سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 115
وَلِلَّهِ ٱلْمَشْرِقُ وَٱلْمَغْرِبُ ۚ فَأَيْنَمَا تُوَلُّوا۟ فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ ٱللَّهِ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴿115﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And to Allâh belong the east and the west, so wherever you turn (yourselves or your faces) there is the Face of Allâh (and He is High above, over His Throne). Surely! Allâh is All-Sufficient for His creatures’ needs, All-Knowing.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلِلَّهِ
walillahi
And for Allah
ٱلْمَشْرِقُ
l-mashriqu
(is) the east
وَٱلْمَغْرِبُ ۚ
wal-maghribu
and the west
فَأَيْنَمَا
fa-aynamā
so wherever
تُوَلُّوا۟
tuwallū
you turn
فَثَمَّ
fathamma
[so] there
وَجْهُ
wajhu
(is the) face
ٱللَّهِ ۚ
l-lahi
(of) Allah
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
وَٰسِعٌ
wāsiʿun
(is) All-Encompassing
عَلِيمٌۭ
ʿalīmun
All-Knowing
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran — Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani
Tafsir Taiseer ul-Quran (Facilitation of the Quran) is a comprehensive Quran commentary by Maulana Abdul Rahman Kilani, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar from Pakistan. Known for his eloquent and accessible writing style, Kilani authored this tafsir with a focus on clarity — making Quranic meanings understandable to the common reader. The tafsir provides detailed historical context for verses related to battles and expeditions, and firmly refutes modernist ideologies using strong scriptural evidence. It is widely regarded as an invaluable resource for understanding the Quran and countering deviant interpretations. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
115. To Allah belong the East and the West. So wherever you turn, there is the Face of Allah [135]. Surely, Allah is All-Encompassing [136], All-Knowing.
[135]
Facing the Qiblah in Prayer:
Hazrat Umar ؓ narrates that once the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was performing nafl (supererogatory) prayers on his mount, and the mount would turn in any direction. At that time, you ﷺ were coming from Makkah to Madinah. Then Hazrat Umar ؓ recited this very verse and said that this verse pertains to this matter [ترمذي ابواب التفسير زير آيت بالا]
In another narration, it is stated that during a journey, the Companions were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. The night was dark, so each person prayed in the direction he thought was the Qiblah and placed a stone as a marker. In the morning, it became clear that some people had prayed in the wrong direction. They became hesitant, and then this verse was revealed. And it is narrated from Qatadah that this verse is abrogated, and its abrogator is ﴿فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ﴾. [ترمذي۔ ابواب التفسير زير آيت بالا]
It should be noted that the Sufi elders who believe in Wahdat al-Wujud present this verse as evidence for the validity of Wahdat al-Wujud. Thus, Khwaja Hasan Sanjari says:
"The disbelievers who prostrate before idols, all their faces are actually towards You, and every direction is Your face."
That is, when the disbelievers prostrate to idols, their faces are, in reality, towards You, because every direction is Your face.
We have already written above about the reason for the revelation of this verse and its abrogation.
Despite this, if the view of these elders is considered correct, then the question arises: what was the need and importance of the change of Qiblah, for which Allah Almighty revealed nine verses in this very Surah Baqarah? From Sanjari Sahib's couplet, it certainly becomes clear that when a person forms a preconceived notion and then tries to prove it from the Quran, to what extent he can resort to misinterpretation. Thus, Sanjari Sahib, by praising the act of idol worship, even declared their act of idol worship to be correct.
[136]
That is, Allah Almighty is not narrow-minded or narrow-hearted; rather, His divinity is vast, His perspective is vast, and His sphere of grace is vast. Therefore, if there is a mistake in searching for the Qiblah, it is not blameworthy. He knows very well where, at what time, and with what intention His servant is remembering Him.
[135]
Facing the Qiblah in Prayer:
Hazrat Umar ؓ narrates that once the Messenger of Allah ﷺ was performing nafl (supererogatory) prayers on his mount, and the mount would turn in any direction. At that time, you ﷺ were coming from Makkah to Madinah. Then Hazrat Umar ؓ recited this very verse and said that this verse pertains to this matter [ترمذي ابواب التفسير زير آيت بالا]
In another narration, it is stated that during a journey, the Companions were with the Messenger of Allah ﷺ. The night was dark, so each person prayed in the direction he thought was the Qiblah and placed a stone as a marker. In the morning, it became clear that some people had prayed in the wrong direction. They became hesitant, and then this verse was revealed. And it is narrated from Qatadah that this verse is abrogated, and its abrogator is ﴿فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ﴾. [ترمذي۔ ابواب التفسير زير آيت بالا]
It should be noted that the Sufi elders who believe in Wahdat al-Wujud present this verse as evidence for the validity of Wahdat al-Wujud. Thus, Khwaja Hasan Sanjari says:
"The disbelievers who prostrate before idols, all their faces are actually towards You, and every direction is Your face."
That is, when the disbelievers prostrate to idols, their faces are, in reality, towards You, because every direction is Your face.
We have already written above about the reason for the revelation of this verse and its abrogation.
Despite this, if the view of these elders is considered correct, then the question arises: what was the need and importance of the change of Qiblah, for which Allah Almighty revealed nine verses in this very Surah Baqarah? From Sanjari Sahib's couplet, it certainly becomes clear that when a person forms a preconceived notion and then tries to prove it from the Quran, to what extent he can resort to misinterpretation. Thus, Sanjari Sahib, by praising the act of idol worship, even declared their act of idol worship to be correct.
[136]
That is, Allah Almighty is not narrow-minded or narrow-hearted; rather, His divinity is vast, His perspective is vast, and His sphere of grace is vast. Therefore, if there is a mistake in searching for the Qiblah, it is not blameworthy. He knows very well where, at what time, and with what intention His servant is remembering Him.
