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Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 142

سورة البقرة، الآية ١٤٢

2:142 Juz 2 Hizb 3 Page 22 of the mushaf Medinan surah

Text of verse 2:142

سَيَقُولُ ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ مِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَا وَلَّىٰهُمْ عَن قِبْلَتِهِمُ ٱلَّتِى كَانُوا۟ عَلَيْهَا قُل لِّلَّهِ ٱلْمَشْرِقُ وَٱلْمَغْرِبُ يَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ ۝١٤٢

Transliteration

sayaqūlu l-sufahāu mina l-nāsi mā wallāhum ʿan qib'latihimu allatī kānū ʿalayhā qul lillahi l-mashriqu wal-maghribu yahdī man yashāu ilā ṣirāṭin mus'taqīmin

Translation

The foolish among the people will say, "What has turned them away from their qiblah,50 which they used to face?"51 Say, "To Allāh belongs the east and the west. He guides whom He wills to a straight path."

Notes

[50] The direction faced in prayer.
[51] Prior to the command (in verse 144) that the Prophet (ﷺ) and his followers turn toward the Kaʿbah in Makkah for prayer, they had been facing Jerusalem to the north. The implications of this change are mentioned in succeeding verses.

Translation in another language
Mahmoud Khalil Al-Hussary Read in the surah

Verse 142 of Surah Al-Baqarah (2:142), a Medinan surah, is in juz 2, on page 22 of the mushaf. Read it in Arabic with its transliteration, translations and tafsir, and listen to it recited by 69 reciters.

Listen to verse 142 of Surah Al-Baqarah

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Tafsir of verse 142

Al-Mukhtasar

The foolish and weak-minded among the Jews, and those like them from among the hypocrites, will ask what turned the Muslims away from the prayer direction of Jerusalem, which was their direction of prayer before. Tell them, O Prophet, in reply, that to Allah belongs the east and the west and every direction, and He directs whomever He wills of His servants to whatever direction He wills. He guides whom He wills of His servants to the right path which is free of distortions and misguidance.

Tafsir of the whole Surah Al-Baqarah

Other translations of verse 142

The foolish among the people will say: “What has turned them away from their prayer direction they used to face61?” Say: “To Allah belong the east and west: He guides whom He wills to a straight path.”

Notes

[61] Prior to the command (in verse 144) that the Prophet (ﷺ) and his followers turn toward the Ka‘bah in Makkah for prayer, they had been facing Jerusalem to the north. Further details are mentioned in succeeding verses.

The fools among the people (pagans, hypocrites, and Jews) will say, "What has turned them (Muslims) from their Qiblah [prayer direction (towards Jerusalem)] to which they used to face in prayer." Say, (O Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم) "To Allâh belong both, east and the west. He guides whom He wills to the Straight Way."

The foolish of the people will say: What hath turned them from the qiblah which they formerly observed? Say: Unto Allah belong the East and the West. He guideth whom He will unto a straight path.

The fools among the people will say: "What hath turned them from the Qibla to which they were used?" Say: To Allah belong both east and West: He guideth whom He will to a Way that is straight.

The fools among the people will say: What has turned them from their qiblah which they had? Say: The East and the West belong only to Allah; He guides whom He likes to the right path.

The foolish ones among mankind will say, "What has turned them away from their Qiblah (The Qiblah is the Kacbah at Makkah, towards which the Muslims face in prayer) which they had been (facing)?" Say, "To Allah (belong) the East and West; He guides whomever He decides to a straight Path."

Verse 142 word by word

  1. سَيَقُولُ sayaqūlu Will say ق و ل
  2. ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ l-sufahāu the foolish ones س ف ه
  3. مِنَ mina from
  4. ٱلنَّاسِ l-nāsi the people أ ن س
  5. مَا mā What
  6. وَلَّىٰهُمْ wallāhum (has) turned them و ل ي
  7. عَن ʿan from
  8. قِبْلَتِهِمُ qib'latihimu their direction of prayer ق ب ل
  9. ٱلَّتِى allatī which
  10. كَانُوا۟ kānū they were used to ك و ن
  11. عَلَيْهَا ʿalayhā [on it]
  12. قُل qul Say ق و ل
  13. لِّلَّهِ lillahi For Allah
  14. ٱلْمَشْرِقُ l-mashriqu (is) the east ش ر ق
  15. وَٱلْمَغْرِبُ wal-maghribu and the west غ ر ب
  16. يَهْدِى yahdī He guides ه د ي
  17. مَن man whom
  18. يَشَآءُ yashāu He wills ش ي أ
  19. إِلَىٰ ilā to
  20. صِرَٰطٍ ṣirāṭin a path ص ر ط
  21. مُّسْتَقِيمٍ mus'taqīmin straight ق و م

Hadiths that cite this verse

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 399

Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) prayed facing Baitul-Maqdis for sixteen or seventeen months but he loved to face the Ka`ba (at Mecca) so Allah revealed: "Verily, We have seen the turning of your face to the heaven!" (2:144) So the Prophet (ﷺ) faced the Ka`ba and the fools amongst the people namely "the Jews"…

صَلَّى نَحْوَ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ سِتَّةَ عَشَرَ أَوْ سَبْعَةَ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا، وَكَانَ رَسُولُ اللَّهِ صلى الله عليه وسلم يُحِبُّ أَنْ يُوَجَّهَ إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ، فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ ‏‏{‏قَدْ نَرَى تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي…

Narrated by Al-Barā' ibn ‘Āzib + 14 other versions

Authentic Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sahih al-Bukhari 4486

The Prophet (ﷺ) prayed facing Bait-ulMaqdis (i.e. Jerusalem) for sixteen or seventeen months but he wished that his Qibla would be the Ka`ba (at Mecca). (So Allah Revealed (2.144) and he offered `Asr prayers(in his Mosque facing Ka`ba at Mecca) and some people prayed with him. A man from among…

صَلَّى إِلَى بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ سِتَّةَ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا أَوْ سَبْعَةَ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا، وَكَانَ يُعْجِبُهُ أَنْ تَكُونَ قِبْلَتُهُ قِبَلَ الْبَيْتِ، وَإِنَّهُ صَلَّى ـ أَوْ صَلاَّهَا ـ صَلاَةَ الْعَصْرِ، وَصَلَّى مَعَهُ…

Narrated by Al-Barā' ibn ‘Āzib + 14 other versions

Verses related to verse 142

Cited by Ibn Kathir in his explanation of this verse

  • Al-Baqarah 2:177

    لَّيْسَ ٱلْبِرَّ أَن تُوَلُّوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ قِبَلَ ٱلْمَشْرِقِ وَٱلْمَغْرِبِ وَلَٰكِنَّ ٱلْبِرَّ مَنْ ءَامَنَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ وَٱلْمَلَٰٓئِكَةِ وَٱلْكِتَٰبِ وَٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ وَءَاتَى ٱلْمَالَ عَلَىٰ حُبِّهِۦ ذَوِى ٱلْقُرْبَىٰ وَٱلْيَتَٰمَىٰ وَٱلْمَسَٰكِينَ وَٱبْنَ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَٱلسَّآئِلِينَ وَفِى ٱلرِّقَابِ وَأَقَامَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتَى ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱلْمُوفُونَ بِعَهْدِهِمْ إِذَا عَٰهَدُوا۟ وَٱلصَّٰبِرِينَ فِى ٱلْبَأْسَآءِ وَٱلضَّرَّآءِ وَحِينَ ٱلْبَأْسِ أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ ٱلَّذِينَ صَدَقُوا۟ وَأُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُتَّقُونَ

    Righteousness is not that you turn your faces toward the east or the west, but [true] righteousness is [in] one who believes in Allāh, the Last Day, the angels, the Book, and the prophets and gives wealth, in spite of love for it, to relatives, orphans, the needy, the traveler, those who ask [for help], and for freeing slaves; [and who] establishes prayer and gives zakāh; [those who] fulfill their promise when they promise; and [those who] are patient in poverty and hardship and during battle. Those are the ones who have been true, and it is those who are the righteous.

  • Al-Hajj 22:78

    وَجَٰهِدُوا۟ فِى ٱللَّهِ حَقَّ جِهَادِهِۦ هُوَ ٱجْتَبَىٰكُمْ وَمَا جَعَلَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِى ٱلدِّينِ مِنْ حَرَجٍ مِّلَّةَ أَبِيكُمْ إِبْرَٰهِيمَ هُوَ سَمَّىٰكُمُ ٱلْمُسْلِمِينَ مِن قَبْلُ وَفِى هَٰذَا لِيَكُونَ ٱلرَّسُولُ شَهِيدًا عَلَيْكُمْ وَتَكُونُوا۟ شُهَدَآءَ عَلَى ٱلنَّاسِ فَأَقِيمُوا۟ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَءَاتُوا۟ ٱلزَّكَوٰةَ وَٱعْتَصِمُوا۟ بِٱللَّهِ هُوَ مَوْلَىٰكُمْ فَنِعْمَ ٱلْمَوْلَىٰ وَنِعْمَ ٱلنَّصِيرُ

    And strive for Allāh with the striving due to Him. He has chosen you and has not placed upon you in the religion any difficulty. [It is] the religion of your father, Abraham. He [i.e., Allāh] named you "Muslims" before [in former scriptures] and in this [revelation] that the Messenger may be a witness over you and you may be witnesses over the people. So establish prayer and give zakāh and hold fast to Allāh. He is your protector; and excellent is the protector, and excellent is the helper.

  • At-Tawbah 9:124–125

    وَإِذَا مَآ أُنزِلَتْ سُورَةٌ فَمِنْهُم مَّن يَقُولُ أَيُّكُمْ زَادَتْهُ هَٰذِهِۦٓ إِيمَٰنًا فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ فَزَادَتْهُمْ إِيمَٰنًا وَهُمْ يَسْتَبْشِرُونَ …

    And whenever a sūrah is revealed, there are among them [i.e., the hypocrites] those who say, "Which of you has this increased in faith?" As for those who believed, it has increased them in faith, while they are rejoicing. …

  • Fussilat 41:44

    وَلَوْ جَعَلْنَٰهُ قُرْءَانًا أَعْجَمِيًّا لَّقَالُوا۟ لَوْلَا فُصِّلَتْ ءَايَٰتُهُۥٓ ءَا۬عْجَمِىٌّ وَعَرَبِىٌّ قُلْ هُوَ لِلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ هُدًى وَشِفَآءٌ وَٱلَّذِينَ لَا يُؤْمِنُونَ فِىٓ ءَاذَانِهِمْ وَقْرٌ وَهُوَ عَلَيْهِمْ عَمًى أُو۟لَٰٓئِكَ يُنَادَوْنَ مِن مَّكَانٍۭ بَعِيدٍ

    And if We had made it a foreign [i.e., non-Arabic] Qur’ān, they would have said, "Why are its verses not explained in detail [in our language]? Is it a foreign [recitation] and an Arab [messenger]?" Say, "It is, for those who believe, a guidance and cure." And those who do not believe - in their ears is deafness, and it is upon them blindness. Those are being called from a distant place.

  • Al-Isra 17:82

    وَنُنَزِّلُ مِنَ ٱلْقُرْءَانِ مَا هُوَ شِفَآءٌ وَرَحْمَةٌ لِّلْمُؤْمِنِينَ وَلَا يَزِيدُ ٱلظَّٰلِمِينَ إِلَّا خَسَارًا

    And We send down of the Qur’ān that which is healing and mercy for the believers, but it does not increase the wrongdoers except in loss.

Verses with similar wording

They share a sequence of words with this verse: useful for telling them apart when memorising.

  • An-Nur 24:46

    لَّقَدْ أَنزَلْنَآ ءَايَٰتٍ مُّبَيِّنَٰتٍ وَٱللَّهُ يَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ

    We have certainly sent down distinct verses. And Allāh guides whom He wills to a straight path.

  • Yunus 10:25

    وَٱللَّهُ يَدْعُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰ دَارِ ٱلسَّلَٰمِ وَيَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ

    And Allāh invites to the Home of Peace [i.e., Paradise] and guides whom He wills to a straight path.

  • Al-Baqarah 2:213

    كَانَ ٱلنَّاسُ أُمَّةً وَٰحِدَةً فَبَعَثَ ٱللَّهُ ٱلنَّبِيِّـۧنَ مُبَشِّرِينَ وَمُنذِرِينَ وَأَنزَلَ مَعَهُمُ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ بِٱلْحَقِّ لِيَحْكُمَ بَيْنَ ٱلنَّاسِ فِيمَا ٱخْتَلَفُوا۟ فِيهِ وَمَا ٱخْتَلَفَ فِيهِ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوهُ مِنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَتْهُمُ ٱلْبَيِّنَٰتُ بَغْيًۢا بَيْنَهُمْ فَهَدَى ٱللَّهُ ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ لِمَا ٱخْتَلَفُوا۟ فِيهِ مِنَ ٱلْحَقِّ بِإِذْنِهِۦ وَٱللَّهُ يَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ

    Mankind was [of] one religion [before their deviation]; then Allāh sent the prophets as bringers of good tidings and warners and sent down with them the Scripture in truth to judge between the people concerning that in which they differed. And none differed over it [i.e., the Scripture] except those who were given it - after the clear proofs came to them - out of jealous animosity among themselves. And Allāh guided those who believed to the truth concerning that over which they had differed, by His permission. And Allāh guides whom He wills to a straight path.

  • Al-Mu’minun 23:73

    وَإِنَّكَ لَتَدْعُوهُمْ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ

    And indeed, you invite them to a straight path.

All similar verses of Surah Al-Baqarah

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