سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 143
وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَـٰكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِّتَكُونُوا۟ شُهَدَآءَ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ ٱلرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًا ۗ وَمَا جَعَلْنَا ٱلْقِبْلَةَ ٱلَّتِى كُنتَ عَلَيْهَآ إِلَّا لِنَعْلَمَ مَن يَتَّبِعُ ٱلرَّسُولَ مِمَّن يَنقَلِبُ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيْهِ ۚ وَإِن كَانَتْ لَكَبِيرَةً إِلَّا عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ هَدَى ٱللَّهُ ۗ وَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيُضِيعَ إِيمَـٰنَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِٱلنَّاسِ لَرَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ ﴿143﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
Thus We have made you [true Muslims - real believers of Islâmic Monotheism, true followers of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم and his Sunnah (legal ways)], a just (and the best) nation, that you be witnesses over mankind and the Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) be a witness over you. And We made the Qiblah (prayer direction towards Jerusalem) which you used to face, only to test those who followed the Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) from those who would turn on their heels (i.e. disobey the Messenger). Indeed it was great (heavy) except for those whom Allâh guided. And Allâh would never make your faith (prayers) to be lost (i.e. your prayers offered towards Jerusalem). Truly, Allâh is full of Kindness, the Most Merciful towards mankind.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَكَذَٰلِكَ
wakadhālika
And thus
جَعَلْنَـٰكُمْ
jaʿalnākum
We made you
أُمَّةًۭ
ummatan
a community
وَسَطًۭا
wasaṭan
(of the) middle way
لِّتَكُونُوا۟
litakūnū
so that you will be
شُهَدَآءَ
shuhadāa
witnesses
عَلَى
ʿalā
over
ٱلنَّاسِ
l-nāsi
the mankind
وَيَكُونَ
wayakūna
and will be
ٱلرَّسُولُ
l-rasūlu
the Messenger
عَلَيْكُمْ
ʿalaykum
on you
شَهِيدًۭا ۗ
shahīdan
a witness
وَمَا
wamā
And not
جَعَلْنَا
jaʿalnā
We made
ٱلْقِبْلَةَ
l-qib'lata
the direction of prayer
ٱلَّتِى
allatī
which
كُنتَ
kunta
you were used to
عَلَيْهَآ
ʿalayhā
[on it]
إِلَّا
illā
except
لِنَعْلَمَ
linaʿlama
that We make evident
مَن
man
(he) who
يَتَّبِعُ
yattabiʿu
follows
ٱلرَّسُولَ
l-rasūla
the Messenger
مِمَّن
mimman
from (he) who
يَنقَلِبُ
yanqalibu
turns back
عَلَىٰ
ʿalā
on
عَقِبَيْهِ ۚ
ʿaqibayhi
his heels
وَإِن
wa-in
And indeed
كَانَتْ
kānat
it was
لَكَبِيرَةً
lakabīratan
certainly a great (test)
إِلَّا
illā
except
عَلَى
ʿalā
for
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those whom
هَدَى
hadā
guided
ٱللَّهُ ۗ
l-lahu
(by) Allah
وَمَا
wamā
And not
كَانَ
kāna
will
ٱللَّهُ
l-lahu
Allah
لِيُضِيعَ
liyuḍīʿa
let go waste
إِيمَـٰنَكُمْ ۚ
īmānakum
your faith
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
بِٱلنَّاسِ
bil-nāsi
(is) to [the] mankind
لَرَءُوفٌۭ
laraūfun
Full of Kindness
رَّحِيمٌۭ
raḥīmun
Most Merciful
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.
143. 1 The literal meaning of "wasat" is "middle," but it is also used in the sense of "better" and "superior." Here, it is used in this sense, meaning just as you have been given a better qiblah, in the same way, you have also been made the most superior ummah, and the purpose of this is so that you may bear witness over the people. As mentioned elsewhere (لِیَکُون الرَّسُولُ شَھِیْدًا عَلَیْکُمْ وَ تَکُوْنُوْ اشُھَدَآ ءَ عَلَی النَّاسِ) 22:28 the Messenger will be a witness over you, and you will be witnesses over the people. This is explained in some ahadith in this way: when Allah Almighty will ask the prophets on the Day of Resurrection, "Did you convey My message to the people?" They will reply in the affirmative. Allah Almighty will say, "Do you have any witness?" They will say, "Yes, Muhammad ﷺ and his ummah." Thus, this ummah will bear witness.
143. 2 This is one of the purposes of the change of qiblah, that the true believers used to await the indications of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, so for them, turning from one direction to another was not a difficult matter. In fact, at one place, even during the prayer, when they were in ruku', this command reached them, so they turned their faces towards the Ka'bah while still in ruku'. This mosque is called Masjid Qiblatain (i.e., the mosque in which one prayer was offered facing two qiblahs), and a similar incident occurred in Masjid Quba as well (لِنَعْلَمْ) (so that We may know). Allah already had knowledge before; the meaning is so that We may separate the people of certainty from the people of doubt, so that both types of people become clear before the people (Fath al-Qadeer).
143. 3 Some of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all) had this concern in their minds that those Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all) who had passed away during the time when prayers were offered facing Bayt al-Maqdis, or the period during which we offered prayers facing that direction, would those prayers be wasted or perhaps their reward would not be given? Allah Almighty said that these prayers will not be wasted and their full reward will be given. Here, prayer is referred to as iman to make it clear that without prayer, iman has no value. Iman is only valid when there is adherence to prayer and other divine commands.
143. 2 This is one of the purposes of the change of qiblah, that the true believers used to await the indications of the Messenger of Allah ﷺ, so for them, turning from one direction to another was not a difficult matter. In fact, at one place, even during the prayer, when they were in ruku', this command reached them, so they turned their faces towards the Ka'bah while still in ruku'. This mosque is called Masjid Qiblatain (i.e., the mosque in which one prayer was offered facing two qiblahs), and a similar incident occurred in Masjid Quba as well (لِنَعْلَمْ) (so that We may know). Allah already had knowledge before; the meaning is so that We may separate the people of certainty from the people of doubt, so that both types of people become clear before the people (Fath al-Qadeer).
143. 3 Some of the Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all) had this concern in their minds that those Companions (may Allah be pleased with them all) who had passed away during the time when prayers were offered facing Bayt al-Maqdis, or the period during which we offered prayers facing that direction, would those prayers be wasted or perhaps their reward would not be given? Allah Almighty said that these prayers will not be wasted and their full reward will be given. Here, prayer is referred to as iman to make it clear that without prayer, iman has no value. Iman is only valid when there is adherence to prayer and other divine commands.
