Surat Al Baqarah (136-146)

{ قُولُواْ آمَنَّا بِاللّهِ وَمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْنَا وَمَا أُنزِلَ إِلَى إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَالأسْبَاطِ وَمَا أُوتِيَ مُوسَى وَعِيسَى وَمَا أُوتِيَ النَّبِيُّونَ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ لاَ نُفَرِّقُ بَيْنَ أَحَدٍ مِّنْهُمْ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُسْلِمُونَ } [البقرة:  136]

136- O believers, you should all say: We have believed in Allah and in the revealed Scriptures, clear signs and magnificent miracles that were sent down to Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, Al Asbat (the offspring of Moses), Moses, Jesus and other prophets (peace be on them). We shall not distinct between them as the Jews and the Christians did when they believed in some and disbelieved in others. We shall refer all our affairs to Allah in submissiveness.

{ فَإِنْ آمَنُواْ بِمِثْلِ مَا آمَنتُم بِهِ فَقَدِ اهْتَدَواْ وَّإِن تَوَلَّوْاْ فَإِنَّمَا هُمْ فِي شِقَاقٍ فَسَيَكْفِيكَهُمُ اللّهُ وَهُوَ السَّمِيعُ الْعَلِيمُ } [البقرة:  137]

137- If the People of the Scriptures and Pagans believe in what you have believed in such as: believing in all His Scriptures and Messengers and did not distinct between them, then they have followed the truth and were guided. If they turned away from faith as we mentioned, they have engaged in great disagreement and strayed away from the straight path; their proof is groundless. Allah will be sufficient for you of their disagreement when He gives you victory over them. Verily, Allah hears what they say and He knows what is hidden in their hearts and He will punish them.

{ صِبْغَةَ اللّهِ وَمَنْ أَحْسَنُ مِنَ اللّهِ صِبْغَةً وَنَحْنُ لَهُ عَابِدونَ } [البقرة:  138]

138- It is truly the religion of Allah which is crystal clear. Believing in that religion is the sign which Allah has made for those who believe. He purified them with faith from the filth of disbelief and adorned their hearts with its beautiful marks. There is nothing is better than this good quality and blessed mark. We are grateful to Allah and devoted to Him for this great bless and for all His Other Favors.

{ قُلْ أَتُحَآجُّونَنَا فِي اللّهِ وَهُوَ رَبُّنَا وَرَبُّكُمْ وَلَنَا أَعْمَالُنَا وَلَكُمْ أَعْمَالُكُمْ وَنَحْنُ لَهُ مُخْلِصُونَ } [البقرة:  139]

139- O Prophet, say to the Jews and the Christians: Will you debate with us in the Oneness of Allah, devotion to Him and following His Orders. He is truly your and our god who disposes your affairs, Who deserves to be worshipped; no partner is with Him. We have our good deeds represented in listening and obedience and you have your deeds represented in disbelief and straying. We are devoted in these deeds where we seek nothing but His Sake. So, how come you debate with us and claim that you are right and wish to enter Paradise while you are straying disbelievers?

{ أَمْ تَقُولُونَ إِنَّ إِبْرَاهِيمَ وَإِسْمَاعِيلَ وَإِسْحَاقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَالأسْبَاطَ كَانُواْ هُوداً أَوْ نَصَارَى قُلْ أَأَنتُمْ أَعْلَمُ أَمِ اللّهُ وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن كَتَمَ شَهَادَةً عِندَهُ مِنَ اللّهِ وَمَا اللّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ } [البقرة:  140]

140- O People of the Scriptures, do you claim that Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob and Al Asbat were Jews or Christians? Who knows better, you or Allah? Certainly, Allah does. They used to believe in the pure monotheism which contained no polytheism as you read in their Scriptures. You also read that Muhammad will be sent at the end of time and shall have the same religion of Abraham. All prophets and messengers were neither Jews not Christians because they came before Moses and Jesus but you conceal the truth and refuse to attest this fact. You have chosen misguidance but Allah's Knowledge encompasses you and He shall punish you for the way you deserve for telling lies against the prophets.

 
{ تِلْكَ أُمَّةٌ قَدْ خَلَتْ لَهَا مَا كَسَبَتْ وَلَكُم مَّا كَسَبْتُمْ وَلاَ تُسْأَلُونَ عَمَّا كَانُواْ يَعْمَلُونَ } [البقرة:  141]

141- That was a nation who has passed away. They shall receive the reward for their deeds. It will not avail you neither ascribing yourselves to them nor depending on their righteous deeds without doing the same. So, do not deceive yourselves by being their followers until you do the same such as: obey and follow the messengers.

{سَيَقُولُ السُّفَهَاء مِنَ النَّاسِ مَا وَلاَّهُمْ عَن قِبْلَتِهِمُ الَّتِي كَانُواْ عَلَيْهَا قُل لِّلّهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَالْمَغْرِبُ يَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ} [البقرة: 142].

142- The Messenger of Allah [peace be upon him) was commanded first to turn his face, in the Salah, to the direction of Baytul-Maqdis [the Mosque at Jerusalem). Therefore, he and the Muslims kept on doing so for sixteen or seventeen months, as was stated in Sahih Al Bukhari. During that period the Prophet [peace be upon him) continued supplicating Allah to change the direction of Qiblah again to the Ka`bah which was the Qiblah of Prophet Abraham [peace be upon him) until his supplications were answered. As a result, the hypocrites and disbelieving Jews began to doubt, deviate from the truth, and said: What made them divert from their earlier Qiblah? The Jews used to claim that facing Jerusalem means that their religion was the true one. Hence, they started to spread the seeds of doubt and rumors among the Muslim community in term of the validity of their previous Salah as well as the reason for changing the direction of the Qiblah that indicates that these instructions were not correct and as a result, they are not revelation.

Thus, Allah [the Almighty) called them "the fools" i.e., they are the people whose intellectuals were canceled and humiliated where they blindly imitated others and refused to reflect on or think about anything. The word "fools" may also be given to the liars who deliberately speak in contrast of what they already know. It may also refer to the unjust ignorant. Allah [the Almighty) has absolute power and disposition of all affairs. To Him belongs the East and the West and all directions. Thus, wherever He fixes the Qiblah, the believers [those who submit themselves to the orders of Allah) must direct their faces towards it without objection. They have to obey and comply to His Command. The Ka`bah is the most noble place on earth because it was built by Prophet Abraham [peace be upon him). Verily, Allah guides whom He wills of His Servants to His Straight path if He sees their good intention. As for the fools, they wander in error and misguidance.

{وَكَذَلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطاً لِّتَكُونُواْ شُهَدَاء عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيداً وَمَا جَعَلْنَا الْقِبْلَةَ الَّتِي كُنتَ عَلَيْهَا إِلاَّ لِنَعْلَمَ مَن يَتَّبِعُ الرَّسُولَ مِمَّن يَنقَلِبُ عَلَى عَقِبَيْهِ وَإِن كَانَتْ لَكَبِيرَةً إِلاَّ عَلَى الَّذِينَ هَدَى اللّهُ وَمَا كَانَ اللّهُ لِيُضِيعَ إِيمَانَكُمْ إِنَّ اللّهَ بِالنَّاسِ لَرَؤُوفٌ رَّحِيمٌ} [البقرة: 143].

143– Thus, we have made you, O the Islamic nation, the best nation, that you be witnesses over mankind on the Day of the Recompense. You are the nation that delivers the truth because your religion is the only true religion. Therefore, Allah made you turn to the Qiblah of Prophet Abraham, the father of all prophets, and endowed you with the most perfect Shari`ah, the most upright way of life, and the most manifest doctrine. Then, the Messenger [peace be upon him) will be a witness over you on the Day of the Recompense to recommend you and attest your justice and uprightness.

The command given to face Al Aqsa Mosque in Salah was a test to distinct those who obey Allah from those who disobey Him. Particularly, the Arabs were clinging to the House, and turning from that direction was difficult for them. Therefore, Allah wanted to direct the hearts of those who submitted to Him to absolute obedience and to purify them from the remaining traditions of the Jahiliyyah [Pre-Islamic Period), no matter how their significance may be. That is in order for this rearing to be effective in their souls and for them to be trained on obedience and compliance. Though this matter was hard on their souls, it was easy for their believing and guided hearts which have believed in the truthfulness of the message of Muhammad [peace be upon him), to believe that the revelation that he was sent with is the truth with no doubt. They have known that Allah does what He wills and commands in His Kingdom as He wills. So, a Muslim has to obey and comply.
Allah would never waste your previous Salah offered towards Jerusalem i.e. their reward with Allah will not be wasted because He is full of kindness, the Most Merciful with His Servants. He guides them to pure blessings with His Grace and Mercy.

{قَدْ نَرَى تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي السَّمَاء فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبْلَةً تَرْضَاهَا فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنتُمْ فَوَلُّواْ وُجُوِهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُ وَإِنَّ الَّذِينَ أُوْتُواْ الْكِتَابَ لَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ وَمَا اللّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا يَعْمَلُونَ} [البقرة: 144]

144- The Messenger of Allah [peace be upon him) loved to be directed towards the Ka`bah, as was reported in Sahih Al Bukhari. So, his Lord told him that his request shall be responded. He will direct you back towards the direction of the Qiblah that you yearn and love. Thus, He turned your direction in Salah towards Al Masjid Al Haram [the Sacred Masjid). O Muslims, wherever you are you should turn your faces towards the direction of the Qiblah until Allah inherits the earth and all that on it.

Verily, the Jews and the Christians know that your turning towards the House is the truth because it is written in their Scriptures about the description of Prophet Muhammad [peace be upon him) and his nation. They know that the Ka`bah is the first place on earth where Allah has been worshipped. It is the House that Prophet Abraham [peace be upon him) built and laid its foundations. The Jews and the Christians are not convinced with the proofs and they conceal the knowledge that was written in their Scriptures. Certainly, Allah is not heedless about what they do and shall punish them in the world and in the Hereafter for that. He is also not heedless of the reward of the believers either.

{وَلَئِنْ أَتَيْتَ الَّذِينَ أُوْتُواْ الْكِتَابَ بِكُلِّ آيَةٍ مَّا تَبِعُواْ قِبْلَتَكَ وَمَا أَنتَ بِتَابِعٍ قِبْلَتَهُمْ وَمَا بَعْضُهُم بِتَابِعٍ قِبْلَةَ بَعْضٍ وَلَئِنِ اتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَاءهُم مِّن بَعْدِ مَا جَاءكَ مِنَ الْعِلْمِ إِنَّكَ إِذَاً لَّمِنَ الظَّالِمِينَ} [البقرة: 145]

145– And even if you were to bring to the Jews and the Christians one proof after another on the authenticity of what you brought to them and even if Allah were to support you with miracles in this regard, they would not abandon their whims. Moreover, they would not direct their faces to the Qiblah [the direction of Salah) that was ordained for you by your Lord. On the other hand, you neither will follow their Qiblah nor follow their whims because you follow the ordinances of Allah and seek His Pleasure. The Jews will not follow the Qiblah of the Christians or vice versa because there is huge enmity between the two of them. If you follow their whims after the direction of the Qiblah that Allah had directed you to, you prefer their falsehood to the truth.

This is a mere supposition, an assumption, and a warning to the nation against the whims and the errors of the people of the Scriptures.

{الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَ يَعْرِفُونَهُ كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْنَاءهُمْ وَإِنَّ فَرِيقاً مِّنْهُمْ لَيَكْتُمُونَ الْحَقَّ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَ} [البقرة: 146]

146- The people of the Scriptures of the Jews and the Christians recognize Muhammad [peace be upon him) and the authenticity of what he brought to them as they recognize their own children. This is an example presented to assert the authenticity of something because recognizing one's children is the most certain knowledge. This is due to the accurate description of the Messenger Muhammad [peace be upon him) and his nation in their Scriptures. This certain knowledge includes also the recognition of the Qiblah to which they direct their faces in Salah. Yet, a group of them, in spite of this certainty regarding recognizing him, hides from people what is written in their Scriptures in this regard while they know.