| 2:143 وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِّتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاءَ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًا ۗ وَمَا جَعَلْنَا الْقِبْلَةَ الَّتِي كُنتَ عَلَيْهَا إِلَّا لِنَعْلَمَ مَن يَتَّبِعُ الرَّسُولَ مِمَّن يَنقَلِبُ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيْهِ ۚ وَإِن كَانَتْ لَكَبِيرَةً إِلَّا عَلَى الَّذِينَ هَدَى اللَّهُ ۗ وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُضِيعَ إِيمَانَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِالنَّاسِ لَرَءُو1فٌ رَّحِيمٌ. Wa kathalika ja'alnakum ummatan wasatan litakunu shuhada'a 'ala an-nasi wa yakuna ar-rasulu 'alaykum shahida. Wa ma ja'alna al-qiblatallati kunta 'alayha illa lina'lama man yattabi'u ar-rasula mimman yanqalibu 'ala 'aqibayh. Wa in kanat lakabiratan illa 'ala allatheena hada Allah. Wa ma kana Allahu liyudi'a imanakum. Inna Allaha binnasi lara'ufun rahim. / ওঅ কাযা-লিকা জা‘আলনা-কুম উম্মাতাওঁ ওঅসাতাল লিতাকূনূ শুহাদাআ ‘আলান না-সি ওঅ ইয়াকূনার রাসূলু ‘আলাইকুম শাহীদা-; ওঅ মা-জা‘আলানাল কিবলাতাল্লাতী কুনতা ‘আলাইহা ইল্লা-লিনা‘লামা মাইঁ ইয়াত্তাবি‘উর রাসূলা মিম্মাইঁ ইয়ানকালিবু ‘আলা- ‘আকিবাইহ; ওঅ ইন কা-নাত লাকাবীরাতান ইল্লা- ‘আলাল্লাযীনা হাদাল্লা-হ; ওঅ মা-কা-নাল্লা-হু লিইয়ুদী‘আ ঈমা-নাকুম; ইন্নাল্লা-হা বিন্না-সি লারাঊফুর রাহীম। English: And thus We have made you a justly balanced community that you will be witnesses over the people and the Messenger will be a witness over you. And We did not make the qiblah which you used to face except that We might make evident who follows the Messenger from who turns back on his heels. And indeed, it was difficult except for those whom Allah has guided. And never would Allah have caused you to lose your faith. Indeed Allah is, to the people, Kind and Merciful. / Bengali: আর এভাবেই আমি তোমাদেরকে এক মধ্যপন্থী সম্প্রদায় বানিয়েছি, যাতে তোমরা মানবজাতির উপর সাক্ষী হও এবং রাসূল তোমাদের উপর সাক্ষী হন। আর যে কিবলার উপর তুমি ছিলে, তাকে আমি কেবল এ জন্যই নির্ধারণ করেছিলাম, যাতে আমি জানতে পারি কে রাসূলকে অনুসরণ করে আর কে তার বিপরীত দিকে ফিরে যায়। আর নিশ্চয়ই এটা কঠিন ছিল তাদের ছাড়া, যাদেরকে আল্লাহ হিদায়াত দিয়েছেন। আর আল্লাহ এমন নন যে, তিনি তোমাদের ঈমান নষ্ট করে দেবেন। নিশ্চয়ই আল্লাহ মানুষের প্রতি অত্যন্ত স্নেহশীল, পরম দয়ালু। <br> # (أُمَّةً وَسَطًا) (ummatan wasaṭan) (উম্মাতাওঁ ওঅসাতা) (a community justly balanced). Root: W-S-Ṭ (و س ط). Core meaning: middle, center, best, most equitable. The central part of something is often its most protected and noblest part. Historically used for a person of noble lineage (from the "center" of the tribe). Derived word: wāsiṭah (واسطة), an intermediary or means. Cognates: Hebrew tikkun 'olam (תקון עולם), "repairing the world," carries a similar sense of establishing balance and justice. Ge'ez wasṭ (ወሰጥ), "midst, inside." / # (الْقِبْلَةَ) (al-qiblah) (আলকিবলাতা) (the direction). Root: Q-B-L (ق ب ل). Core meaning: to face, be in front of, accept. It denotes directionality, encounter, and reception. The word implies a conscious turning towards something. Derived word: istiqbāl (استقبال), reception, facing the future. Cognates: Hebrew qibbēl (קִבֵּל), "to receive, accept." Aramaic qabbel (קַבֵּל), same meaning. / # (يَنقَلِبُ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيْهِ) (yanqalibu 'alā 'aqibayh) (ইয়ানকালিবু ‘আলা- ‘আকিবাইহ) (he turns back on his heels). Root: Q-L-B (ق ل ب) for "turn" and 'Q-B (ع ق ب) for "heel." The expression is an idiom for apostasy or complete reversal of one's position, a retreat from commitment. It conveys a physical image of turning one's back and walking away. / # (لَرَءُوفٌ) (lara'ūfun) (লারাঊফুর) (indeed is Kind). Root: R-'-F (ر أ ف). Core meaning: intense empathy, kindness, compassion, especially in averting harm or pain. It is a more specific and tender form of mercy than raḥmah. Derived word: ra'fah (رأفة), kindness, compassion. / Quran and Hadith: Context: Preceded by 2:142, which quotes the "foolish" (the Jews of Medina and polytheists of Mecca) asking why the Muslims changed their prayer direction. The verse answers this objection, framing the change as a divine test. It is followed by 2:144, which gives the explicit command to turn to the Ka'ba. / Allusions: Critiques the reliance of the People of the Scripture on a fixed, unchangeable tradition (Jerusalem as the qiblah) over ongoing divine revelation. Reclaims the Ka'ba, an ancient monotheistic center from pre-Islamic Abrahamic tradition, from its polytheistic usage. / Tafsir al-Qur'an bil-Qur'an: The concept of a test is central to the Qur'an (e.g., 29:2-3). God's sovereignty over direction is stated in 2:115: "To Allah belong the East and the West; so wherever you turn, there is the Face of Allah." The status of the Muslim community as "witnesses" is reiterated in 22:78. The verse addresses the concern of Muslims who died before the change, assuring them their previous prayers towards Jerusalem were not in vain, affirming God does not waste faith. / Hadith: Narrated by al-Barā' ibn 'Āzib: "Allah's Messenger prayed towards Bait-ul-Maqdis (Jerusalem) for sixteen or seventeen months, but he wished that his Qibla would be the Ka'ba... Then Allah revealed: 'Verily! We have seen the turning of your face towards the heaven...' (2:144). After this, he turned towards the Ka'ba. The foolish among the people... said, 'What has turned them from their Qibla...?' Allah revealed: 'Say: To Allah belong the East and the West...'" (Bukhārī #41). Another hadith reports that a congregation in Quba was praying Fajr when a messenger arrived and announced the change; the entire congregation turned 180 degrees mid-prayer to face the Ka'ba (Muslim #526). This demonstrates immediate submission. / EXEGESIS: Early: Mujāhid and al-Ṭabarī state the first qiblah (Jerusalem) was a temporary command to test the people of Medina, particularly the Jews, to see if they would follow the Prophet even when he prayed toward their holy city, and to test the Meccan converts' willingness to detach from the Ka'ba. The change distinguished those who followed the Prophet personally from those who merely followed a familiar tradition. / Later: al-Zamakhsharī highlights the rhetorical force of wasat (justly balanced), arguing it implies excellence and moral rectitude, not just a middle position. Fakhr al-Rāzī discusses the theological implications: God is not bound by place, so the qiblah is for human benefit, fostering unity and order. Ibn Kathīr compiles numerous hadith reports on the timing and circumstances of the change. / Modern: Muḥammad Shafīʿ (Maʿārif al-Qurʾān) emphasizes that the change cemented the distinct identity of the Muslim ummah. Wahiduddin Khan (Tazkirul Quran) sees it as a lesson in distinguishing substance from form; the essence of worship is obedience to God's command, not attachment to a specific direction. / Synthesis: All agree the change was a divine test of loyalty and obedience. Early exegetes focus on the historical context of relations with Medinan Jews. Later scholars explore linguistic, theological, and legal dimensions. The core lesson is that true faith lies in submitting to God's will, not in clinging to inherited forms. Contemporary relevance lies in prioritizing divine command over cultural or traditional attachments and fostering a balanced, just community. | Esoteric: Sufi: The change of Qibla from Jerusalem to the Ka'ba is an esoteric allegory for spiritual progression. Jerusalem symbolizes the Qibla of the Spirit (Rūḥ) and the Mosaic tradition, while the Ka'ba is the Qibla of the Heart (Qalb) and the primordial center of Divine Essence (Dhāt), the legacy of Abraham. The "turning of the face" is the seeker's constant reorientation towards the Divine Presence. Ibn 'Arabī links the Ka'ba to the Divine Heart of existence, making the turn a move from the particular (Mosaic law) to the universal (Muhammadan reality). / Hermeticism/Gnosticism: The physical turn mirrors the soul's metaphysical "turning" (epistrophē in Neoplatonism, metanoia in Gnosticism) from the world of multiplicity towards the singular, transcendent source. The test distinguishes the pneumatic (spiritual) who grasps the inner meaning from the psychic who remains attached to the external form (the physical city of Jerusalem). The Ka'ba functions as an axis mundi, a concept found in Hermetic cosmology connecting the terrestrial and celestial realms. / Alchemy: The process reflects an alchemical operation. The initial state (prayer towards Jerusalem) is the prima materia or a preliminary stage. The divine command acts as the catalyst, causing a transmutation (transmutatio) into a more perfected state (prayer towards the Ka'ba), which represents the Philosopher's Stone or the purified spiritual heart. / Modern (Perennialism): René Guénon interprets the Ka'ba as the supreme spiritual center for the current cycle of humanity. The change signifies the transfer of the spiritual axis from the Israelite tradition to the final, universal Islamic revelation. Frithjof Schuon would emphasize the relativity of all forms, including the Qibla, in the face of the Absolute. The true Qibla is God Himself, as per 2:115, but the exoteric form is necessary for human spiritual discipline. / Ancient Literature: Ancient Near East: Mesopotamian and Egyptian temples were precisely oriented to celestial bodies or cosmic directions. The Babylonian concept of the Dur-An-Ki ("bond of heaven and earth") established a sacred center. The changing of a state-sanctioned sacred direction would signify a radical shift in divine patronage and cosmic order. / Greco-Roman: Temples were oriented, often towards the east. The concept of the omphalos (navel) at Delphi designated a sacred center of the world, a parallel to the Ka'ba's role. Changing such a center would be a claim to establishing a new world-order. / Zoroastrian: Avestan practice mandates prayer towards a source of light (fire or the sun), establishing a fixed direction (kusti) for ritual. This highlights the commonality of a physical focus for devotion in ancient religions. / Biblical Literature: Old Testament: Jerusalem is the exclusive direction for prayer, especially after the construction of Solomon's Temple (1 Kings 8:44-48). Daniel, in exile, prayed facing Jerusalem (Daniel 6:10). The Qur'anic shift directly challenges the perceived finality of Jerusalem's sacred geography. / New Testament: Jesus de-emphasizes geographical sanctity: "the hour is coming when you will worship the Father neither on this mountain nor in Jerusalem... true worshipers will worship the Father in spirit and truth" (John 4:21-23). This provides a contrast to the Islamic reaffirmation of a physical Qibla, which re-establishes sacred space under a new divine command. / Jewish Midrash/Talmud: Rabbinic tradition reinforces Jerusalem's status as the navel of the world (Tabbur Ha'aretz) and the site of the Foundation Stone from which creation began. The idea that this centrality could be superseded is theologically disruptive from this perspective. / Eastern Scriptures: Vedas/Upanishads: Hindu temple architecture (Vastu Shastra) prescribes specific orientations, usually eastward. The idea of a cosmic axis is embodied in Mount Meru. However, the Upanishads stress inward realization over outward ritual: "The Self is the ruler of all beings, the king of all beings" (Brihadaranyaka Upanishad 2.5.15), making the true center internal. / Bhagavad Gītā: Emphasizes devotion beyond form: "Whatever form any devotee with faith wishes to worship, I make that faith of his steady." (BG 7.21). This resonates with the idea that the direction is secondary to the divine command. / Philosophy: Plato: The "Allegory of the Cave" describes education as a periagōgē, a "turning around" of the whole soul from the shadows of the material world to the light of the Form of the Good. The physical change of Qibla is a powerful symbol of this complete intellectual and spiritual reorientation. / Plotinus: The soul's journey is an epistrophē, a turning back toward its source, the One. The physical act of turning in prayer is a ritual enactment of this fundamental metaphysical movement. / Islamic Golden Age: Philosophers like al-Fārābī saw the earthly city and its focal points as imitations of the celestial order. The Ka'ba becomes the terrestrial reflection of a cosmic reality, like the Pole Star or the Divine Throne ('Arsh). / Psychoanalytic Lenses: Jungian: The Qibla functions as a mandala—a sacred circle that orients the psyche and symbolizes the Self. The shift from Jerusalem (a symbol tied to the 'parent' Abrahamic traditions) to the Ka'ba (a reclaimed, primordial symbol) represents a crucial step in the individuation of the new Muslim community. It is a conscious differentiation from the collective unconscious of its predecessors, establishing a new and direct axis of communication with the divine archetype. The "test" is a confrontation with the psychological resistance to this change. / Question: How can a collective, prescribed symbol like the Qibla both facilitate and potentially hinder an individual's unique journey of spiritual self-realization? / Scientific Engagement: Medieval Science: The need to determine the Qibla from any location on the globe was a major driver of Islamic astronomy and geography. Scientists like al-Bīrūnī and al-Khwārizmī developed sophisticated spherical trigonometry and cartographic methods for this purpose. The religious command thus directly stimulated scientific innovation. / General Relativity: In Einstein's curved spacetime, there is no absolute "straight line" or "direction." The shortest path is a geodesic. This provides a modern metaphor: the physical Qibla is a calculation on a sphere, but the spiritual connection is an immediate "geodesic" of intention that transcends physical space. The verse "To Allah belong the East and the West" (2:115) finds a resonance here, decentering any absolute spatial direction in the cosmos. |
| 2:144 قَدْ نَرَىٰ تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي السَّمَاءِ ۖ فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبْلَةً تَرْضَاهَا ۖ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ ۚ وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنتُمْ فَوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُ ۗ وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ لَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ ۗ وَمَا اللَّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا يَعْمَلُونَ. Qad narā taqalluba wajhika fī as-samā'. Falanuwalliyannaka qiblatan tarḍāhā. Fawalli wajhaka shaṭra al-Masjid al-Ḥarām. Wa ḥaythu mā kuntum fawallū wujūhakum shaṭrah. Wa inna alladhīna ūtū al-kitāba laya'lamūna annahu al-ḥaqqu min rabbihim. Wa mā Allāhu bighāfilin 'ammā ya'malūn. / কাদ নারা-তাকাল্লুবা ওআজহিকা ফিসসামা-ই ফালানুওআল্লিয়ান্নাকা কিবলাতান তারদা-হা- ফাওআল্লি ওআজহাকা শাতরাল মাসজিদিল হারা-ম; ওঅহাইছু মা-কুনতুম ফাওআল্লূ উজুহাকুম শাতরাহ; ওঅ ইন্নাল্লাযীনা ঊতুল কিতা-বা লাইয়া‘লামূনা আন্নাহুল হাক্কু মির রাব্বিহিম; ওঅ মাল্লা-হু বিগা-ফিলিন ‘আম্মা-ইয়া‘মালূন। English: We have certainly seen the turning of your face toward the heaven, and We will surely turn you to a qiblah with which you will be pleased. So turn your face toward al-Masjid al-Haram. And wherever you [believers] may be, turn your faces toward it. Indeed, those who were given the Scripture know that it is the truth from their Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what they do. / Bengali: আমি অবশ্যই আসমানের দিকে তোমার চেহারা ফেরানো দেখেছি। সুতরাং আমি অবশ্যই তোমাকে এমন কিবলার দিকে ফেরাবো, যা তুমি পছন্দ কর। অতএব, তুমি মাসজিদুল হারামের দিকে তোমার চেহারা ফেরাও। আর তোমরা যেখানেই থাক, সেদিকেই তোমাদের চেহারা ফেরাও। আর নিশ্চয়ই যাদেরকে কিতাব দেওয়া হয়েছে, তারা অবশ্যই জানে যে, এটি তাদের রবের পক্ষ থেকে সত্য। আর তারা যা করে, সে সম্পর্কে আল্লাহ অনবগত নন। <br> # (تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ) (taqalluba wajhika) (তাকাল্লুবা ওআজহিকা) (the turning of your face). Root: Q-L-B (ق ل ب), meaning "to turn, change, shift." W-J-H (و ج ه), meaning "face, direction, aspect." The phrase suggests a restless, repeated searching of the sky, indicating anticipation and longing for a divine command. The "face" here implies the totality of one's being and attention. / # (فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ) (falanuwalliyannaka) (ফালানুওআল্লিয়ান্নাকা) (so We will surely turn you). Root: W-L-Y (و ل ي). Core meaning: to be near, to be in charge, to turn towards. The emphatic form (la- prefix and doubled nun) conveys absolute certainty and divine initiative. It is a direct response to the Prophet's longing. Derived word: walī (ولي), guardian, friend, saint. / # (شَطْرَ) (shaṭra) (শাতরা) (toward the direction of). Root: SH-Ṭ-R (ش ط ر). Core meaning: part, side, direction. It does not necessarily mean inside the building, but facing its general direction, a practical clarification for a global community. / # (الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ) (al-Masjid al-Ḥarām) (আল মাসজিদিল হারা-ম) (The Sacred Mosque). Masjid from root S-J-D (س ج د), "to prostrate." Ḥarām from Ḥ-R-M (ح ر م), "to be forbidden, sacred." The name designates the Ka'ba and its courtyard as a sanctuary where violence and certain activities are forbidden. Cognates: Hebrew sāgad (סָגַד), "to bow down, worship." The concept of a sacred, inviolable space (ḥerem) exists in Semitic cultures. / Quran and Hadith: Context: This is the pivotal command verse, directly following the explanation of the test in 2:143. It is followed by 2:145, which discusses the obstinacy of the People of the Scripture in rejecting this new Qibla. / Allusions: The verse directly engages with Jewish and Christian polemics. "Those who were given the Scripture know that it is the truth" alludes to prophecies in their texts about a new prophet and the restoration of the Abrahamic sanctuary at Mecca (e.g., the "valley of Baca" in Psalms 84:6, which some exegetes identify with Mecca). / Tafsir al-Qur'an bil-Qur'an: The establishment of the Ka'ba as the center of worship connects this revelation to the story of its construction by Abraham and Ishmael (2:125-127), framing Islam as a restoration of the primordial, universal faith of Abraham. The command "wherever you may be, turn your faces toward it" laid the foundation for a global, unified community oriented towards a single center. / Hadith: The hadith of al-Barā' (Bukhārī #41) is the primary historical source, stating the Prophet wished for this change because the Ka'ba was the qiblah of his forefather Abraham and it would be more agreeable to the Arabs. Another report from Ibn 'Umar states that while people were in the midst of the morning prayer at the Quba Mosque, someone came and announced the revelation of this verse, and they turned around in prayer from Syria (Jerusalem) to the Ka'ba (Bukhārī #403). / EXEGESIS: Early: al-Ṭabarī reports that the Prophet's "turning of his face" was due to his desire to differ from the Jews and to honor the Ka'ba built by Abraham. He states that the Jews had claimed superiority because the Muslims followed their qiblah. This verse thus established the independence of the Islamic community. / Later: al-Zamakhsharī focuses on the intimacy and affection in the verse's phrasing ("We have certainly seen... a qiblah with which you will be pleased"), portraying it as a divine gift responding to the Prophet's personal wish. al-Qurṭubī discusses the legal implications derived from "shaṭra" (toward the direction), concluding that precise alignment is required for those who can see the Ka'ba, but facing the general direction suffices for those far away. Ibn Kathīr confirms, through various reports, that this verse was revealed at the mosque of Banū Salimah, which was then renamed Masjid al-Qiblatayn ("The Mosque of the Two Qiblahs"). / Modern: Muḥammad Shafīʿ (Maʿārif al-Qurʾān) notes that this verse establishes the Ka'ba as the Qibla for all time, a permanent feature of Islamic ritual. Wahiduddin Khan writes that the Prophet’s unease with the first qibla was because it was becoming a source of contention with the Jews; the change was a divine solution to move the community forward. / Synthesis: All exegetes agree this verse contains the explicit command to change the Qibla. Early sources emphasize the historical context of relations with Jews and the desire for distinction. Later commentaries analyze the verse's affectionate tone and its legal ramifications for the performance of prayer. The consensus is that the change was both a fulfillment of the Prophet's wish and a divine act to establish the unique identity of the Ummah.2 | |
| 2:145 وَلَئِنْ أَتَيْتَ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ بِكُلِّ آيَةٍ مَّا تَبِعُوا قِبْلَتَكَ ۚ وَمَا أَنتَ بِتَابِعٍ قِبْلَتَهُمْ ۚ وَمَا بَعْضُهُم بِتَابِعٍ قِبْلَةَ بَعْضٍ ۚ وَلَئِنِ اتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَاءَهُم مِّن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءَكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ ۙ إِنَّكَ إِذًا لَّمِن3َ الظَّالِمِينَ. Wa la'in ataytalladhīna ūtū al-kitāba bikulli āyatin mā tabi'ū qiblatak. Wa mā anta bitābi'in qiblatahum. Wa mā ba'ḍuhum bitābi'in qiblata ba'ḍ. Wa la'in ittaba'ta ahwā'ahum min ba'di mā jā'aka min al-'ilm, innaka idhan laminaẓ-ẓālimīn. / ওঅলাইন আতাইতাল্লাযীনা ঊতুল কিতা-বা বিকুল্লি আ-য়াতিম মা-তাবি‘ঊ কিবলাতাক; ওঅ মাআনতা বিতা-বি‘ইন কিবাতা হুম; ওঅ মা-বা‘দুহুম বিতা-বি‘ইন কিবলাতা বা‘দ; ওঅলাইনিত তাবা‘তা আহওয়াআহুম মিম বা‘দি মা-জাআকা মিনাল ‘ইলমি ইন্নাকা ইযাল্লামিনায যা-লিমীন। English: And even if you were to bring to those who were given the Scripture every sign, they would not follow your qiblah. Nor would you be a follower of their qiblah. Nor are they followers of one another's qiblah. And if you were to follow their desires after what has come to you of knowledge, you would surely be among the wrongdoers. / Bengali: আর যদি তুমি তাদের কাছে সব নিদর্শনও নিয়ে আস, যাদেরকে কিতাব দেওয়া হয়েছে, তবুও তারা তোমার কিবলার অনুসরণ করবে না। আর তুমিও তাদের কিবলার অনুসারী নও। আর তারা একে অপরের কিবলার অনুসারী নয়। আর যদি তুমি তাদের খেয়াল-খুশির অনুসরণ কর, তোমার কাছে জ্ঞান আসার পর, তবে নিশ্চয়ই তুমি যালিমদের অন্তর্ভুক্ত হবে। <br> # (بِكُلِّ آيَةٍ) (bikulli āyatin) (বিকুল্লি আ-য়াতিম) (with every sign). Āyah (آية), from a root possibly related to '-W-Y (أ و ي), "to seek refuge, shelter," means sign, miracle, verse. It implies a clear proof from God. The phrase denotes the highest possible level of evidence. Cognate: Hebrew 'ōt (אוֹת), "sign, token." Aramaic 'āthā (אׇתׇא), "sign." / # (أَهْوَاءَهُم) (ahwā'ahum) (আহওয়াআহুম) (their desires). Root: H-W-Y (ه و ي). Core meaning: to fall, to desire, to be empty. Hawā refers to capricious, unguided desire or whim, often contrasted with divinely revealed truth (ḥaqq) or knowledge ('ilm). Following hawā is a recurring Qur'anic criticism of those who reject revelation. / # (الظَّالِمِينَ) (aẓ-ẓālimīn) (যালিমীন) (the wrongdoers). Root: Ẓ-L-M (ظ ل م). Core meaning: darkness, misplacing something. In a moral sense, ẓulm is injustice, wrongdoing, oppression—placing things where they do not belong, thereby violating divine order and balance. Derived word: ẓulmah (ظلمة), darkness. / Quran and Hadith: Context: This verse follows the command to change the Qibla (2:144) and precedes the statement that the People of the Scripture recognize the Prophet's truth (2:146). It addresses the Prophet regarding the expected reaction from Jews and Christians, solidifying the theological break. / Allusions: The verse points to the internal divisions among the People of the Scripture ("Nor are they followers of one another's qiblah," referring to Jews facing Jerusalem and Christians facing East), arguing that their objection to the new Muslim Qibla is not based on a unified principle but on partisan desires. / Tafsir al-Qur'an bil-Qur'an: The theme of rejecting clear signs out of arrogance or desire is common (e.g., 6:25, 27:14). The warning against following the desires of others after receiving knowledge is a major theme, emphasizing the finality and sufficiency of the Islamic revelation (e.g., 5:48-49). This verse establishes a clear and permanent demarcation between the communities based on their foundational orientations. / Hadith: While no specific hadith details an event directly linked to this verse, the general context is supported by narrations about Jewish leaders in Medina questioning and debating with the Prophet. For instance, Ibn 'Abbās reported that Jewish rabbis came to the Prophet and said, "Return to the qiblah we face (Jerusalem), and we will follow you," as a way to test him. This verse can be seen as a divine response, stating that their refusal is intractable and that no compromise on revelation is possible. (Summarized from Tafsīr al-Ṭabarī). / EXEGESIS: Early: Mujāhid interprets "their desires" as their attachment to their own qiblahs out of mere habit and ethnic pride. al-Ṭabarī explains that the verse informs the Prophet that the rejection by the Jews and Christians is not due to a lack of proof but to their stubborn rebellion and envy. The warning at the end, though addressed to the Prophet, is meant for his community. / Later: al-Rāzī provides a logical analysis: their rejection is not based on reason, for if it were, "every sign" would convince them. Therefore, their motivation must be non-rational, i.e., "desires" (ahwā'). al-Zamakhsharī notes the rhetorical parallelism: they will not follow your Qibla, and you will not follow theirs, establishing a mutual and final separation of ritual identity. / Modern: Muḥammad Shafīʿ (Maʿārif al-Qurʾān) views this as a declaration of the new Ummah's complete independence, freeing Muslims from any sense of needing validation from older religious communities. Wahiduddin Khan interprets it as a statement on human psychology: when people are biased, no amount of evidence can persuade them. The solution is not debate but to establish one's own model of truth. / Synthesis: There is a strong consensus on the verse's meaning. It serves to manage the expectations of the nascent Muslim community, explaining that the rejection they face from established religions is ideological and not based on a lack of evidence. It finalizes the break in ritual practice and warns Muslims against compromising their divinely-revealed principles to appease others. The address to the Prophet is understood by all as a lesson for the entire Ummah. | |
| 2:146 الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ يَعْرِفُونَهُ كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ ۖ وَإِنَّ فَرِيقًا مِّنْهُمْ لَيَكْتُمُونَ الْحَقَّ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ. Alladhīna ātaynāhum al-kitāba ya'rifūnahu kamā ya'rifūna abnā'ahum. Wa inna farīqan minhum layaktumūna al-ḥaqqa wa hum ya'lamūn. / আল্লাযীনা আ-তাইনা-হুমুল কিতা-বা ইয়া‘রিফূনাহূ কামা-ইয়া‘রিফূনা আবনাআহুম; ওঅ ইন্না ফারীকাম মিনহুম লাইয়াকতুমূনাল হাক্কা ওঅহুম ইয়া‘লামূন। English: Those to whom We gave the Scripture know him as they know their own sons. But indeed, a party of them conceal the truth while they know it. / Bengali: যাদেরকে আমি কিতাব দিয়েছি, তারা তাকে সেভাবে চেনে, যেভাবে তারা তাদের নিজ সন্তানদেরকে চেনে। আর নিশ্চয়ই তাদের একটি দল জেনেশুনে সত্য গোপন করে। <br> # (يَعْرِفُونَهُ) (ya'rifūnahu) (ইয়া‘রিফূনাহূ) (they know him). Root: '-R-F (ع ر ف). Core meaning: to know, recognize, identify. Ma'rifah implies intimate, direct knowledge of a specific thing, as opposed to 'ilm (conceptual knowledge). The pronoun "-hu" (him/it) is interpreted by commentators as referring to either the Prophet Muhammad or the truth of the Qibla change. / # (كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ) (kamā ya'rifūna abnā'ahum) (কামা-ইয়া‘রিফূনা আবনাআহুম) (as they know their own sons). This simile emphasizes the certainty and unmistakable nature of their knowledge. A person's knowledge of their own child is immediate, intuitive, and undeniable. It suggests their recognition of the Prophet's authenticity is just as clear. / # (لَيَكْتُمُونَ) (layaktumūna) (লাইয়াকতুমূনাল) (they surely conceal). Root: K-T-M (ك ت م). Core meaning: to hide, conceal, keep secret. The emphatic la- prefix highlights the deliberateness of the act. They are not ignorant; they are actively suppressing a known truth. / # (الْحَقَّ) (al-ḥaqqa) (হাক্কা) (the truth). Root: Ḥ-Q-Q (ح ق ق). Core meaning: to be true, right, established, binding. Al-Ḥaqq is a name of God, meaning The Real or The Truth. It refers to that which is firm, proven, and corresponds to reality, in this case, the prophecies about the Prophet and the Ka'ba. / Quran and Hadith: Context: This verse continues the discourse on the People of the Scripture's reaction, following the declaration of their stubbornness (2:145) and preceding the affirmation that truth comes from God (2:147). It explains why their rejection is so blameworthy: it stems not from ignorance but from a willful concealment of what they know to be true. / Allusions: This is a direct claim that the Torah and Gospel contain prophecies that the learned Jews and Christians recognized as being fulfilled in the Prophet Muhammad. It critiques the scholarly elite who would have access to such knowledge but hide it from their communities. / Tafsir al-Qur'an bil-Qur'an: The theme of concealing divine truth is a serious charge made multiple times in the Qur'an against certain members of the People of the Scripture (e.g., 2:42, 3:71). It contrasts their behavior with the command for believers to proclaim the truth. / Hadith: 'Abdullāh ibn Salām, a prominent Jewish rabbi from Medina who converted to Islam, is often cited in this context. He is reported to have said to the Prophet, "I recognize you more surely than I recognize my own son." When asked why by 'Umar, he explained, "I have no doubt concerning Muhammad that he is a Prophet, but as for my son, his mother may have been unfaithful." This narration, though its chain is debated, is widely used by exegetes like al-Qurṭubī and Ibn Kathīr to illustrate the meaning of the verse. / EXEGESIS: Early: Mujāhid and Qatādah stated that the pronoun "him" refers to the Prophet Muhammad, whose description they found in their scriptures. al-Ṭabarī strongly favors this view, arguing that the comparison to knowing one's own son fits a person more than a concept like the Qibla. He asserts they knew his coming was true but concealed it out of envy and fear of losing their status. / Later: al-Zamakhsharī agrees the pronoun refers to the Prophet and notes the psychological power of the simile—it implies a recognition so profound that denying it is an act of profound self-deception. Fakhr al-Rāzī explores both interpretations (Prophet or Qibla) but concludes that recognizing the Prophet is the stronger and more encompassing meaning, as accepting him implies accepting all that he brings, including the new Qibla. Ibn Kathīr also strongly supports the reference being to the Prophet. / Modern: Muḥammad Shafīʿ (Maʿārif al-Qurʾān) reiterates the classical view, stating that the descriptions of the Prophet in previous scriptures were so clear that the honest among their scholars could not mistake him. Wahiduddin Khan explains the act of concealment as being driven by vested interests; acknowledging the truth would have meant relinquishing their leadership and privileged positions. / Synthesis: Overwhelming consensus across all layers of exegesis holds that the verse refers to the People of the Scripture recognizing the Prophet Muhammad's authenticity based on prophecies in their own texts. The simile "as they know their own sons" is universally understood to mean an undeniable, intimate certainty. Their rejection is therefore presented not as a matter of intellectual doubt but of moral failure—a deliberate concealment of known truth. | |
| 2:147 الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ ۖ فَلَا تَكُونَنَّ مِنَ الْمُمْتَرِينَ. Al-ḥaqqu min rabbik. Falā takūnanna min al-mumtarīn. / আল হাক্কু মির রাব্বিকা ফালা-তাকূনান্না মিনাল মুমতারীন। English: The truth is from your Lord, so never be among the doubters. / Bengali: সত্য তোমার রবের পক্ষ থেকে। সুতরাং তুমি কখনো সন্দেহকারীদের অন্তর্ভুক্ত হয়ো না। <br> # (الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ) (al-ḥaqqu min rabbika) (আল হাক্কু মির রাব্বিকা) (The truth is from your Lord). Al-Ḥaqq (Truth) is presented as definitive and singular, originating solely from God (Rabb, Lord, Sustainer). This phrase anchors truth in a divine source, positioning it against the "desires" (ahwā') and concealment mentioned previously. / # (فَلَا تَكُونَنَّ) (falā takūnanna) (ফালা-তাকূনান্না) (so never be). This is a strong prohibition. The emphatic nun (-nanna) adds a layer of absolute certainty to the command, "you shall absolutely not be." While addressed to the Prophet, it is a lesson for all believers. / # (الْمُمْتَرِينَ) (al-mumtarīn) (মুমতারীন) (the doubters). Root: M-R-Y (م ر ي). Core meaning: to milk an udder; by extension, to dispute, wrangle, or doubt, as if trying to extract something through argument. Miryah is a state of doubt that arises from disputation and confusion, rather than a lack of evidence. It implies a wavering, contentious skepticism. / Quran and Hadith: Context: This is a concluding statement of reassurance, following the charge that others are concealing the truth (2:146) and preceding the call to action in 2:148. It functions to settle any potential unease caused by the opposition's rejection and to affirm the certainty of the revelation. / Allusions: It refutes the idea that truth is determined by consensus or the acceptance of other communities. The criterion for truth is its divine origin alone, a direct critique of those who looked for validation from the People of the Scripture. / Tafsir al-Qur'an bil-Qur'an: The phrase "The truth is from your Lord" appears in various contexts in the Qur'an (e.g., 3:60, 18:29) always to assert the objective, divine nature of the revelation against human objections, doubts, or cultural norms. It serves as a definitive seal on a contentious issue. / Hadith: The Prophet's own certainty was unshakable. In a narration concerning a different matter, when companions expressed wonder, he affirmed his own belief: "I am the first to believe in this." (Ahmad). This verse reinforces that the Prophet, as the recipient of revelation, is the furthest from doubt. The command is understood as a way to buttress the faith of his followers who might be shaken by the intense opposition and debate surrounding the Qibla change. / EXEGESIS: Early: al-Ṭabarī states the verse means: "The truth, O Muhammad, is what I have told you from your Lord, not the falsehoods of the Jews and Christians concerning the Qibla. Therefore, do not be in any doubt about it." He stresses that the Prophet himself was never in doubt, but the address serves to anchor the hearts of the believers. / Later: al-Zamakhsharī sees the prohibition as a rhetorical device called tahyīj (incitement), meaning to spur the listener towards greater certainty and to warn the community through the address to its leader. It's not that the Prophet was doubting, but a powerful way to forbid doubt for anyone else. Fakhr al-Rāzī argues that this verse is the ultimate proof: since truth is defined by God's command, whatever God commands (like the Qibla change) becomes the truth, rendering all opposition baseless. / Modern: Muḥammad Shafīʿ (Maʿārif al-Qurʾān) explains that external opposition can sometimes create whispers of doubt in a community. This verse acts as a firm anchor, reminding believers to trust the source of their knowledge (revelation) rather than the noise of detractors. Wahiduddin Khan emphasizes that this is a declaration of intellectual freedom. A believer's certainty should not be hostage to the approval of others. / Synthesis: There is complete agreement that this verse is a statement of affirmation and a prohibition of doubt. All exegetes, from earliest to modern, clarify that the command to the Prophet is not due to any doubt on his part but is a rhetorical tool to solidify the faith of the Muslim community. It establishes the ultimate criterion for truth: that which comes from God, irrespective of human acceptance or rejection. | |
| 2:148 وَلِكُلٍّ وِجْهَةٌ هُوَ مُوَلِّيهَا ۖ فَاسْتَبِقُوا الْخَيْرَاتِ ۚ أَيْنَ مَا تَكُونُوا يَأْتِ بِكُمُ اللَّهُ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ. Wa likullin wijhatun huwa muwallīhā. Fastabiqū al-khayrāt. Ayna mā takūnū ya'ti bikum Allāhu jamī'ā. Inna Allāha 'alā kulli shay'in qadīr. / ওঅলিকুল্লিওঁ উইজহাতুন হুওঅ মুওআল্লীহা- ফাসতাবিকুল খাইরা-ত; আইনা মা-তাকূনূ ইয়া’তি বিকুমুল্লা-হু জামী‘আ-; ইন্নাল্লা-হা ‘আলা- কুল্লি শাইইন কাদীর। English: For each [community] is a direction to which it turns. So race to [all that is] good. Wherever you may be, Allah will bring you forth [for account] all together. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent. / Bengali: আর প্রত্যেকের জন্যই একটি দিক রয়েছে, যে দিকে সে মুখ করে। সুতরাং তোমরা সৎকাজে প্রতিযোগিতা কর। তোমরা যেখানেই থাক না কেন, আল্লাহ তোমাদের সবাইকে একত্র করবেন। নিশ্চয়ই আল্লাহ সবকিছুর উপর ক্ষমতাবান। <br> # (وِجْهَةٌ) (wijhatun) (উইজহাতুন) (a direction). Root: W-J-H (و ج ه). Same root as wajh (face). It means a direction, an orientation, a goal. The verse can be read as each community having its own divinely appointed direction, or simply that each turns towards a direction of its own choosing. / # (هُوَ مُوَلِّيهَا) (huwa muwallīhā) (হুওঅ মুওআল্লীহা) (he turns to it). Root: W-L-Y (و ل ي). This phrase is ambiguous. "He" could refer to God (He appoints it) or to the person/community (he/it turns to it). The first reading implies divine sanction for previous qiblahs; the second is a simple statement of fact. Most exegetes prefer the second reading in this context. / # (فَاسْتَبِقُوا الْخَيْرَاتِ) (fastabiqū l-khayrāt) (ফাসতাবিকুল খাইরা-ত) (So race to good deeds). Root: S-B-Q (س ب ق) for "race, precede," and KH-Y-R (خ ي ر) for "good." This is the practical conclusion of the entire Qibla discourse. The focus is shifted from arguing about direction to competing in the substance of faith: righteous actions. / # (يَأْتِ بِكُمُ اللَّهُ جَمِيعًا) (ya'ti bikumu Llāhu jamī'ā) (ইয়া’তি বিকুমুল্লা-হু জামী‘আ) (Allah will bring you all together). This is a clear reference to the Day of Resurrection and Judgment. It implies that the ultimate arbiter of these differences is God, who will gather all communities for accounting. It universalizes the scope beyond just the immediate communities. / Quran and Hadith: Context: This verse provides the final resolution to the Qibla debate. After establishing the truth of the new Qibla and the reasons for others' rejection, it pivots towards the ultimate purpose of religion: doing good and preparing for the afterlife. It is followed by 2:149-150, which reiterate the command to face the Ka'ba for emphasis. / Allusions: The idea of competing in virtue redirects the energy of inter-religious polemics, a common feature of the late antique world, towards a more productive, ethical competition. It implicitly critiques communities defined solely by their opposition to others. / Tafsir al-Qur'an bil-Qur'an: The call to "race to good deeds" is a core Qur'anic principle (e.g., 5:48, 23:61), positioning righteous action as the true measure of faith. The theme of God gathering all humanity for judgment is foundational to Qur'anic eschatology (e.g., 3:9, 64:9). This verse connects the specific issue of the Qibla to these universal theological principles. / Hadith: In a sermon, the Prophet Muhammad encouraged his followers by saying, "He who is slow in his deeds will not be hastened by his lineage." (Muslim #2699). This hadith captures the spirit of the verse: spiritual status is earned through action, not through affiliation or ritual form alone. The focus must be on the race for good deeds. / EXEGESIS: Early: Mujāhid and 'Aṭā' interpreted "For each is a direction" as referring to different religious communities having their own prayer directions. al-Ṭabarī supports this, arguing that the verse tells believers not to be preoccupied by the disputes over direction, as every community has one. The real task is to excel in obedience to God, which is the essence of "good deeds." / Later: al-Zamakhsharī points out the brilliant rhetorical shift (iltifāt) in the verse. After settling the intellectual argument, it moves to practical, moral exhortation, effectively ending the debate by rendering it secondary to the primary goal of righteous living. al-Rāzī discusses the two readings of huwa muwallīhā. He favors the reading "each person turns towards it," arguing that making God the appointer of every qiblah could imply a validation of other religions that contradicts the broader Qur'anic message. The verse is thus a statement of fact about human communities, not a validation of their choices. / Modern: Muḥammad Shafīʿ (Maʿārif al-Qurʾān) writes that this verse provides a profound principle for resolving disputes. Instead of getting bogged down in endless debate, one should focus on positive action and prove the truth of one's way through virtuous results. Wahiduddin Khan sees it as a call for positive competition. Let other communities follow their way; the duty of Muslims is to demonstrate the superiority of their path through their actions and moral character. / Synthesis: All commentators agree that this verse masterfully concludes the Qibla argument by shifting the focus from the symbol (direction) to the substance (action). There is some minor grammatical debate on one phrase, but the overall meaning is clear: debates on ritual form should not distract from the universal ethical imperative to compete in doing good. The ultimate judgment on these differences is left to God on the Day of Resurrection. | |