سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 142
۞ سَيَقُولُ ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ مِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَا وَلَّىٰهُمْ عَن قِبْلَتِهِمُ ٱلَّتِى كَانُوا۟ عَلَيْهَا ۚ قُل لِّلَّهِ ٱلْمَشْرِقُ وَٱلْمَغْرِبُ ۚ يَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ ﴿142﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
The fools among the people (pagans, hypocrites, and Jews) will say, "What has turned them (Muslims) from their Qiblah [prayer direction (towards Jerusalem)] to which they used to face in prayer." Say, (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) "To Allâh belong both, east and the west. He guides whom He wills to the Straight Way."
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
۞ سَيَقُولُ
sayaqūlu
Will say
ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ
l-sufahāu
the foolish ones
مِنَ
mina
from
ٱلنَّاسِ
l-nāsi
the people
مَا
mā
What
وَلَّىٰهُمْ
wallāhum
(has) turned them
عَن
ʿan
from
قِبْلَتِهِمُ
qib'latihimu
their direction of prayer
ٱلَّتِى
allatī
which
كَانُوا۟
kānū
they were used to
عَلَيْهَا ۚ
ʿalayhā
[on it]
قُل
qul
Say
لِّلَّهِ
lillahi
For Allah
ٱلْمَشْرِقُ
l-mashriqu
(is) the east
وَٱلْمَغْرِبُ ۚ
wal-maghribu
and the west
يَهْدِى
yahdī
He guides
مَن
man
whom
يَشَآءُ
yashāu
He wills
إِلَىٰ
ilā
to
صِرَٰطٍۢ
ṣirāṭin
a path
مُّسْتَقِيمٍۢ
mus'taqīmin
straight
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan — Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf
Tafsir Ahsan al-Bayan is a well-known Quran commentary by Hafiz Salahuddin Yusuf, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. This tafsir explains the meanings of the Quran in accordance with the methodology of the Salaf (early righteous generations), relying on authentic sources and straightforward language. Due to its reliability and adherence to sound Islamic scholarship, the Saudi government publishes and distributes this tafsir among the Hujjaj (pilgrims) visiting the Haramain. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
142. 1. When the Prophet ﷺ migrated from Makkah to Madinah, for 16/17 months he continued to pray facing the Baytullah, although he wished to pray facing the Ka'bah, which is the Qiblah of Ibrahim. For this, the Prophet ﷺ also prayed and repeatedly looked towards the sky. Eventually, Allah Almighty gave the command to change the Qiblah towards the Ka'bah, upon which the Jews and hypocrites raised an uproar, even though prayer is an act of worship to Allah, and in worship, the worshipper is bound to do as commanded. Therefore, whichever direction Allah turned them towards, it was necessary to turn in that direction. Moreover, the Allah who is to be worshipped owns the east and the west—all directions belong to Him—so directions themselves have no importance. Worship of Allah can be performed in any direction, provided that Allah has commanded to adopt that direction. The command to change the Qiblah came at the time of Asr prayer, and the Asr prayer was performed facing the Ka'bah.
