2:142
۞سَيَقُولُ
sayaqulu
Will say
ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ
al-sufahau
the foolish ones
مِنَ
mina
from
ٱلنَّاسِ
al-nasi
the people
مَا
ma
What
وَلَّىٰهُمۡ
wallahum
(has) turned them
عَن
an
from
قِبۡلَتِهِمُ
qib'latihimu
their direction of prayer
ٱلَّتِي
allati
which
كَانُواْ
kanu
they were used to
عَلَيۡهَاۚ
alayha
[on it]
قُل
qul
Say
لِّلَّهِ
lillahi
For Allah
ٱلۡمَشۡرِقُ
al-mashriqu
(is) the east
وَٱلۡمَغۡرِبُۚ
wal-maghribu
and the west
يَهۡدِي
yahdi
He guides
مَن
man
whom
يَشَآءُ
yashau
He wills
إِلَىٰ
ila
to
صِرَٰطٖ
siratin
a path
مُّسۡتَقِيمٖ
mus'taqimin
straight
١٤٢

The foolish people will say, ‘What has turned them away from the prayer direction they used to face?’ Say, ‘East and West belong to God. He guides whoever He will to the right way.’

Translation 1260

2:143
وَكَذَٰلِكَ
wakadhalika
And thus
جَعَلۡنَٰكُمۡ
ja'alnakum
We made you
أُمَّةٗ
ummatan
a community
وَسَطٗا
wasatan
(of the) middle way
لِّتَكُونُواْ
litakunu
so that you will be
شُهَدَآءَ
shuhadaa
witnesses
عَلَى
ala
over
ٱلنَّاسِ
al-nasi
the mankind
وَيَكُونَ
wayakuna
and will be
ٱلرَّسُولُ
al-rasulu
the Messenger
عَلَيۡكُمۡ
alaykum
on you
شَهِيدٗاۗ
shahidan
a witness
وَمَا
wama
And not
جَعَلۡنَا
ja'alna
We made
ٱلۡقِبۡلَةَ
al-qib'lata
the direction of prayer
ٱلَّتِي
allati
which
كُنتَ
kunta
you were used to
عَلَيۡهَآ
alayha
[on it]
إِلَّا
illa
except
لِنَعۡلَمَ
lina'lama
that We make evident
مَن
man
(he) who
يَتَّبِعُ
yattabi'u
follows
ٱلرَّسُولَ
al-rasula
the Messenger
مِمَّن
mimman
from (he) who
يَنقَلِبُ
yanqalibu
turns back
عَلَىٰ
ala
on
عَقِبَيۡهِۚ
aqibayhi
his heels
وَإِن
wa-in
And indeed
كَانَتۡ
kanat
it was
لَكَبِيرَةً
lakabiratan
certainly a great (test)
إِلَّا
illa
except
عَلَى
ala
for
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhina
those whom
هَدَى
hada
guided
ٱللَّهُۗ
al-lahu
(by) Allah
وَمَا
wama
And not
كَانَ
kana
will
ٱللَّهُ
al-lahu
Allah
لِيُضِيعَ
liyudi'a
let go waste
إِيمَٰنَكُمۡۚ
imanakum
your faith
إِنَّ
inna
Indeed
ٱللَّهَ
al-laha
Allah
بِٱلنَّاسِ
bil-nasi
(is) to [the] mankind
لَرَءُوفٞ
laraufun
Full of Kindness
رَّحِيمٞ
rahimun
Most Merciful
١٤٣

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

Translation 1260

2:144
قَدۡ
qad
Indeed
نَرَىٰ
nara
We see
تَقَلُّبَ
taqalluba
(the) turning
وَجۡهِكَ
wajhika
(of) your face
فِي
fi
towards
ٱلسَّمَآءِۖ
al-samai
the heaven
فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ
falanuwalliyannaka
So We will surely turn you
قِبۡلَةٗ
qib'latan
(to the) direction of prayer
تَرۡضَىٰهَاۚ
tardaha
you will be pleased with
فَوَلِّ
fawalli
So turn
وَجۡهَكَ
wajhaka
your face
شَطۡرَ
shatra
towards the direction
ٱلۡمَسۡجِدِ
al-masjidi
(of) Al-Masjid
ٱلۡحَرَامِۚ
al-harami
Al-Haraam
وَحَيۡثُ
wahaythu
and wherever
مَا
ma
that
كُنتُمۡ
kuntum
you are
فَوَلُّواْ
fawallu
[so] turn
وُجُوهَكُمۡ
wujuhakum
your faces
شَطۡرَهُۥۗ
shatrahu
(in) its direction
وَإِنَّ
wa-inna
And indeed
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhina
those who
أُوتُواْ
utu
were given
ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ
al-kitaba
the Book
لَيَعۡلَمُونَ
laya'lamuna
surely know
أَنَّهُ
annahu
that it
ٱلۡحَقُّ
al-haqu
(is) the truth
مِن
min
from
رَّبِّهِمۡۗ
rabbihim
their Lord
وَمَا
wama
And not
ٱللَّهُ
al-lahu
(is) Allah
بِغَٰفِلٍ
bighafilin
unaware
عَمَّا
amma
of what
يَعۡمَلُونَ
ya'maluna
they do
١٤٤

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

Translation 1260

2:145
وَلَئِنۡ
wala-in
And even if
أَتَيۡتَ
atayta
you come
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhina
(to) those who
أُوتُواْ
utu
were given
ٱلۡكِتَٰبَ
al-kitaba
the Book
بِكُلِّ
bikulli
with all
ءَايَةٖ
ayatin
(the) signs
مَّا
ma
not
تَبِعُواْ
tabi'u
they would follow
قِبۡلَتَكَۚ
qib'lataka
your direction of prayer
وَمَآ
wama
and not
أَنتَ
anta
(will) you (be)
بِتَابِعٖ
bitabi'in
a follower
قِبۡلَتَهُمۡۚ
qib'latahum
(of) their direction of prayer
وَمَا
wama
And not
بَعۡضُهُم
ba'duhum
some of them
بِتَابِعٖ
bitabi'in
(are) followers
قِبۡلَةَ
qib'lata
(of the) direction of prayer
بَعۡضٖۚ
ba'din
(of each) other
وَلَئِنِ
wala-ini
And if
ٱتَّبَعۡتَ
ittaba'ta
you followed
أَهۡوَآءَهُم
ahwaahum
their desires
مِّنۢ
min
from
بَعۡدِ
ba'di
after
مَا
ma
[what]
جَآءَكَ
jaaka
came to you
مِنَ
mina
of
ٱلۡعِلۡمِ
al-'il'mi
the knowledge
إِنَّكَ
innaka
indeed you
إِذٗا
idhan
(would) then
لَّمِنَ
lamina
(be) surely among
ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ
al-zalimina
the wrongdoers
١٤٥

Yet even if you brought every proof to those who were given the Scripture, they would not follow your prayer direction, nor will you follow theirs, nor indeed will any of them follow one another’s direction. If you [Prophet] were to follow their desires, after the knowledge brought to you, you would be doing wrong

Translation 1260