Exegesis of the saying of Allah the Exalted: “The foolish among the people will say: ‘What has turned them away from their qiblah which they used to face?’”
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Question:
The questioner says: I hope the Shaykh will explain this verse in the words of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, in Surat al-Baqarah:[Al-Baqarah 2:142] with [Al-Baqarah 2:142-143].
Answer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions.
These verses came regarding the change of the qiblah in prayer from facing the House of Prayer (Bayt al-Maqdis) to facing the Noble Ka'bah. The Muslims in the early days of Islam used to pray facing the House of Prayer. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed facing it, and then Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, fulfilled the desire of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). For he (peace and blessings be upon him) loved to face the Ka'bah, the qiblah of Ibrahim (peace be upon him). For this reason, Allah, Mighty and Majestic, said:[Al-Baqarah 2:144]. Therefore, the qiblah in prayer was changed from the House of Prayer to the Noble Ka'bah. So the Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) and the Muslims faced the Noble Ka'bah in their prayers, by the command of Allah, just as facing the House of Prayer before that was by the command of Allah. And Allah, Mighty and Majestic, abrogates what He wills, for He, Glorified and Exalted is He, holds the command in His hand. And He also desires good for His servants. So the direction of the qiblah is to Allah, Mighty and Majestic, not to desires and wishes, but rather to Allah. Facing the House of Prayer at its time was by the command of Allah, and facing the Ka'bah at its time was by the command of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, and all of it is obedience to Allah, Mighty and Majestic.
As for His saying, the Exalted:[Al-Baqarah 2:142] This is because turning the qiblah toward the Ka'bah is surprising to many of those with weak faith, and to the Jews and Christians, even though the Jews and Christians know with complete certainty that the qiblah of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him) and his ummah (Muslim community) will be toward the Ka'bah. They know this. For this reason, He said: [Al-Baqarah 2:121] [Al-An'am 6:20] meaning facing the House, meaning facing the Noble Ka'bah. They recognize this in the divine books they possess. [Al-Baqarah 2:146]. For this reason, He said: "The foolish ones will say," meaning those with weak intellects and weak religion, from among the Jews and Christians, or from among those with weak faith in whom Islam has not taken root in their hearts. They will be surprised and say: [Al-Baqarah 2:142], "What is the reason?" The reason is that Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, willed it. That Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, willed it, and He has the command. So we are obedient to Him in whatever direction He turns us. [Al-Baqarah 2:115] So the point is not facing the East or the West or any other direction, but the point is the command of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. And He has commanded us to face the Noble Ka'bah, so it is obligatory for us to comply, because it is the qiblah of Ibrahim (Abraham). As for Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem), it is the qiblah of the prophets after Ibrahim (peace be upon him). And the whole matter belongs to Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. Wherever He turns us, we turn, and we do not object to it. This is the meaning of His saying: [Al-Baqarah 2:142] So there is no surprise in this, because, as we mentioned, it follows the command of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He. And it is obligatory for us to comply with the command of Allah wherever He turns us. [Al-Baqarah 2:142] So all directions belong to Allah. If He turns us toward one of them, it is obligatory for us to comply with His command and not object to it. Then He, Glorified and Exalted is He, said: "And thus We have made you a middle nation." Just as We have bestowed upon you this blessing, which is facing the Noble Ka'bah, the qiblah of your father Ibrahim (peace be upon him). Similarly, among Our blessings upon you is that We have made you a middle nation, meaning just and chosen, so that you may be witnesses over the people. This is on the Day of Resurrection. So this ummah testifies over the nations when they deny that their messengers conveyed the message. So this ummah testifies because the messengers (peace be upon them) conveyed the message and fulfilled the trust. And this is what they find in the Great Qur'an of the information of Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, about the previous nations and about the messengers (peace be upon them). So they testify to that. And the "middle" are the just and chosen, and this is what is required of a witness: that he be just and chosen. And this is present in the ummah of Muhammad (peace and blessings be upon him). Yes.
The presenter:
May Allah bless you
The questioner says: I hope the Shaykh will explain this verse in the words of Allah, Blessed and Exalted is He, in Surat al-Baqarah:
The foolish among the people will say, "What has turned them away from their qiblah, which they used to face?" Say, "To Allah belongs the east and the west. He guides
سَيَقُولُ السُّفَهَاءُ مِنَ النَّاسِ مَا وَلَّاهُمْ عَن قِبْلَتِهِمُ الَّتِي كَانُوا عَلَيْهَا قُل لِّلَّهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَالْمَغْرِبُ يَهْدِيwhom He wills to a straight path." (143) And thus we have made you a just community that you will be witnesses over the people and the Messenger will be a witness over you.
مَن يَشَاءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ وَكَذَٰلِكَ جَعَلْنَاكُمْ أُمَّةً وَسَطًا لِّتَكُونُوا شُهَدَاءَ عَلَى النَّاسِ وَيَكُونَ الرَّسُولُ عَلَيْكُمْ شَهِيدًاAnswer:
In the name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. Praise be to Allah, Lord of the worlds, and may Allah send prayers and peace upon our Prophet Muhammad, and upon his family and all his Companions.
These verses came regarding the change of the qiblah in prayer from facing the House of Prayer (Bayt al-Maqdis) to facing the Noble Ka'bah. The Muslims in the early days of Islam used to pray facing the House of Prayer. The Messenger of Allah (peace and blessings be upon him) prayed facing it, and then Allah, Glorified and Exalted is He, fulfilled the desire of His Messenger (peace and blessings be upon him). For he (peace and blessings be upon him) loved to face the Ka'bah, the qiblah of Ibrahim (peace be upon him). For this reason, Allah, Mighty and Majestic, said:
We have certainly seen the turning of your face, [O Muhammad], toward the heaven, and We will surely turn you to a qiblah with which you will be pleased. So turn your face toward al-Masjid al-Haram.
قَدْ نَرَىٰ تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي السَّمَاءِ فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبْلَةً تَرْضَاهَا فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِAs for His saying, the Exalted:
The foolish among the people will say, "What has turned them away from their qiblah, which they used to face?"
سَيَقُولُ السُّفَهَاءُ مِنَ النَّاسِ مَا وَلَّاهُمْ عَن قِبْلَتِهِمُ الَّتِي كَانُوا عَلَيْهَاThose to whom We have given the Book
الَّذِينَ آتَيْنَاهُمُ الْكِتَابَrecognize it as they recognize their [own] sons
يَعْرِفُونَهُ كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْنَاءَهُمُas they know their own sons. But indeed, a party of them conceal the truth while they know [it].
كَمَا يَعْرِفُونَ أَبْنَاءَهُمْ وَإِنَّ فَرِيقًا مِّنْهُمْ لَيَكْتُمُونَ الْحَقَّ وَهُمْ يَعْلَمُونَWhat has turned them away from their qiblah, which they used to face?
مَا وَلَّاهُمْ عَن قِبْلَتِهِمُ الَّتِي كَانُوا عَلَيْهَاAnd to Allah belongs the east and the west. So wherever you [might] turn, there is the Face of Allah. Indeed, Allah is all-Encompassing and Knowing.
وَلِلَّهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَالْمَغْرِبُ فَأَيْنَمَا تُوَلُّوا فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ اللَّهِ إِنَّ اللَّهَ وَاسِعٌ عَلِيمٌThe foolish among the people will say, "What has turned them away from their qiblah, which they used to face?"
سَيَقُولُ السُّفَهَاءُ مِنَ النَّاسِ مَا وَلَّاهُمْ عَن قِبْلَتِهِمُ الَّتِي كَانُوا عَلَيْهَاSay, "To Allah belongs the east and the west. He guides whom He wills to a straight path."
قُل لِّلَّهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَالْمَغْرِبُ يَهْدِي مَن يَشَاءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍThe presenter:
May Allah bless you
Source
قناة «مكة و المدينة»، 08 فتاوى على الهواء - 30 / 03 / 1433هـ _ الشيخ صالح الفوزان — youtube.com (0:54)
The Arabic text is a machine transcription of the audio recording.