Surah Baqarah ayat 150 Tafsir Quran 2:150

﴿وَمِنْ حَيْثُ خَرَجْتَ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ ۚ وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنتُمْ فَوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُ لِئَلَّا يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَيْكُمْ حُجَّةٌ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنْهُمْ فَلَا تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَاخْشَوْنِي وَلِأُتِمَّ نِعْمَتِي عَلَيْكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ﴾
[ البقرة: 150]

2:150 And from wherever you go out [for prayer], turn your face toward al-Masjid al-Haram. And wherever you [believers] may be, turn your faces toward it in order that the people will not have any argument against you, except for those of them who commit wrong; so fear them not but fear Me. And [it is] so I may complete My favor upon you and that you may be guided.

From whatever place you issue turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque; and wherever you may be turn your faces towards it all of which is being repeated for emphasis so that there be not any argument from the people the Jews or the idolaters against you so that there be not any cause for contention regarding the change to a different direction of prayer. In this way their contentions against you will cease to exist both the contentions of the Jews when they say ‘He Muhammad (s) rejects our religion but follows our direction of prayer’ and of the idolaters when they say ‘He Muhammad (s) claims to follow the creed of Abraham but he contravenes his Abraham’s qibla’; excepting the evildoers among them acting in obstinacy who will say ‘He Muhammad (s) only changed to this direction because of his natural inclination towards the idolatrous religion of his forefathers’. The exceptive statement indicated by illā is a continuous one the meaning being ‘No one will have anything to say against you except for what these people say’; and do not fear them do not fear their arguing with you regarding the change to it the Ka‘ba but fear Me by complying with My command; and that I may perfect My grace upon you by guiding you to the principal rituals of your religion and that you may be guided to the truth wa-li-utimma ‘that I may perfect’ is a supplement to li-allā yakūna ‘that there be not’.

Again, whenever you depart from a place, always turn your face at prayer toward the Sacred Mosque and wherever you people may be, inside or outside, turn your faces at prayer to ward it, so that you people do not stand at the mark of criticism by others except by the wrongful. Do not fear them but fear and revere Me so that I may bestow My favour upon you, and you may be guided into all truth

Why was changing the Qiblah mentioned thrice This is a third command from Allah to face Al-Masjid Al-Haram ( the Sacred Mosque ) from every part of the world ( during prayer ).
It was said that Allah mentioned this ruling again here because it is connected to whatever is before and whatever is after it.
Hence, Allah first said: قَدْ نَرَى تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي السَّمَآءِ فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبْلَةً تَرْضَاهَا ( Verily, We have seen the turning of your (Muhammad's ) face towards the heaven.
Surely, We shall turn you to a Qiblah ( prayer direction ) that shall please you) ( 2:144 ), until: وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَـبَ لَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ وَمَا اللَّهُ بِغَـفِلٍ عَمَّا يَعْمَلُونَ ( Certainly, the people who were given the Scripture (i.e., Jews and the Christians ) know well that, that ( your turning towards the direction of the Ka`bah at Makkah in prayers ) is the truth from their Lord.
And Allah is not unaware of what they do.) ( 2:144 ) Allah mentioned in these Ayat His fulfillment of the Prophet's wish and ordered him to face the Qiblah that he liked and is pleased with.
In the second command, Allah said: وَمِنْ حَيْثُ خَرَجْتَ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَإِنَّهُ لَلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ وَمَا اللَّهُ بِغَـفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ ( And from wheresoever you start forth (for prayers ), turn your face in the direction of Al-Masid Al-Haram that is indeed the truth from your Lord.
And Allah is not unaware of what you do.) Therefore, Allah states here that changing the Qiblah is also the truth from Him, thus upgrading the subject more than in the first Ayah, in which Allah agreed to what His Prophet had wished for.
Thus Allah states that this is also the truth from Him that He likes and is pleased with.
In the third command, Allah refutes the Jewish assertion that the Prophet faced their Qiblah, as they knew in their Books that the Prophet will later on be commanded to face the Qiblah of Ibrahim, the Ka`bah.
The Arab disbelievers had no more argument concerning the Prophet's Qiblah after Allah commanded the Prophet to face the Qiblah of Ibrahim, which is more respected and honored, rather than the Qiblah of the Jews.
The Arabs used to honor the Ka`bah and liked the fact that the Messenger was commanded to face it. The Wisdom behind abrogating the Previous Qiblah Allah said: لِئَلاَّ يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَيْكُمْ حُجَّةٌ ( ...so that men may have no argument against you ) Therefore, the People of the Book knew from the description of the Muslim Ummah that they would be ordered to face the Ka`bah.
If the Muslims did not fit this description, the Jews would have used this fact against the Muslims.
If the Muslims had remained on the Qiblah of Bayt Al-Maqdis, which was also the Qiblah of the Jews, this fact could have been used as the basis of argument by the Jews against other people. Allah's Statement: إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ مِنْهُمْ ( ...except those of them that are wrongdoers, ) indicates the Mushrikin ( polytheists ) of Quraysh.
The reasoning of these unjust persons was the unsound statement: "This man ( Muhammad ) claims that he follows the religion of Ibrahim! Hence, if his facing Bayt Al-Maqdis was a part of the religion of Ibrahim, why did he change it" The answer to this question is that Allah has chosen His Prophet to face Bayt Al-Maqdis first for certain wisdom, and he obeyed Allah regarding this command.
Then, Allah changed the Qiblah to the Qiblah of Ibrahim, which is the Ka`bah, and he also obeyed Allah in this command.
He, obeys Allah in all cases and never engages in the defiance of Allah even for an instant, and his Ummah imitates him in this. Allah said: فَلاَ تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَاخْشَوْنِى ( .
..so fear them not, but fear Me! ) meaning: `Do not fear the doubts that the unjust, stubborn persons raise and fear Me Alone.' Indeed, Allah Alone deserves to be feared. Allah said: وَلاٌّتِمَّ نِعْمَتِى عَلَيْكُمْ ( ...so that I may complete My blessings on you. ) This Ayah relates to Allah's statement: لِئَلاَّ يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَيْكُمْ حُجَّةٌ ( ...so that men may have no argument against you ), meaning: I will perfect My bounty on you by legislating for you to face the Ka`bah, so that the ( Islamic ) Shari`ah ( law ) is complete in every respect.
Allah said: وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ ( ...that you may be guided. ), meaning: `To be directed and guided to what the nations have been led astray from, We have guided you to it and preferred you with it.' This is why this Ummah is the best and most honored nation ever.

(2:150) At whatever place you may be, you must turn your face towards the Masjid Haram, and wherever you may be, you must turn your face towards the same at prayer so that people might not find an argument against you. *150 As for the unjust people, they will never stop talking; so do not fear them but fear Me -- (Do this) so that I may complete My favour *151 upon you and you may find the way to real success, *152

And from wherever you go out [for meaning

*150).
The followers of the Prophet ( peace be upon him ) were asked to follow the order to turn towards the Ka'bah, and to do so strictly, since any lapse in this matter on their part would give their opponents a weapon to use against them in their polemics.
They would be able to hold Muslims up to ridicule on the grounds that they had voilated what they themselves claimed to be from their Lord.

*151).
The 'favour' here refers to the position of world leadership and guidance from which God removed the children of israel and which was the conferred upon this ummah.
The highest reward that can be granted to a people in recognition of its righteousness is its designation, by God's command, to the leadership of the world in order to guide the entire human race to godliness and righteousness.

What is said here, therefore, is that the command to change the qiblah was a sign of installation of the Muslims to leadership.
Hence, the Muslims should follow the directives of God if for no other reason than that ingratitude and disobedience might deprive them of the honour that had been bestowed upon them.

*152).
'...Perhaps you will be guided to the right way' is indicative here of the regal appropriate for God's address to His creatures.
The indication from a soverign, while addressing his slave, that the latter could expect some favour from him is quite enough to make that slave rejoice and celebrate.

 

Why was changing the Qiblah mentioned thrice This is a third command from Allah to face Al-Masjid Al-Haram ( the Sacred Mosque ) from every part of the world ( during prayer ).
It was said that Allah mentioned this ruling again here because it is connected to whatever is before and whatever is after it.
Hence, Allah first said: قَدْ نَرَى تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي السَّمَآءِ فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبْلَةً تَرْضَاهَا ( Verily, We have seen the turning of your (Muhammad's ) face towards the heaven.
Surely, We shall turn you to a Qiblah ( prayer direction ) that shall please you) ( 2:144 ), until: وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ أُوتُواْ الْكِتَـبَ لَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ وَمَا اللَّهُ بِغَـفِلٍ عَمَّا يَعْمَلُونَ ( Certainly, the people who were given the Scripture (i.e., Jews and the Christians ) know well that, that ( your turning towards the direction of the Ka`bah at Makkah in prayers ) is the truth from their Lord.
And Allah is not unaware of what they do.) ( 2:144 ) Allah mentioned in these Ayat His fulfillment of the Prophet's wish and ordered him to face the Qiblah that he liked and is pleased with.
In the second command, Allah said: وَمِنْ حَيْثُ خَرَجْتَ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَإِنَّهُ لَلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ وَمَا اللَّهُ بِغَـفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ ( And from wheresoever you start forth (for prayers ), turn your face in the direction of Al-Masid Al-Haram that is indeed the truth from your Lord.
And Allah is not unaware of what you do.) Therefore, Allah states here that changing the Qiblah is also the truth from Him, thus upgrading the subject more than in the first Ayah, in which Allah agreed to what His Prophet had wished for.
Thus Allah states that this is also the truth from Him that He likes and is pleased with.
In the third command, Allah refutes the Jewish assertion that the Prophet faced their Qiblah, as they knew in their Books that the Prophet will later on be commanded to face the Qiblah of Ibrahim, the Ka`bah.
The Arab disbelievers had no more argument concerning the Prophet's Qiblah after Allah commanded the Prophet to face the Qiblah of Ibrahim, which is more respected and honored, rather than the Qiblah of the Jews.
The Arabs used to honor the Ka`bah and liked the fact that the Messenger was commanded to face it. The Wisdom behind abrogating the Previous Qiblah Allah said: لِئَلاَّ يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَيْكُمْ حُجَّةٌ ( ...so that men may have no argument against you ) Therefore, the People of the Book knew from the description of the Muslim Ummah that they would be ordered to face the Ka`bah.
If the Muslims did not fit this description, the Jews would have used this fact against the Muslims.
If the Muslims had remained on the Qiblah of Bayt Al-Maqdis, which was also the Qiblah of the Jews, this fact could have been used as the basis of argument by the Jews against other people. Allah's Statement: إِلاَّ الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُواْ مِنْهُمْ ( ...except those of them that are wrongdoers, ) indicates the Mushrikin ( polytheists ) of Quraysh.
The reasoning of these unjust persons was the unsound statement: "This man ( Muhammad ) claims that he follows the religion of Ibrahim! Hence, if his facing Bayt Al-Maqdis was a part of the religion of Ibrahim, why did he change it" The answer to this question is that Allah has chosen His Prophet to face Bayt Al-Maqdis first for certain wisdom, and he obeyed Allah regarding this command.
Then, Allah changed the Qiblah to the Qiblah of Ibrahim, which is the Ka`bah, and he also obeyed Allah in this command.
He, obeys Allah in all cases and never engages in the defiance of Allah even for an instant, and his Ummah imitates him in this. Allah said: فَلاَ تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَاخْشَوْنِى ( .
..so fear them not, but fear Me! ) meaning: `Do not fear the doubts that the unjust, stubborn persons raise and fear Me Alone.' Indeed, Allah Alone deserves to be feared. Allah said: وَلاٌّتِمَّ نِعْمَتِى عَلَيْكُمْ ( ...so that I may complete My blessings on you. ) This Ayah relates to Allah's statement: لِئَلاَّ يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَيْكُمْ حُجَّةٌ ( ...so that men may have no argument against you ), meaning: I will perfect My bounty on you by legislating for you to face the Ka`bah, so that the ( Islamic ) Shari`ah ( law ) is complete in every respect.
Allah said: وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ ( ...that you may be guided. ), meaning: `To be directed and guided to what the nations have been led astray from, We have guided you to it and preferred you with it.' This is why this Ummah is the best and most honored nation ever.

( Whencesoever thou comest forth ) you are to ( turn thy face ) in prayer ( towards the Inviolable Place of Worship; and wheresoever ye may be (O Muslims )) on land or at sea ( turn your faces ) in prayer ( towards it (when ye pray ) so that men) ’Abdullah Ibn Salam and his Companions ( may have no argument against you ) regarding the changing of the Qiblah because in their Scripture the Inviolable Place of Worship was the Qiblah of Abraham; therefore if you pray towards it, they will have no argument against you, ( save such of them as do injustice ) nor would those who transgressed with their words have any argument against you, and these included Ka’b Ibn Ashraf and the Arab idolaters ( -Fear them not ) regarding the changing of the Qiblah, ( but fear Me ) in leaving the old Qiblah ( -so that I may complete My grace upon you ) by giving you a Qiblah just as I have completed for you your Religion, ( and that you be guided ) to the Qiblah of Abraham.

And from wheresoever you start forth (for prayers), turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid-al-Haram (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.

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