Sura-2 [Al-Baqara medina 87]

The Quranic Text & Ali’s version:

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.

Asad’s Version:

2: 143

Asad And thus have We wiled you to be a community of the middle way [note 118], so that [with your lives] you might bear witness to the truth before all mankind, and that the Apostle might bear witness to it before you.”

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).

[Asad’s note 118 Lit., “middlemost community” – i.e., a community the keeps an equitable balance between extremes and is realistic in its appreciation of man’s nature and possibility………….]