۞ سَيَقُولُ Will say sayaqūlu the foolish ones l-sufahāu from mina the people l-nāsi What mā (has) turned them wallāhum from ʿan their direction of prayer qib'latihimu which allatī they were used to kānū [on it] ʿalayhā Say qul For Allah lillahi (is) the east l-mashriqu and the west wal-maghribu He guides yahdī whom man He wills yashāu to ilā a path ṣirāṭin straight mus'taqīmin
The foolish among the people will say, "What has turned them away from their qiblah,1 which they used to face?"2 Say, "To Allāh belongs the east and the west. He guides whom He wills to a straight path."
وَكَذَٰلِكَ And thus wakadhālika We made you jaʿalnākum a community ummatan (of the) middle way wasaṭan so that you will be litakūnū witnesses shuhadāa over ʿalā the mankind l-nāsi and will be wayakūna the Messenger l-rasūlu on you ʿalaykum a witness shahīdan And not wamā We made jaʿalnā the direction of prayer l-qib'lata which allatī you were used to kunta [on it] ʿalayhā except illā that We make evident linaʿlama (he) who man follows yattabiʿu the Messenger l-rasūla from (he) who mimman turns back yanqalibu on ʿalā his heels ʿaqibayhi And indeed wa-in it was kānat certainly a great (test) lakabīratan except illā for ʿalā those whom alladhīna guided hadā (by) Allah l-lahu And not wamā will kāna Allah l-lahu let go waste liyuḍīʿa your faith īmānakum Indeed inna Allah l-laha (is) to [the] mankind bil-nāsi Full of Kindness laraūfun Most Merciful raḥīmun
And thus We have made you a median [i.e., just] community that you will be witnesses over the people and the Messenger will be a witness over you. And We did not make the qiblah which you used to face except that We might make evident who would follow the Messenger from who would turn back on his heels.1 And indeed, it is difficult except for those whom Allāh has guided. And never would Allāh have caused you to lose your faith [i.e., your previous prayers]. Indeed Allāh is, to the people, Kind and Merciful.
قَدْ Indeed qad We see narā (the) turning taqalluba (of) your face wajhika towards fī the heaven l-samāi So We will surely turn you falanuwalliyannaka (to the) direction of prayer qib'latan you will be pleased with tarḍāhā So turn fawalli your face wajhaka towards the direction shaṭra (of) Al-Masjid l-masjidi Al-Haraam l-ḥarāmi and wherever waḥaythu that mā you are kuntum [so] turn fawallū your faces wujūhakum (in) its direction shaṭrahu And indeed wa-inna those who alladhīna were given ūtū the Book l-kitāba surely know layaʿlamūna that it annahu (is) the truth l-ḥaqu from min their Lord rabbihim And not wamā (is) Allah l-lahu unaware bighāfilin of what ʿammā they do yaʿmalūna
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.1 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.
وَلَئِنْ And even if wala-in you come atayta (to) those who alladhīna were given ūtū the Book l-kitāba with all bikulli (the) signs āyatin not mā they would follow tabiʿū your direction of prayer qib'lataka and not wamā (will) you (be) anta a follower bitābiʿin (of) their direction of prayer qib'latahum And not wamā some of them baʿḍuhum (are) followers bitābiʿin (of the) direction of prayer qib'lata (of each) other baʿḍin And if wala-ini you followed ittabaʿta their desires ahwāahum from min after baʿdi [what] mā came to you jāaka of mina the knowledge l-ʿil'mi indeed, you innaka (would) then idhan (be) surely among lamina the wrongdoers l-ẓālimīna
And if you brought to those who were given the Scripture every sign, they would not follow your qiblah. Nor will you be a follower of their qiblah. Nor would they be followers of one another's qiblah. So if you were to follow their desires after what has come to you of knowledge, indeed, you would then be among the wrongdoers.