سُوْرَةُ البَقَرَةِ
Surah Al-Baqara (2) — Ayah 145
وَلَئِنْ أَتَيْتَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ بِكُلِّ ءَايَةٍ مَّا تَبِعُوا۟ قِبْلَتَكَ ۚ وَمَآ أَنتَ بِتَابِعٍ قِبْلَتَهُمْ ۚ وَمَا بَعْضُهُم بِتَابِعٍ قِبْلَةَ بَعْضٍ ۚ وَلَئِنِ ٱتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَآءَهُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَكَ مِنَ ٱلْعِلْمِ ۙ إِنَّكَ إِذًا لَّمِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ ﴿145﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
And even if you were to bring to the people of the Scripture (Jews and Christians) all the Ayât (proofs, evidence, verses, lessons, signs, revelations, etc.), they would not follow your Qiblah (prayer direction), nor are you going to follow their Qiblah (prayer direction). And they will not follow each other’s Qiblah (prayer direction). Verily, if you follow their desires after that which you have received of knowledge (from Allâh), then indeed you will be one of the Zâlimûn (polytheists, wrong-doers).
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
وَلَئِنْ
wala-in
And even if
أَتَيْتَ
atayta
you come
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
(to) those who
أُوتُوا۟
ūtū
were given
ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ
l-kitāba
the Book
بِكُلِّ
bikulli
with all
ءَايَةٍۢ
āyatin
(the) signs
مَّا
mā
not
تَبِعُوا۟
tabiʿū
they would follow
قِبْلَتَكَ ۚ
qib'lataka
your direction of prayer
وَمَآ
wamā
and not
أَنتَ
anta
(will) you (be)
بِتَابِعٍۢ
bitābiʿin
a follower
قِبْلَتَهُمْ ۚ
qib'latahum
(of) their direction of prayer
وَمَا
wamā
And not
بَعْضُهُم
baʿḍuhum
some of them
بِتَابِعٍۢ
bitābiʿin
(are) followers
قِبْلَةَ
qib'lata
(of the) direction of prayer
بَعْضٍۢ ۚ
baʿḍin
(of each) other
وَلَئِنِ
wala-ini
And if
ٱتَّبَعْتَ
ittabaʿta
you followed
أَهْوَآءَهُم
ahwāahum
their desires
مِّنۢ
min
from
بَعْدِ
baʿdi
after
مَا
mā
[what]
جَآءَكَ
jāaka
came to you
مِنَ
mina
of
ٱلْعِلْمِ ۙ
l-ʿil'mi
the knowledge
إِنَّكَ
innaka
indeed, you
إِذًۭا
idhan
(would) then
لَّمِنَ
lamina
(be) surely among
ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
l-ẓālimīna
the wrongdoers
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.
145. Even if you bring every sign [180] to the People of the Book, they will not follow your Qiblah, nor can you follow their Qiblah, nor do they follow each other's Qiblah [181]. And if you ﷺ were to follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you [182], then surely you would be among the wrongdoers.
[180] This is because their dispute is not based on any evidence, but merely on jealousy and enmity. That is, even if you show them this matter from their own books, they still will not accept it.
[181]
The Disagreement of the People of the Book Regarding the Qiblah:
That is, even the People of the Book have different Qiblahs. The Qiblah of the Jews is the rock of Bayt al-Maqdis. (Bayt al-Maqdis was built by Solomon ؑ thirteen hundred years after Abraham ؑ), and the Qiblah of the Christians is the eastern side of Bayt al-Maqdis, where the spirit was breathed into Jesus ؑ. So when these people themselves are not united upon a single Qiblah, how can they agree with you, or which of their Qiblahs would you follow?
[182] As a Messenger, it is not your ﷺ duty to go around pleasing people or to make compromises on the principle of give and take. Your ﷺ duty is to strictly adhere to the knowledge We have given you, and the address of being unjust is actually directed at the Ummah. How could a Messenger ignore divine revelation? The Ummah is being warned that the command of Allah which you receive through the Messenger, you must have complete faith in it and act accordingly, and if you try to please the Jews, you will be counted among the unjust.
[180] This is because their dispute is not based on any evidence, but merely on jealousy and enmity. That is, even if you show them this matter from their own books, they still will not accept it.
[181]
The Disagreement of the People of the Book Regarding the Qiblah:
That is, even the People of the Book have different Qiblahs. The Qiblah of the Jews is the rock of Bayt al-Maqdis. (Bayt al-Maqdis was built by Solomon ؑ thirteen hundred years after Abraham ؑ), and the Qiblah of the Christians is the eastern side of Bayt al-Maqdis, where the spirit was breathed into Jesus ؑ. So when these people themselves are not united upon a single Qiblah, how can they agree with you, or which of their Qiblahs would you follow?
[182] As a Messenger, it is not your ﷺ duty to go around pleasing people or to make compromises on the principle of give and take. Your ﷺ duty is to strictly adhere to the knowledge We have given you, and the address of being unjust is actually directed at the Ummah. How could a Messenger ignore divine revelation? The Ummah is being warned that the command of Allah which you receive through the Messenger, you must have complete faith in it and act accordingly, and if you try to please the Jews, you will be counted among the unjust.
