Transliteration:( Qad naraa taqalluba wajhika fis samaaa'i fala nuwalliyannaka qiblatan tardaahaa; fawalli wajhaka shatral Masjidil haaraam; wa haisu maa kuntum fawalloo wujoohakum shatrah; wa innal lazeena ootul Kitaaba laya'lamoona annahul haqqu mir Rabbihim; wa mal laahu bighaafilin 'ammaa ya'maloon )
"Surely, We have observed you turning [295] your face (O Muhammad) towards heaven repeatedly [296], and We will surely turn you to a Qibla with which you will be pleased [297]. So, turn [298] your face towards the Sacred Mosque (Ka'bah) at once, and wherever you (believers) are, turn [299] your face towards it. Those who were given the Scripture, surely, know that it is the truth [300] from their Lord. And Allah is not unmindful of their deeds."
The Holy Prophet ﷺ deeply wished for the Ka'bah to become the new Qibla for the Muslims.
He would often gaze towards the heavens during Salaah, silently hoping for the divine command to arrive
His yearning was so sincere that Allah granted him a glimpse of this upcoming command
📌 This verse shows that the Qibla change was in accordance with the Prophet’s ﷺ loving desire
If Allah fulfilled the Prophet’s wish regarding the Ka'bah, how can He reject his request for the forgiveness of sinful believers like us?
Allah joyfully mentions in this verse that He has approved the Prophet’s act of looking to the sky during prayers in anticipation of revelation.
📌 This act:
Was not Makrooh (disliked) for the Prophet ﷺ
But for others, looking upwards in Salaah is not permissible
This part of the verse teaches that the Ka'bah itself gained honor through being chosen as the Qibla to please the Holy Prophet ﷺ.
If even the Qibla itself is dependent on the Prophet’s pleasure, then certainly the entire creation is dependent on the Mercy and Intercession of the Prophet ﷺ
📖 As Allah says:
“And surely, soon your Lord will give you so much that you shall be pleased.” (Surah 93: Verse 5)
This highlights that:
Creation seeks Allah’s pleasure, while Allah Himself seeks the Prophet’s pleasure
When this revelation came, the command to change direction to the Ka'bah was immediate, even within Salaah.
This shows the urgency and clarity of the command
The Qiblah was changed instantly during Zuhr Salah in Masjid Qiblatain
This part clarifies the ruling on facing the Ka'bah in Salaah:
For those far from Makkah: facing the direction of the Ka'bah is Fard
For those within Makkah: facing the Ka'bah itself is compulsory (as implied by “towards it”)
📌 This distinction is derived from the precise wording of the verse
The Yahud (Jews) and scholars of the People of the Book were fully aware—from their scriptures—that:
The Holy Prophet ﷺ was prophesied to be the leader of both Qiblas: Jerusalem and Makkah
Yet, they refused to accept this truth outwardly, despite recognizing it internally
📌 Thus, the changing of Qibla stands as a powerful proof of the Prophethood of Muhammad ﷺ
Allah reminds: He is not unaware of their deceit and denial.
The tafsir of Surah Baqarah verse 143 by Ibn Kathir is unavailable here.
Please refer to Surah Baqarah ayat 142 which provides the complete commentary from verse 142 through 143.
Those who have been granted the Scripture certainly know that this (injunction to change the direction of Prayer) is right and is from their Lord. Allah is not heedless of what they do.
(2:144) We see you oft turning your face towards the sky; now We are turning you to the direction that will satisfy you. Turn your face towards the Holy Mosque, and wherever you are, turn your faces towards it in Prayer.[146]
Those who have been granted the Scripture certainly know that this (injunction to change the direction of Prayer) is right and is from their Lord. Allah is not heedless of what they do.
146. This is the injunction concerning the change in the direction of Prayer and was revealed in Rajab or Sha’ban. 2 A.H. According to a Tradition in the Tabaqat of Ibn Sa’d, the Prophet was at the house of Bishr b. Bara’b. Ma’rur where he had been invited to a meal. When the time of zuhr prayer came, the Prophet rose to lead it. He had completed two rak’ahs and was in the third when this verse was suddenly revealed. Soon after the revelation of this verse everybody, following the leadership of the Prophet, turned the direction of Prayer away from Jerusalem to the Ka’bah. A public proclamation of the new order was then made throughout Madina and in the suburbs. Bara’ b. ‘Azib says that at one place the announcement was heard by people while they were in the state of ruku’ (kneeling). On bearing this order they immediately turned their faces towards the Ka’bah. Anas b. Malik says that the news of the announcement reached Banu Salamah the next day while the morning Prayer was in progress. People had completed one rak’ah when they heard the announcement about the change of direction and the entire congregation immediately faced the new qiblah. (See Ibn Sa’d, Tabaqat, vol. 1, pp. 241 f. – Ed.)
It ought to be noted that Jerusalem is to the north of Madina while the Ka’bah is to the south. In order to change direction during congregational Prayer it would have been necessary for the leader of the Prayer to walk several steps beyond what was originally the last row of worshippers. The people in the congregation, too, would have been forced not only to make a right about-turn but also to walk a little to straighten their rows. We find specific mention of this in certain Traditions.
The words, ‘We see you oft turning your face to the heaven’, and ‘Now We are turning your face to the direction that shall satisfy you’, show clearly that even before the revelation of this injunction the Prophet was expecting something of this nature. He had begun to feel, with the termination of the era of Israelite leadership, that the time had come for the central position of Jerusalem to cease and a return to the original centre of the Abrahamic mission to commence.
The ‘Holy Mosque’ refers to the sanctuary invested with holiness and sanctity; the sanctuary in the centre of which the Ka’bah is located.
To turn one’s face in the direction of the Ka’bah does not mean that wherever a man might be he should turn to the Ka’bah with absolute accuracy. It would obviously be extremely difficult for everyone to comply with such an order. Hence the order is to turn one’s face in the direction of the Ka’bah rather than to the Ka’bah itself. According to the Qur’an, we are required to find out the direction of the Ka’bah as accurately as possible. We are not required, however, to locate it with absolute precision. We may pray in the direction which appears correct as a result of our enquiry. However, if a man is either at a place where it is difficult to determine the direction of the Ka’bah or if he is in a position where it is difficult to maintain the correct direction (e.g. when travelling on a train, a boat, or an aeroplane), he may pray in the direction which seems correct, or in whatever direction it is possible for him to face. If he then comes to know the correct direction while he is in the state of Prayer he should turn his face in that direction.
[53]- The Sacred Mosque in Makkah containing the Kaʿbah.
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