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Surah Al-Baqarah, Verse 144

سورة البقرة، الآية ١٤٤

2:144 Juz 2 Hizb 3 Page 22 of the mushaf Medinan surah

Text of verse 2:144

قَدْ نَرَىٰ تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِى ٱلسَّمَآءِ فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبْلَةً تَرْضَىٰهَا فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنتُمْ فَوَلُّوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُۥ وَإِنَّ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَٰبَ لَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ ٱلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَٰفِلٍ عَمَّا يَعْمَلُونَ ۝١٤٤

Transliteration

qad narā taqalluba wajhika fī l-samāi falanuwalliyannaka qib'latan tarḍāhā fawalli wajhaka shaṭra l-masjidi l-ḥarāmi waḥaythu mā kuntum fawallū wujūhakum shaṭrahu wa-inna alladhīna ūtū l-kitāba layaʿlamūna annahu l-ḥaqu min rabbihim wamā l-lahu bighāfilin ʿammā yaʿmalūna

Translation

We have certainly seen the turning of your face, [O Muḥammad], toward the heaven, and We will surely turn you to a qiblah with which you will be pleased. So turn your face [i.e., yourself] toward al-Masjid al-Ḥarām.53 And wherever you [believers] are, turn your faces [i.e., yourselves] toward it [in prayer]. Indeed, those who have been given the Scripture [i.e., the Jews and the Christians] well know that it is the truth from their Lord. And Allāh is not unaware of what they do.

Notes

[53] The Sacred Mosque in Makkah containing the Kaʿbah.

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

Verse 144 of Surah Al-Baqarah (2:144), 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 144 of Surah Al-Baqarah

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Tafsir of verse 144

Al-Mukhtasar

God saw you, O Prophet, turning your face and gazing towards the heavens, anticipating revelation about changing the direction of prayer to the place you loved. God will turn you to a prayer direction which you will be pleased with, to the Sacred House of God, instead of the prayer direction you now face, so turn your face to the Sacred House of God in Makkah, and wherever you are, O believers, turn towards it to perform your prayers. Those who have been given the Scripture, the Jews and the Christians, know well that the change of prayer direction is the truth revealed from their Creator Who arranges and manages their lives, as it is clear in their Scripture. God is not unaware of what those who turn away from the truth do. He, glory be to Him, is aware of everything, and will reward them according to their actions.

Tafsir of the whole Surah Al-Baqarah

Other translations of verse 144

We see the turning of your face [O Prophet] towards heaven62; We will surely make you turn towards a prayer direction that will please you. So turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque [in Makkah], and wherever you are, turn your faces towards it. Those who were given the Scripture know that this is the truth from their Lord, and Allah is not unaware of what they do.

Notes

[62] The Prophet (ﷺ) was awaiting the command to change the qiblah; so he used to look up at the sky.

Verily! We have seen the turning of your (Muhammad’s صلى الله عليه وسلم) face towards the heaven. Surely, We shall turn you to a Qiblah (prayer direction) that shall please you, so turn your face in the direction of Al-Masjid-al-Harâm (at Makkah). And wheresoever you people are, turn your faces (in prayer) in that direction. 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 Allâh is not unaware of what they do.

We have seen the turning of thy face to heaven (for guidance, O Muhammad). And now verily We shall make thee turn (in prayer) toward a qiblah which is dear to thee. So turn thy face toward the Inviolable Place of Worship, and ye (O Muslims), wheresoever ye may be, turn your faces (when ye pray) toward it. Lo! Those who have received the Scripture know that (this revelation) is the Truth from their Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what they do.

We see the turning of thy face (for guidance to the heavens: now Shall We turn thee to a Qibla that shall please thee. Turn then Thy face in the direction of the sacred Mosque: Wherever ye are, turn your faces in that direction. The people of the Book know well that that is the truth from their Lord. Nor is Allah unmindful of what they do.

Indeed We see the turning of your face to heaven, so We shall surely turn you to a qiblah which you shall like; turn then your face towards the Sacred Mosque, and wherever you are, turn your face towards it, and those who have been given the Book most surely know that it is the truth from their Lord; and Allah is not at all heedless of what they do.

We have already seen the turning about of your face to the heaven; so We will indeed definitely turn you towards a Qiblah (Literally: their Qiblah) that shall satisfy you. So turn your face towards the Inviolable Mosque; and wherever you are, then turn your faces towards it. And surely the ones to whom the Book was brought do indeed know that it is the Truth from their Lord; and in no way is Allah ever heedless of whatever they do.

Verse 144 word by word

  1. قَدْ qad Indeed
  2. نَرَىٰ narā We see ر أ ي
  3. تَقَلُّبَ taqalluba (the) turning ق ل ب
  4. وَجْهِكَ wajhika (of) your face و ج ه
  5. فِى fī towards
  6. ٱلسَّمَآءِ l-samāi the heaven س م و
  7. فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ falanuwalliyannaka So We will surely turn you و ل ي
  8. قِبْلَةً qib'latan (to the) direction of prayer ق ب ل
  9. تَرْضَىٰهَا tarḍāhā you will be pleased with ر ض و
  10. فَوَلِّ fawalli So turn و ل ي
  11. وَجْهَكَ wajhaka your face و ج ه
  12. شَطْرَ shaṭra towards the direction ش ط ر
  13. ٱلْمَسْجِدِ l-masjidi (of) Al-Masjid س ج د
  14. ٱلْحَرَامِ l-ḥarāmi Al-Haraam ح ر م
  15. وَحَيْثُ waḥaythu and wherever ح ي ث
  16. مَا mā that
  17. كُنتُمْ kuntum you are ك و ن
  18. فَوَلُّوا۟ fawallū [so] turn و ل ي
  19. وُجُوهَكُمْ wujūhakum your faces و ج ه
  20. شَطْرَهُۥ shaṭrahu (in) its direction ش ط ر
  21. وَإِنَّ wa-inna And indeed
  22. ٱلَّذِينَ alladhīna those who
  23. أُوتُوا۟ ūtū were given أ ت ي
  24. ٱلْكِتَٰبَ l-kitāba the Book ك ت ب
  25. لَيَعْلَمُونَ layaʿlamūna surely know ع ل م
  26. أَنَّهُ annahu that it
  27. ٱلْحَقُّ l-ḥaqu (is) the truth ح ق ق
  28. مِن min from
  29. رَّبِّهِمْ rabbihim their Lord ر ب ب
  30. وَمَا wamā And not
  31. ٱللَّهُ l-lahu (is) Allah
  32. بِغَٰفِلٍ bighāfilin unaware غ ف ل
  33. عَمَّا ʿammā of what
  34. يَعْمَلُونَ yaʿmalūna they do ع م ل

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 7252

When Allah's Messenger (ﷺ) arrived at Medina, he prayed facing Jerusalem for sixteen or seventeen months but he wished that he would be ordered to face the Ka`ba. So Allah revealed: -- 'Verily! We have seen the turning of your face towards the heaven; surely we shall turn you to a prayer direction…

صَلَّى نَحْوَ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ سِتَّةَ عَشَرَ، أَوْ سَبْعَةَ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا، وَكَانَ يُحِبُّ أَنْ يُوَجَّهَ إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى ‏‏{‏قَدْ نَرَى تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي السَّمَاءِ…

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

Authentic Sahih Muslim 527

The Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) used to pray towards Bait-ul-Maqdis, that it was revealed (to him):" Indeed We see the turning of the face to heaven, wherefore We shall assuredly cause thee to turn towards Qibla which shall please thee. So turn thy face towards the sacred Mosque (Ka'ba)" (ii. 144). A…

يُصَلِّي نَحْوَ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ فَنَزَلَتْ ‏‏{‏ قَدْ نَرَى تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي السَّمَاءِ فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبْلَةً تَرْضَاهَا فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ‏}‏ فَمَرَّ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي سَلِمَةَ…

Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik + 2 other versions

Differing grades Sunan Abu Dawud 507

Prayer passed through three stages and fasting also passed through three stages. The narrator Nasr reported the rest of the tradition completely. The narrator, Ibn al-Muthanna, narrated the story of saying prayer facing in the direction of Jerusalem. He said: The third stage is that the Messenger…

قَدِمَ الْمَدِينَةَ فَصَلَّى - يَعْنِي نَحْوَ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ - ثَلاَثَةَ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا فَأَنْزَلَ اللَّهُ تَعَالَى هَذِهِ الآيَةَ ‏‏{‏ قَدْ نَرَى تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي السَّمَاءِ فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبْلَةً…

Narrated by Mu‘ādh ibn Jabal

Authentic Sunan Abu Dawud 1045

The Prophet (ﷺ) and his Companions used to pray in the direction of Jerusalem. When the following verse was revealed: “ So turn thy face towards the inviolable mosque”; and Ye (O Muslims), wheresoever ye may be, turn your face towards it”(ii. 144), a man passed by the people of Banu Salamah. He…

كَانُوا يُصَلُّونَ نَحْوَ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ فَلَمَّا نَزَلَتْ هَذِهِ الآيَةُ ‏‏{‏ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنْتُمْ فَوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُ ‏}‏ فَمَرَّ رَجُلٌ مِنْ بَنِي…

Narrated by Anas ibn Mālik + 2 other versions

Weak Muttafaq ‘alayh (Bukhari and Muslim) Sunan Ibn Majah 1010

“We prayed with the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) facing towards Baitul-Maqdis (Jerusalem) for eighteen months, then the Qiblah was changed to the Ka’bah two months after the Prophet (ﷺ) entered Al-Madinah. When the Messenger of Allah (ﷺ) prayed towards Baitul-Maqdis, he would often lift his face towards…

صَلَّيْنَا مَعَ رَسُولِ اللَّهِ ـ صلى الله عليه وسلم ـ نَحْوَ بَيْتِ الْمَقْدِسِ ثَمَانِيَةَ عَشَرَ شَهْرًا وَصُرِفَتِ الْقِبْلَةُ إِلَى الْكَعْبَةِ بَعْدَ دُخُولِهِ إِلَى الْمَدِينَةِ بِشَهْرَيْنِ وَكَانَ رَسُولُ…

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

Other hadiths (7)

Verses related to verse 144

Cited by Ibn Kathir in his explanation of this verse

  • Al-Baqarah 2:115

    وَلِلَّهِ ٱلْمَشْرِقُ وَٱلْمَغْرِبُ فَأَيْنَمَا تُوَلُّوا۟ فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ ٱللَّهِ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌ

    And to Allāh belongs the east and the west. So wherever you [might] turn, there is the Face of Allāh. Indeed, Allāh is all-Encompassing and Knowing.

Verses with similar wording

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

  • Al-Baqarah 2:150

    وَمِنْ حَيْثُ خَرَجْتَ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنتُمْ فَوَلُّوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُۥ لِئَلَّا يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَيْكُمْ حُجَّةٌ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ فَلَا تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَٱخْشَوْنِى وَلِأُتِمَّ نِعْمَتِى عَلَيْكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ

    And from wherever you go out [for prayer], turn your face toward al-Masjid al-Ḥarām. And wherever you [believers] may be, turn your faces toward it in order that the people will not have any argument against you, except for those of them who commit wrong; so fear them not but fear Me. And [it is] so I may complete My favor upon you and that you may be guided,

  • Al-Baqarah 2:149

    وَمِنْ حَيْثُ خَرَجْتَ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَٰفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ

    So from wherever you go out [for prayer, O Muḥammad], turn your face toward al-Masjid al-Ḥarām, and indeed, it is the truth from your Lord. And Allāh is not unaware of what you do.

  • Ali ’Imran 3:99

    قُلْ يَٰٓأَهْلَ ٱلْكِتَٰبِ لِمَ تَصُدُّونَ عَن سَبِيلِ ٱللَّهِ مَنْ ءَامَنَ تَبْغُونَهَا عِوَجًا وَأَنتُمْ شُهَدَآءُ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَٰفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ

    Say, "O People of the Scripture, why do you avert from the way of Allāh those who believe, seeking to make it [seem] deviant, while you are witnesses [to the truth]? And Allāh is not unaware of what you do."

  • Al-Baqarah 2:140

    أَمْ تَقُولُونَ إِنَّ إِبْرَٰهِـۧمَ وَإِسْمَٰعِيلَ وَإِسْحَٰقَ وَيَعْقُوبَ وَٱلْأَسْبَاطَ كَانُوا۟ هُودًا أَوْ نَصَٰرَىٰ قُلْ ءَأَنتُمْ أَعْلَمُ أَمِ ٱللَّهُ وَمَنْ أَظْلَمُ مِمَّن كَتَمَ شَهَٰدَةً عِندَهُۥ مِنَ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَٰفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ

    Or do you say that Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and the Descendants were Jews or Christians? Say, "Are you more knowing or is Allāh?" And who is more unjust than one who conceals a testimony he has from Allāh? And Allāh is not unaware of what you do.

  • Al-Baqarah 2:26

    إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَسْتَحْىِۦٓ أَن يَضْرِبَ مَثَلًا مَّا بَعُوضَةً فَمَا فَوْقَهَا فَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ فَيَعْلَمُونَ أَنَّهُ ٱلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّهِمْ وَأَمَّا ٱلَّذِينَ كَفَرُوا۟ فَيَقُولُونَ مَاذَآ أَرَادَ ٱللَّهُ بِهَٰذَا مَثَلًا يُضِلُّ بِهِۦ كَثِيرًا وَيَهْدِى بِهِۦ كَثِيرًا وَمَا يُضِلُّ بِهِۦٓ إِلَّا ٱلْفَٰسِقِينَ

    Indeed, Allāh is not timid to present an example - that of a mosquito or what is smaller than it. And those who have believed know that it is the truth from their Lord. But as for those who disbelieve, they say, "What did Allāh intend by this as an example?" He misleads many thereby and guides many thereby. And He misleads not except the defiantly disobedient,

  • Al-Baqarah 2:74

    ثُمَّ قَسَتْ قُلُوبُكُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ ذَٰلِكَ فَهِىَ كَٱلْحِجَارَةِ أَوْ أَشَدُّ قَسْوَةً وَإِنَّ مِنَ ٱلْحِجَارَةِ لَمَا يَتَفَجَّرُ مِنْهُ ٱلْأَنْهَٰرُ وَإِنَّ مِنْهَا لَمَا يَشَّقَّقُ فَيَخْرُجُ مِنْهُ ٱلْمَآءُ وَإِنَّ مِنْهَا لَمَا يَهْبِطُ مِنْ خَشْيَةِ ٱللَّهِ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَٰفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ

    Then your hearts became hardened after that, being like stones or even harder. For indeed, there are stones from which rivers burst forth, and there are some of them that split open and water comes out, and there are some of them that fall down for fear of Allāh. And Allāh is not unaware of what you do.

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