Ali Quli Qarai, The Qur’ān with a Phrase-by-Phrase English Translation (2005)
‘What has turned them away
from the qiblah they were following?’1
Say, ‘To Allah belong the east and the west.
He guides whomever He wishes
to a straight path.’
143 Thus We have made you a middle nation
that you may be witnesses to the people,
and that the Apostle may be a witness to you.
And We did not appoint the qiblah you were following
but that We may ascertain
those who follow the Apostle
from those who turn back on their heels.
It was indeed a hard thing
except for those whom Allah has guided.
And Allah would not let your prayers go to waste.2
Indeed Allah is most kind and merciful to mankind.
144 We certainly see you turning your face about
in the sky.
We will surely turn you to a qiblah of your liking:
so turn your face towards the Holy Mosque,
and wherever you may be,
turn your faces towards it!
Indeed those who were given the Book
surely know that it is the truth from their Lord.
1 The Muslims first used to pray facing in the direction of Bayt al-Maqdis. This and the verses that follow pertain to the change of the qiblah, or the direction faced during prayer, from Quds to the Ka‘bah, in Makkah.
2 ‘Īmān’ here means prayers. Allah reassures the faithful that the prayers they have offered earlier facing towards Quds will not be wasted by the change of qiblah.
