Surah Al-Baqarah — Verse 143
The Cow · 2:143 · 143/286
وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَـٰكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِّتَكُونُوا۟ شُهَدَآءَ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ ٱلرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًا ۗ وَمَا جَعَلْنَا ٱلْقِبْلَةَ ٱلَّتِى كُنتَ عَلَيْهَآ إِلَّا لِنَعْلَمَ مَن يَتَّبِعُ ٱلرَّسُولَ مِمَّن يَنقَلِبُ عَلَىٰ عَقِبَيْهِ ۚ وَإِن كَانَتْ لَكَبِيرَةً إِلَّا عَلَى ٱلَّذِينَ هَدَى ٱللَّهُ ۗ وَمَا كَانَ ٱللَّهُ لِيُضِيعَ إِيمَـٰنَكُمْ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ بِٱلنَّاسِ لَرَءُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ
Wakathalika jaAAalnakumommatan wasatan litakoonoo shuhadaa AAala annasiwayakoona arrasoolu AAalaykum shaheedan wamajaAAalna alqiblata allatee kunta AAalayha illalinaAAlama man yattabiAAu arrasoola mimman yanqalibu AAalaAAaqibayhi wa-in kanat lakabeeratan illa AAalaallatheena hada Allahu wama kanaAllahu liyudeeAAa eemanakum inna Allahabinnasi laraoofun raheem
Translations of this verse 11
Saheeh International
And thus We have made you a median [i.e., just] 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 would follow the Messenger from who would turn back on his heels. And indeed, it is difficult except for those whom Allāh has guided. And never would Allāh have caused you to lose your faith [i.e., your previous prayers]. Indeed Allāh is, to the people, Kind and Merciful.
M.A.S. Abdel Haleem
We have made you [believers] into a just community, so that you may bear witness [to the truth] before others and so that the Messenger may bear witness [to it] before you. We only made the direction the one you used to face [Prophet] in order to distinguish those who follow the Messenger from those who turn on their heels: that test was hard, except for those God has guided. God would never let your faith go to waste [believers], for God is most compassionate and most merciful towards people.
Marmaduke Pickthall
Thus We have appointed you a middle nation, that ye may be witnesses against mankind, and that the messenger may be a witness against you. And We appointed the qiblah which ye formerly observed only that We might know him who followeth the messenger, from him who turneth on his heels. In truth it was a hard (test) save for those whom Allah guided. But it was not Allah's purpose that your faith should be in vain, for Allah is Full of Pity, Merciful toward mankind.
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
Thus, have We made of you an Ummat justly balanced, that ye might be witnesses over the nations, and the Messenger a witness over yourselves; and We appointed the Qibla to which thou wast used, only to test those who followed the Messenger from those who would turn on their heels (From the Faith). Indeed it was (A change) momentous, except to those guided by Allah. And never would Allah Make your faith of no effect. For Allah is to all people Most surely full of kindness, Most Merciful.
Mufti Taqi Usmani
In the same way We made you a moderate Ummah (community), so that you should be witnesses over the people, and the Messenger a witness to you.And We did not prescribe the Qiblah which you used to observe except to know the one who follows the Messenger as distinct from the one who turns on his heels. It was burdensome indeed, but not on those whom Allah guided. Allah will not allow your faith go to waste. Certainly Allah is very kind, very merciful to the people.
Al-Hilali & Khan
Thus We have made you [true Muslims - real believers of Islâmic Monotheism, true followers of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم and his Sunnah (legal ways)], a just (and the best) nation, that you be witnesses over mankind and the Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) be a witness over you. And We made the Qiblah (prayer direction towards Jerusalem) which you used to face, only to test those who followed the Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) from those who would turn on their heels (i.e. disobey the Messenger). Indeed it was great (heavy) except for those whom Allâh guided. And Allâh would never make your faith (prayers) to be lost (i.e. your prayers offered towards Jerusalem). Truly, Allâh is full of Kindness, the Most Merciful towards mankind.
Abul A'la Maududi (Tafhim)
And it is thus that We appointed you to be the community of the middle way so that you might be witnesses to all mankind and the Messenger might be a witness to you. We appointed the direction which you formerly observed so that We might distinguish those who follow the Messenger from those who turn on their heels. For it was indeed burdensome except for those whom Allah guided. And Allah will never leave your faith to waste. Allah is full of gentleness and mercy to mankind.
Muhammad Asad — The Message of the Qur’an
And thus have We willed you to be a community of the middle way, so that [with your lives] you might bear witness to the truth before all mankind, and that the Apostle might bear witness to it before you. And it is only to the end that We might make a clear distinction between those who follow the Apostle and those who turn about on their heels that We have appointed [for this community] the direction of prayer which thou [O Prophet] hast formerly observed: for this was indeed a hard test for all but those whom God has guided aright. But God will surely not lose sight of your faith-for, behold, God is most compassionate towards man, a dispenser of grace.
Rowwad · source edition
Thus We made you a balanced nation, so that you may be witnesses over mankind and the Messenger a witness over you. We did not change your former direction of prayer [to the Ka‘bah] except to distinguish those who would follow the Messenger from those who would turn back on their heels. It was surely burdensome except for those whom Allah guided. Allah would never let your [acts of] faith go to waste, for Allah is Most Gracious and Most Merciful to all people.
Noor International · source edition
(143) And thus We have made you a median [i.e., just] 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 would follow the Messenger from who would turn back on his heels.[52] And indeed, it is difficult except for those whom Allāh has guided. And never would Allāh have caused you to lose your faith [i.e., your previous prayers]. Indeed Allāh is, to the people, Kind and Merciful.
Notes
[52]- i.e., refuse.
Hilali and Khan · source edition
143. Thus We have made you [true Muslims - real believers of Islâmic Monotheism, true followers of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم and his Sunnah (legal ways)], a just (and the best) nation, that you be witnesses over mankind[29] and the Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) be a witness over you. And We made the Qiblah (prayer direction towards Jerusalem) which you used to face, only to test those who followed the Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) from those who would turn on their heels (i.e. disobey the Messenger). Indeed it was great (heavy) except for those whom Allâh guided. And Allâh would never make your faith (prayers) to be lost (i.e. your prayers offered towards Jerusalem). Truly, Allâh is full of Kindness, the Most Merciful towards mankind.
Notes
[29] (V.2:143) Narrated Abu Sa‘îd Al-Khudrî رضي الله عنه: Allâh’s Messenger صلى الله عليه وسلم said "Nûh (Noah) will be called on the Day of Resurrection and he will say, ‘Labbaik and Sa‘daik, (I respond to Your Call and I am obedient to Your Orders) O my Lord! Allâh will say, ‘Did you convey Our Message of Islâmic Monotheism?’ Nûh (Noah) will say, ‘Yes’. His nation will then be asked, ‘Did he convey Our Message of Islâmic Monotheism to you?’ They will say, ‘No warner came to us.’ Then Allâh will say [to Nûh (Noah)], ‘Who will bear witness in your favour?’ He will say, ‘Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم and his followers.’ So they (i.e., Muslims) will testify that he conveyed the Message - and the Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) will be a witness over you, and that is what is meant by the Statement of Allâh عز وجل: We made you [true Muslims - real believers of Islâmic Monotheism, true followers of Prophet Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم and his Sunnah (legal ways)] a just (and the best) nation that you be witnesses over mankind and the Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) will be a witness over you." (Sahih Al-Bukhâri, Vol.6, Hadîth No.14).
Reason for Revelation Asbāb al-Nuzūl
Arabic source: al-Wāḥidī / al-Suyūṭī, via Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies (CC BY 4.0)
قال تعالى: {وَكَذَلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاءَ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًا وَمَا جَعَلْنَا الْقِبْلَةَ الَّتِي كُنْتَ عَلَيْهَا إِلَّا لِنَعْلَمَ مَنْ يَتَّبِعُ الرَّسُولَ مِمَّنْ يَنْقَلِبُ عَلَى عَقِبَيْهِ وَإِنْ كَانَتْ لَكَبِيرَةً إِلَّا عَلَى الَّذِينَ هَدَى اللَّهُ وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُضِيعَ إِيمَانَكُمْ إِنَّ اللَّهَ بِالنَّاسِ لَرَءُوفٌ رَحِيمٌ (143)} [البقرة: 143].
13 - عَنِ ابْنِ عبَّاسٍ -رضي الله عنهما- قَالَ: لَمَا حُرِّمَتْ الْخَمْرُ قَالَ أُنَاسٌ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ، أَصْحَابُنَا الَّذِينَ مَاتُوا وَهُمْ يَشْرَبُونَها، فَأُنْزِلَتْ {لَيْسَ عَلَى الَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ جُنَاحٌ فِيمَا طَعِمُوا}، قَالَ: وَلَمَّا حُوِّلَتْ الْقِبْلَةُ، قَالَ أُنَاسٌ: يَا رَسُولَ اللهِ أَصْحَابُنَا الَّذِينَ مَاتُوا وَهُمْ يُصَلُّونَ إِلَى بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ، فَأُنْزِلَتْ {وَمَا كَانَ اللَّهُ لِيُضِيعَ إِيمَانَكُمْ} ¬أخرجه الترمذي: 2964، وابن حبان: 1717، وأحمد: 1/ 304، برقم 2691، 2776، 2966، 3249، والدارمي: 1/ 308 برقم: 1235، والطبراني في الكبير برقم: 11729، وأبو داود 4680، والطبري في التفسير: 2219، والحاكم 2/ 269، وصححه ووافقه الذهبي، وصححه الألباني في صحيح الترمذي برقم: 2365.¥.