (for guidance, O Muhammad). And now verily We shall make thee turn (in prayer) toward a qiblah which is dear to thee. So turn thy face toward the Inviolable Place of Worship, and ye (O Muslims), where so ever ye may be, turn your faces when ye pray) toward it. Lo! those who have received the Scripture know that (this Revelation) is the Truth from their Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what they do.

Transliteration Qad nara_ taqalluba wajhika fis sama_'(i), falanuwalliyannaka qiblatan tarda_ha_, fawalli wajhaka syatral masjidil hara_m(i), wa haisu ma_ kuntum fa wallu_ wuju_hakum syatrah(u_), wa innal lazinau_tul kita_ba laya'lamu_na annahul haqqu mir rabbihim, wa malla_hu bi ga_filin 'amma_ ya'malu_n(a).

[ Ali’s notes: 143 Justly balanced: The essence of Islam is to avoid all extravagances on either side. It is a sober, practical religion. But the Arabic word (wasat) also implies a touch of the literal meaning of Intermediacy. Geographically Arabia is in an intermediate position in the Old World, as was proved in history by the rapid expansion of Islam, north, south, west and east. (2.143)

144 Witnesses: When two persons dispute, they advance extravagant claims. A just witness comes between them, and brings the light of reason to bear on them, pruning all their selfish extravagances. So the mission of Islam is to curb, for instance, the extreme formalism of the Mosaic law and the extreme "other-worldiness" professed by Christianity. The witness must be unselfish, equipped with first-hand knowledge, and ready to intervene in the cause of justice. Such is the position claimed by Islam among rival systems. Similarly, within Islam itself, the position of witness to whom disputants can appeal is held by Muhammad Mustafa. (2.143)

145 The Qibla of Jerusalem might itself have seemed strange to the Arabs, and the change from it to the Ka'ba might have seemed strange after they had become used to the other. In reality one direction or another, or east or west, in itself did no matter, as God is in all places, and is independent of Time and Place. What mattered was the sense of discipline, on which Islam lays so much stress: which of us is willing to follow the directions of the chosen Apostle of God? Mere quibbles about non-essential matters are tested by this. (2.143)

146 What became of prayer with the Jerusalem Qibla? It was equally efficacious before the new Qibla was ordained. God regards our faith: every act of true and genuine faith is efficacious with Him, even if formalists pick holes in such acts. (2.143)

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2: 145

Yusuf Ali Even if thou wert to bring to the people of the Book all the signs (together) they would not follow thy Qiblah; nor art thou going to follow their Qiblah; nor indeed will they follow each other's Qiblah. If thou after the knowledge hath reached thee wert to follow their (vain) desires then wert thou indeed (clearly) in the wrong.

Pickthall And even if thou broughtest unto those who have received the Scripture all kinds of portents, they would not follow thy qiblah, nor canst thou be a follower of their qiblah; nor are some of them followers of the qiblah of others. And if thou shouldst follow their desires after the knowledge which hath come unto thee, then surely wert thou of the evil doers.

Transliteration Wa la'in ataital lazina u_tul kita_ba bi kulli a_yatim ma_ tabi'u_ qiblatak(a), wa ma_ anta bi ta_bi'inqiblatahum, wa ma_ ba'duhum bi ta_bi'in qiblata ba'd(in), wa la'init taba'ta ahwa_'ahum mim ba'di ma_ ja_'aka minal 'ilm(i), innaka izal laminaz za_limin(a).

2: 146

Yusuf Ali The people of the Book know this as they know their own sons; but some of them conceal the truth which they themselves know.

Pickthall Those unto whom We gave the Scripture recognize (this revelation) as they recognize their sons. But lo! a party of them knowingly conceal the truth.

Transliteration Allazina a_taina_humu kita_ba ya'rifu_nahu_ kama_ ya'rifu_na abna_'ahum, wa inna fariqam minhum layaktumu_nal haqqa wa hum ya'lamu_n(a).

[ Ali’s notes: 147 This shows the sincere desire of Mustafa to seek light from above in the matter of the Qibla. Until the organisation of his own People into a well-knit community, with its distinctive laws and ordinances, he followed a practice based on the fact that the Jews and Christians looked upon Jerusalem as a sacred city. But there was no universal Qibla among them. Some Jews turned towards Jerusalem, especially during the Captivity, as we shall see later. At the time of our Prophet, Jerusalem was in the hands of the Byzantine Empire, which was Christian. But the Christians oriented their churches to the East (hence the word "orientation") which is a point of the compass, and not the direction of any sacred place. The fact of the altar being in the East does not mean that every worshipper has his face to the east; for, according at least to modern practice, the seats in a church are so placed that different worshippers may face in different directions. The Preacher of Unity naturally wanted, in this as in other matters, a symbol of complete unity, and his heart was naturally delighted when the Qibla towards the Ka'ba was settled. Its connection with Abraham gave it great antiquity; its character of being an Arab centre made it appropriate when the Message came in Arabic, and was preached through the union of the Arabs; at the time it was adopted, the little Muslim community was shut out of it, being exiles in Medina, but it became a symbol of hope and eventual triumph, of which Muhammad lived to see the fulfilment; and it also became the centre and gathering ground of all peoples in the universal pilgrimage, which was instituted with it. (2.144)

148 The sacred Mosque: The Ka'ba in the sacred city of Mecca. It is not correct to suggest that the command making the Ka'ba the Qibla abrogates ii. 115, where it is stated that East and West belong to God, and He is everywhere. This is perfectly true at all times, before and after the institution of the Qibla. As if to emphasize this, the same words about East and West are repeated in this very passage; see ii, 142 above. Where the Itqan mentions mansukh in this connection, I am sorry I cannot follow that opinion, unless mansukh is defined in a special way, as some of the commentators do. (2.144)

149 Glimmerings of such a Qibla were already foreshadowed in Jewish and Christian practice but its universality was only perfected in Islam. (2.144)

150 See n. 147 to ii. 144 above. The Jews and Christians had a glimmering of the Qibla idea, but in their attitude of self-sufficiency they were not likely to welcome the Qibla idea as perfected in Islam. Nor is Islam, after the fuller knowledge which it has received, likely to revert to the uncertain, imperfect, and varying ideas of orientation held previously. (2.145)

151 The People of the Book should have known all this as well as "they knew their own sons", as their past traditions and teaching should have made them receptive of the new message. Some commentators construe the demonstrative pronoun "this" to refer to the Apostle. In that case the interpretation would be: The People of the Book know Muhammad as well as they know their own sons; they know him to be true and upright; they know him to be in the line of Abraham; they know him to correspond to the description of the prophet foretold among themselves; but selfishness induces some of them to act against their own knowledge and conceal the truth. (2.146)

154 The simile of a race is continued, and so the Qibla command is repeated from that point of view. In ii. 144 it was mentioned as the new symbol of the new nation (Muslim): now it is shown as the symbol of Good, at which we should all aim, from whichever point we started, e.g., as Jews or Christians, or our individual point of view; the Qibla will unite us as a symbol of the Goal of the Future. In ii. 150 below, it is repeated: First for the individual, on the ground of uniformity and the removal of all occasions of dispute and argument; and secondly for the Muslim people, on the same ground, as a matter of discipline. There is another little harmony in the matter of the repetitions. Note that the race and starting point argument begins at ii. 149 and is rounded off in the latter part of ii. 150. The latter argument includes the former, and is more widely worded: "wheresoever ye are": which in the Arabic expression would imply three things; in whatever circumstances ye are, or at whatever time ye are, or in whatever place ye are. I have spoken before of a sort of musical harmony in verbal repetitions: here there is a sort of pictorial harmony, as of a larger circle symmetrically including a smaller concentric circle. (2.147)]

2: 147

Asad the truth from thy Sustainer! Be not, then, among the doubters:

Yusuf Ali The truth is from thy Lord so be not at all in doubt. [note 122]

Pickthall It is the Truth from thy Lord (O Muhammad), so be not thou of those who waver.

Transliteration Al haqqu mir rabbika fala_ taku_nanna minal mumtarin(a).

[Asad’s note 122 – This refers, in the first instance, to the fact that the Kabah was Abraham’s qiblah, as well as to the Biblical prophecies relating to Ishmael as the progenitor of a “great nation” (Genesis xxi, 13 and 18) from whom a prophet “like unto Moses” would one day arise: for it was through Ishamel’s descendant, the Arabian Prophet, that the commandment relating to the qiblah was revealed. (Regarding the still more explicit predictions of the future advent of the Prophet Muhammad, forthcoming from the canonical Gospels, see 61:6 and the corresponding note.) ]

2: 148

Aasd for, every community faces a direction of its own, of which He is the focal point. [note 123] Vie, therefore, with one another in doing good works. Wherever you may be, God will gather you all unto Himself: for, verily, God has the power to will anything.

Yusuf Ali To each is a goal to which Allah turns him; then strive together (as in a race) toward all that is good. Where so ever ye are Allah will bring you together. For Allah hath power over all things.

Pickthall And each one hath a goal toward which he turneth; so vie with one another in good works. Where so ever ye may be, Allah will bring you all together. Lo! Allah is Able to do all things.

Transliteration Wa likulliw wijhatun huwa muwalliha_ fastabiqul khaira_t(i), ainama_ taku_nu_ ya'ti bikumulla_hu jami'a_(n), innalla_ha 'ala_ kulli syai'in qadir(un).

[Asad’s note 123: Lit., “everyone has a direction………..”, etc. Almost all of the classical commentators, from the Companions of the Prophet downwards, interpret this as a reference to the various religious communities and their different modes of “turning towards God” in worship. Ibn Kathir, in his commentary on this verse, stresses its inner resemblance to the phrase occurring in 5:48 : “unto every one of you have We appointed a [different] law and way of life.” The statement that “every community faces a direction its own” in its endeavor to express its submission to God implies, firstly, that at various times and in various circumstances man’s desire to approach God in prayer has taken different forms………………….does not represent the essence of faith as such: for, as the Quran says, “true piety does nto consist in turning your faces towards the east or the west” (2:177), and, “God’s is the east and the west” (2:115 and 142). Consequently, the revelation which established the Kabah as the qiblah of the Muslims should not be a matter of contention for people of other faiths, nor a cause of their disbelief in the truth of the Quranic revelation as such (Manar II 21f) ]

2: 149

Yusuf Ali From whence so ever thou startest forth turn thy face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque; that is indeed the truth from thy Lord. And Allah is not unmindful of what ye do.

Pickthall And whence so ever thou comest forth (for prayer, O Muhammad) turn thy face toward the Inviolable Place of Worship. Lo! it is the Truth from thy Lord. Allah is not unaware of what ye do.

Transliteration Wa min haisu kharajta fawalli wajhaka syatral masjidil hara_m(i), wa innahu_ lal haqqu mir rabbik(a), wa malla_hu bi ga_filin 'amma_ ta'malu_n(a).

2: 150

Asad Hence, from wherever you may come forth, turn your face [in prayer] towards the Inviolable House of Worship; and wherever you all may be, turn your faces towards it, so that people should have no argument against you unless they are bent upon wrongdoing. And hold not them in awe, but stand in awe of Me, and [obey Me,] so that I might bestow upon you the full measure of My blessings, and that you might follow the right path.

Yusuf Ali So from whencesoever thou startest forth turn thy face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque; among wheresoever ye are turn your face thither that there be no ground of dispute against you among the people except those of them that are bent on wickedness; so fear them not but fear Me; and that I may complete My favors on you and ye may (consent to) be guided.

Pickthall Whencesoever thou comest forth turn thy face toward the Inviolable Place of Worship; and wheresoever ye may be (O Muslims) turn your faces toward it (when ye pray) so that men may have no argument against you, save such of them as do injustice. Fear them not, but fear Me and so that I may complete My grace upon you, and that ye may be guided.

Transliteration Wa min haisu kharajta fawalli wajhaka syatral masjidil hara_m(i), wa haisu ma_ kuntum fawallu_ wuju_hakum syatrah(u_), li alla_ yaku_na linna_si 'alaikum hujjatun illal lazina zalamu_ minhum fala_ takhsyauhum wakhsyauni wa li utimma ni'mati 'alaikum wa la'allakum tahtadu_n(a

Kama_ arsalna_ fikum rasu_lam minkum yatlu_ 'alaikum a_ya_tina_ wa yuzakkikum wayu'allimukumul kita_ba wal hikmata wa yu'allimukum ma_ lam taku_nu_ ta'lamu_n(a).

[ Ali’s note - 153 The question is how we are to construe the pronoun huwa in the original. The alternative translation would be: "To each is a goal to which he turns." The simile of life being a race in which we all zealously run forward to the one goal, viz., the goal of good, may be applied individually and nationally. This supplies another argument of the Ka'ba Qibla, viz., the unity of goal, with diversity of races, traditions and temperaments. (2.148)