سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 150
وَمِنْ حَيْثُ خَرَجْتَ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ ۚ وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنتُمْ فَوَلُّوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُۥ لِئَلَّا يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَيْكُمْ حُجَّةٌ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ فَلَا تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَٱخْشَوْنِى وَلِأُتِمَّ نِعْمَتِى عَلَيْكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ ﴿150﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And from wheresoever you start forth (for prayers), turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid-Al-Harâm (at Makkah), and wheresoever you are, turn your faces towards it (when you pray) so that men may have no argument against you except those of them that are wrong-doers, so fear them not, but fear Me! - And so that I may complete My Blessings on you and that you may be guided.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَمِنْ
wamin
And from
حَيْثُ
ḥaythu
wherever
خَرَجْتَ
kharajta
you start forth
فَوَلِّ
fawalli
[so] turn
وَجْهَكَ
wajhaka
your face
شَطْرَ
shaṭra
(in the) direction
ٱلْمَسْجِدِ
l-masjidi
(of) Al-Masjid
ٱلْحَرَامِ ۚ
l-ḥarāmi
Al-Haraam
وَحَيْثُ
waḥaythu
And wherever
مَا
mā
that
كُنتُمْ
kuntum
you (all) are
فَوَلُّوا۟
fawallū
[so] turn
وُجُوهَكُمْ
wujūhakum
your faces
شَطْرَهُۥ
shaṭrahu
(in) its direction
لِئَلَّا
li-allā
so that not
يَكُونَ
yakūna
will be
لِلنَّاسِ
lilnnāsi
for the people
عَلَيْكُمْ
ʿalaykum
against you
حُجَّةٌ
ḥujjatun
any argument
إِلَّا
illā
except
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
those who
ظَلَمُوا۟
ẓalamū
wronged
مِنْهُمْ
min'hum
among them
فَلَا
falā
so (do) not
تَخْشَوْهُمْ
takhshawhum
fear them
وَٱخْشَوْنِى
wa-ikh'shawnī
but fear Me
وَلِأُتِمَّ
wali-utimma
And that I complete
نِعْمَتِى
niʿ'matī
My favor
عَلَيْكُمْ
ʿalaykum
upon you
وَلَعَلَّكُمْ
walaʿallakum
[and] so that you may
تَهْتَدُونَ
tahtadūna
(be) guided
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.
150. 1 The command to turn towards the Qiblah has been repeated three times, either to clarify its emphasis and importance, or because the ruling of abrogation was the first experience, so to remove mental confusion, it was necessary to repeat it again and again so that it would become firmly established in the hearts. One reason was the desire and wish of the Prophet ﷺ, which was mentioned there. The second reason is that for every community and bearer of a mission, the existence of a permanent center is necessary, so it was repeated there. The third reason is to remove the objections of the opponents, so it was mentioned there (Fath al-Qadeer).
150. 2 That is, so that the People of the Book cannot say that in their books, their Qiblah is the Ka'bah, but they pray towards Bayt al-Maqdis.
150. 3 Here, by ظَلَمُوْا is meant those who are obstinate, that is, among the People of the Book, those who are obstinate, even though they know that the Qiblah of the last Prophet ﷺ will indeed be the Ka'bah, they will, out of stubbornness, say that by making the Ka'bah instead of Bayt al-Maqdis his Qiblah, this Prophet ﷺ has ultimately inclined towards his ancestral religion. And according to some, it refers to the polytheists of Makkah.
150. 4 Do not fear the wrongdoers. That is, do not care about the words of the polytheists. They had said that Muhammad ﷺ has adopted our Qiblah, soon he will also adopt our religion. Fear Me, keep acting upon My command without fear. The changing of the Qiblah has been described as the completion of favor and guidance, meaning that acting upon the command of Allah certainly makes a person deserving of reward and honor, and he is also granted the ability to be guided.
150. 2 That is, so that the People of the Book cannot say that in their books, their Qiblah is the Ka'bah, but they pray towards Bayt al-Maqdis.
150. 3 Here, by ظَلَمُوْا is meant those who are obstinate, that is, among the People of the Book, those who are obstinate, even though they know that the Qiblah of the last Prophet ﷺ will indeed be the Ka'bah, they will, out of stubbornness, say that by making the Ka'bah instead of Bayt al-Maqdis his Qiblah, this Prophet ﷺ has ultimately inclined towards his ancestral religion. And according to some, it refers to the polytheists of Makkah.
150. 4 Do not fear the wrongdoers. That is, do not care about the words of the polytheists. They had said that Muhammad ﷺ has adopted our Qiblah, soon he will also adopt our religion. Fear Me, keep acting upon My command without fear. The changing of the Qiblah has been described as the completion of favor and guidance, meaning that acting upon the command of Allah certainly makes a person deserving of reward and honor, and he is also granted the ability to be guided.
