Al-Qur'an Surah Al-Baqarah Verse 149

Mufti Taqi Usmani

From wherever you set out, turn your face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque (Al-Masjid-ul-Harām). That, indeed, is the truth from your Lord, and Allah is not unaware of what you do.

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Wherever you are ˹O Prophet˺, turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque. This is certainly the truth from your Lord. And Allah is never unaware of what you ˹all˺ do.

Ruwwad Translation Center

From wherever you set out, turn your face to the direction of the Sacred Mosque [in Makkah]. This is surely the truth from your Lord, and Allah is not unaware of what you do.

A. J. Arberry

From whatsoever place thou issuest, turn thy face towards the Holy Mosque; it is the truth from thy Lord. God is not heedless of the things you do.

Abdul Haleem

[Prophet], wherever you may have started out, turn your face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque- this is the truth from your Lord: He is not unaware of what you do-

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

And from whencesoever thou goest forth, turn thy face toward the Sacred Mosque, and verily it is the very truth from thy Lord; and Allah is not neglectful of that which ye work.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

From whencesoever Thou startest forth, turn Thy face in the direction of the sacred Mosque; that is indeed the truth from the Lord. And Allah is not unmindful of what ye do.

Abul Ala Maududi

At whatever place you may be, turn your face towards Masjid Haram (at Prayer time) for this is, in fact, a Commandment of your Lord, and Allah is not unaware of what you do.

Ahmed Ali

Wherever you come from turn towards the Holy Mosque: This in truth is from your Lord. God is not negligent of all you do.

Ahmed Raza Khan

And wherever you come from, turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque; and indeed it is the truth from your Lord; and Allah is not unaware of your deeds.

Ali Quli Qarai

Whencesoever you may go out, turn your face towards the Holy Mosque. Indeed it is the truth from your Lord, and Allah is not oblivious of what you do.

Ali Ünal

From wherever you go out (for journeying), turn your face (O Messenger) towards the Sacred Mosque (in the Prayer). This is the truth from your Lord. (O you who believe! Do the same, for) God is not unaware and unmindful of what you do.

Amatul Rahman Omar

And from wheresoever you (O Prophet!) may go forth keep your attention fixed in the direction of Masjid al-Harâm (- the Holy Mosque at Makkah) for that indeed is the true commandment proceeding from your Lord, and Allâh is not at all unaware of what you do.

English Literal

And from where you got out so turn your face towards the Mosque the Forbidden/Sacred , and that it is the truth (E) from your Lord, and that God (is) not with ignoring/disregarding about what you are making/doing .

Faridul Haque

And wherever you come from, turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque; and indeed it is the truth from your Lord; and Allah is not unaware of your deeds.

Hamid S. Aziz

From wherever you come forth, there turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque, for it is surely truth from your Lord; Allah is not unmindful about what you do.

Hilali & Khan

And from wheresoever you start forth (for prayers), turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid-al-Haram (at Makkah), that is indeed the truth from your Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what you do.

Maulana Mohammad Ali

And from whatsoever place thou comest forth, turn thy face towards the Sacred Mosque. And surely it is the truth from thy Lord. And Allah is not heedless of what you do.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

And from whatsoever place you come forth, turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque; and surely it is the very truth from your Lord, and Allah is not at all heedless of what you do.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

And whencesoever thou comest forth (for prayer, O Muhammad) turn thy face toward the Inviolable Place of Worship. Lo! it is the Truth from thy Lord. Allah is not unaware of what ye do.

Muhammad Sarwar

(Muhammad), wherever you go, turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque (in Mecca). This is the truth from your Lord who is not unaware of what you do

Qaribullah & Darwish

From wherever you emerge, turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque. This is surely the truth from your Lord. Allah is never inattentive of what you do.

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

And from wheresoever you start forth (for prayers), turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid Al-Haram (at Makkah), that is indeed the truth from your Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what you do.

Wahiduddin Khan

Wherever you set out from, turn your face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque -- this is the truth from your Lord: He is not unaware of what you do --

Talal Itani

And wherever you come from, turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque. This is the truth from your Lord, and God is not heedless of what you do.

Tafsir jalalayn

From whatever place you issue, on a journey, turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque; it is the truth from your Lord. God is not heedless of what you do (ta`malna, `you do', may also be read as ya`malna, `they do', as already appears above [sc. 2;144]; its repetition is intended to point out that the stipulation applies equally to being on a journey or otherwise).

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Why was changing the Qiblah mentioned thrice

Allah said;

وَمِنْ حَيْثُ خَرَجْتَ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَإِنَّهُ لَلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ وَمَا اللّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ



And from wheresoever you start forth (for prayers), turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid Al-Haram (at Makkah), that is indeed the truth from your Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what you do.

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 السَّمَاء 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 أُوْتُواْ الْكِتَابَ لَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ الْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ وَمَا اللّهُ بِغَافِلٍ 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 اللّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ


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