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.
Asad’s Version:
2: 142 [al-Baqarah, Medina 87]
Asad The weak-minded among people will say, “ What has turned them away from the direction of prayer which they have hitherto observed ?
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 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).
Lord nor is Allah unmindful of what they do. 147 148 149
145 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. 150
146 The people of the Book know this as they know their own sons; but some of them conceal the truth which they themselves know. 151
147 The truth is from thy Lord so be not at all in doubt. 154
140 Nas - People, the unthinking multitude that sway to and fro, instead of being firm in God'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 Medina even as the Pharisees and the Sadducees of Jesus's day tried to entangle Jesus (Matt. xxii, 15, 23) (2.142)
141 Nas - People, the unthinking multitude that sway to and fro, instead of being firm in God'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 Medina even as the Pharisees and the Sadducees of Jesus's day tried to entangle Jesus (Matt. xxii, 15, 23) (2.142)
Sura-3 [Al-Imran, Medina 89 ]
The Quranic Text & Ali’s version:
إِنَّ
أَوَّلَ
بَيْتٍ
وُضِعَ
لِلنَّاسِ
لَلَّذِي
بِبَكَّةَ
...
3:96. The first House (of worship) appointed for men was that at Bakka
C422. Bakka: same as Makkah, perhaps an older name.
The foundation of the Ka'bah goes back to Abraham, but there are place associations in the sacred territories with the names of Adam and Eve. (R).
... مُبَارَكًا وَهُدًى لِّلْعَالَمِينَ ﴿٩٦﴾
full of blessing and of guidance for all kinds of beings:
C423. 'Alamin:
- all the worlds (1:2 and n.20),
- all kinds of beings;
- all nations (3:42):
- all creatures (3:97),
3: 96
Asad Behold, the first Temple ever set up for mankind was indeed the one at Bakkah [note 75]: rich in blessing,
Yusuf Ali The first House (of worship) appointed for men was that at Bakka full of blessing and of guidance for all kinds of beings:
Pickthall Lo! the first Sanctuary appointed for mankind was that at Mecca, a blessed place, a guidance to the peoples;
Transliteration Inna awwala baitiw wudi'a linna_si lallazi bi bakkata muba_rakw wa hudal lil'a_lamin(a).
[ Ali’s notes - 422 Bakka: same as Makkah, perhaps an older name. The foundation of the Ka'ba goes back to Abraham. (3.96)
423 'Alamin: all the worlds (i. 2. ii), all kinds of beings; all nations (iii. 42): all creatures (iii. 97), (3.96) ]
[ Asad’s note 75 - ………in some old Arabic dialects the labial consonants b and m, being phonetically close to one another, are occasionally interchangeable. …….Since the prototype of the Kabah was built by Abraham and Ishmael (see 2:125 ff.) – and is, therefore, much older than the Temple of Solomon in Jerusalem - ………and herein lies the answer to the second of the two Jewish objections mentioned in note 73 above.]