۞ سَيَقُولُ ٱلسُّفَهَآءُ مِنَ ٱلنَّاسِ مَا وَلَّىٰهُمْ عَن قِبْلَتِهِمُ ٱلَّتِى كَانُوا۟ عَلَيْهَا ۚ قُل لِّلَّهِ ٱلْمَشْرِقُ وَٱلْمَغْرِبُ ۚ يَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ 142
Translations
The foolish among the people will say, "What has turned them away from their qiblah, which they used to face?" Say, "To Allāh belongs the east and the west. He guides whom He wills to a straight path."
Transliteration
Sayaqulu al-sufahau mina al-nasi ma walla-hum an qiblatihimu al-lati kanu alayha. Qul lillahi al-mashriq wa al-maghrib. Yahdi man yasha ila siratin mustaqim.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah addresses the foolish people (sufahau) who questioned the change of the qiblah from Jerusalem to Mecca, which had been commanded by Allah. The response clarifies that all directions—east and west—belong to Allah, and that He guides whomever He wills to the straight path, indicating that obedience to divine commandment transcends the physical direction of prayer. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari emphasize that this ayah establishes the principle of divine wisdom in legislation and the importance of submission to Allah's commands without questioning their rationale.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed after the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) changed the qiblah from Bayt al-Maqdis (Jerusalem) in the 16th or 17th month of hijrah to the Ka'bah in Mecca, as commanded by Allah. The Jews and hypocrites criticized this change, prompting this divine response clarifying that the qiblah is a matter of divine decree and that true worship depends on sincere obedience rather than the physical direction.
Related Hadiths
Hadith in Sahih Bukhari narrated by Abu Hurairah: The Prophet said, 'The worst of the flock are the foolish ones,' which relates to the term 'sufahau' (the foolish) used in this ayah. Additionally, Jabir ibn Abdullah reported the exact moment the qiblah was changed during the Zuhr prayer in Medina, documented in Sahih Muslim.
Themes
Key Lesson
True faith requires unconditional submission to Allah's commands, understanding that what matters in worship is sincere obedience rather than personal preference or understanding of rationale. This teaches believers to trust in divine wisdom and avoid the trap of foolishness—criticizing established religious rulings based on worldly logic or stubbornness.
Related Ayahs
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ رَبَّكُمُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَكُمْ وَٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِكُمْ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ
O mankind, worship your Lord, who created you and those before you, that you may become righteous -
وَٱلَّذِينَ يُتَوَفَّوْنَ مِنكُمْ وَيَذَرُونَ أَزْوَٰجًا وَصِيَّةً لِّأَزْوَٰجِهِم مَّتَـٰعًا إِلَى ٱلْحَوْلِ غَيْرَ إِخْرَاجٍ ۚ فَإِنْ خَرَجْنَ فَلَا جُنَاحَ عَلَيْكُمْ فِى مَا فَعَلْنَ فِىٓ أَنفُسِهِنَّ مِن مَّعْرُوفٍ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ عَزِيزٌ حَكِيمٌ
And those who are taken in death among you and leave wives behind - for their wives is a bequest: maintenance for one year without turning [them] out. But if they leave [of their own accord], then there is no blame upon you for what they do with themselves in an acceptable way. And Allāh is Exalted in Might and Wise.
ٱلَّذِينَ يُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱلْغَيْبِ وَيُقِيمُونَ ٱلصَّلَوٰةَ وَمِمَّا رَزَقْنَـٰهُمْ يُنفِقُونَ
Who believe in the unseen, establish prayer, and spend out of what We have provided for them,
وَإِذْ قَتَلْتُمْ نَفْسًا فَٱدَّٰرَْٰٔتُمْ فِيهَا ۖ وَٱللَّهُ مُخْرِجٌ مَّا كُنتُمْ تَكْتُمُونَ
And [recall] when you slew a man and disputed over it, but Allāh was to bring out that which you were concealing.