Surah Al-Baqarah — Verse 144
The Cow · 2:144 · 144/286
قَدْ نَرَىٰ تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ ۖ فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبْلَةً تَرْضَىٰهَا ۚ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ ۚ وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنتُمْ فَوَلُّوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُۥ ۗ وَإِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ لَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ ٱلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ ۗ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَـٰفِلٍ عَمَّا يَعْمَلُونَ
Qad nara taqalluba wajhika fee assama-ifalanuwalliyannaka qiblatan tardaha fawalli wajhakashatra almasjidi alharami wahaythu makuntum fawalloo wujoohakum shatrahu wa-inna allatheenaootoo alkitaba layaAAlamoona annahu alhaqqu minrabbihim wama Allahu bighafilin AAammayaAAmaloon
Translations of this verse 7
Saheeh International
We have certainly seen the turning of your face, [O Muḥammad], toward the heaven, and We will surely turn you to a qiblah with which you will be pleased. So turn your face [i.e., yourself] toward al-Masjid al-Ḥarām. And wherever you [believers] are, turn your faces [i.e., yourselves] toward it [in prayer]. Indeed, those who have been given the Scripture [i.e., the Jews and the Christians] well know that it is the truth from their Lord. And Allāh is not unaware of what they do.
M.A.S. Abdel Haleem
Many a time We have seen you [Prophet] turn your face towards Heaven, so We are turning you towards a prayer direction that pleases you. Turn your face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque: wherever you [believers] may be, turn your faces to it. Those who were given the Scripture know with certainty that this is the Truth from their Lord: God is not unaware of what they do.
Marmaduke Pickthall
We have seen the turning of thy face to heaven (for guidance, O Muhammad). And now verily We shall make thee turn (in prayer) toward a qiblah which is dear to thee. So turn thy face toward the Inviolable Place of Worship, and ye (O Muslims), wheresoever ye may be, turn your faces (when ye pray) toward it. Lo! Those who have received the Scripture know that (this revelation) is the Truth from their Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what they do.
Abdullah Yusuf Ali
We see the turning of thy face (for guidance to the heavens: now Shall We turn thee to a Qibla that shall please thee. Turn then Thy face in the direction of the sacred Mosque: Wherever ye are, turn your faces in that direction. The people of the Book know well that that is the truth from their Lord. Nor is Allah unmindful of what they do.
Mufti Taqi Usmani
We have been seeing you turning your face to the heavens. So, We will certainly assign to you a Qiblah that you would like. Now, turn your face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque (Al-Masjid-ul-Harām), and (O Muslims), wherever you are, turn your faces in its direction. Even those who have been given the Book know well that it is the truth from their Lord, and Allah is not unaware of what they do.
Al-Hilali & Khan
Verily! We have seen the turning of your (Muhammad’s صلى الله عليه وسلم) face towards the heaven. Surely, We shall turn you to a Qiblah (prayer direction) that shall please you, so turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid-al-Harâm (at Makkah). And wheresoever you people are, turn your faces (in prayer) in that direction. 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 Allâh is not unaware of what they do.
Abul A'la Maududi (Tafhim)
We see you oft turning your face towards the sky; now We are turning you to the direction that will satisfy you. Turn your face towards the Holy Mosque, and wherever you are, turn your faces towards it in Prayer.Those who have been granted the Scripture certainly know that this (injunction to change the direction of Prayer) is right and is from their Lord. Allah is not heedless of what they do.
Reason for Revelation Asbāb al-Nuzūl
Arabic source: al-Wāḥidī / al-Suyūṭī, via Tafsir Center for Quranic Studies (CC BY 4.0)
قال تعالى: {قَدْ نَرَى تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي السَّمَاءِ فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبْلَةً تَرْضَاهَا فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنْتُمْ فَوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُ وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا الْكِتَابَ لَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّهِمْ وَمَا اللَّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا يَعْمَلُونَ (144)} [البقرة: 144].
14 - جاء من حديث الْبَرَاءِ بْنِ عَازِبٍ -رضي الله عنهما-، قَالَ: "كَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ - صلى الله عليه وسلم - صَلَّى نَحْوَ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ سِتَّةَ عَشَرَ أَوْ سَبْعَةَ عَشَرَ شَهْراً، وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللهِ - صلى الله عليه وسلم - يُحِبُّ أَنْ يُوَجَّهَ إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللهُ {قَدْ نَرَى تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي السَّمَاءِ}، فَتَوَجَّهَ نَحْوَ الْكَعْبَةِ، وَقَالَ السُّفَهَاءُ مِنَ النَّاسِ وَهُم الْيَهُودُ: {مَا وَلَّاهُمْ عَنْ قِبْلَتِهِمُ الَّتِي كَانُوا عَلَيْهَا قُلْ لِلَّهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَالْمَغْرِبُ يَهْدِي مَنْ يَشَاءُ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُسْتَقِيمٍ}، فَصَلَّى مَعَ النَّبِيِّ - صلى الله عليه وسلم - رَجُلٌ ثُمَّ خَرَجَ بَعْدَ مَا صَلَّى، فَمَرَّ عَلَى قَوْمٍ مِنَ الأنْصَارِ فِي صَلَاةِ الْعَصْرِ نَحْوَ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ، فَقَالَ: هُوَ يَشْهَدُ أَنَّهُ صَلَّى مَعَ رَسولِ اللهِ - صلى الله عليه وسلم - وَأَنَّهُ تَوجَّهَ نَحْوَ الْكَعْبَةِ، فَتَحَرَّفَ الْقَوْمُ حَتَّى تَوَجَّهُوا نَحْوَ الْكَعْبَةِ" ¬أخرجه البخاري برقم: 40، 399، 7252، ومسلم برقم: 525، والترمذي برقم: 340، 2962، وابن ماجه برقم: 1010 والنسائي: 1/ 243، وابن حبان برقم: 6281، والبيهقي: 2/ 407، وأحمد: 4/ 283، 304، وانظر صحيح السيرة لإبراهيم العلي برقم: 223.¥.
15 - عَنْ أَنَسٍ - رضي الله عنه - أَنَّ رَسُولَ اللهِ - صلى الله عليه وسلم - كَانَ يُصَلِّي نَحْوَ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ، فَنَزَلَتْ {قَدْ نَرَى تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي السَّمَاءِ فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبْلَةً تَرْضَاهَا فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ}؛ فَمَرَّ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي سَلِمَةَ، وَهُمْ رُكُوعٌ فِي صَلَاةِ الْفَجْرِ وَقَدْ صَلَّوْا رَكْعَةً، فَنَادَى أَلَا إِنَّ الْقِبْلَةَ قَدْ حُوِّلَتْ، فَمَالُوا كَمَا هُمْ نَحْوَ الْقِبْلَةِ ¬أخرجه مسلم: 526، وأبو داود برقم: 1045، وأحمد: 3/ 284، والبيهقي: 2/ 11، وابن سعد: 1/ 2/ 4، وانظر صحيح السيرة لإبراهيم العلي: 225.¥.