وَلَئِنْ أَتَيْتَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ بِكُلِّ ءَايَةٍ مَّا تَبِعُوا۟ قِبْلَتَكَ ۚ وَمَآ أَنتَ بِتَابِعٍ قِبْلَتَهُمْ ۚ وَمَا بَعْضُهُم بِتَابِعٍ قِبْلَةَ بَعْضٍ ۚ وَلَئِنِ ٱتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَآءَهُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَكَ مِنَ ٱلْعِلْمِ ۙ إِنَّكَ إِذًا لَّمِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ 145
Translations
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.
Transliteration
Wa-la-in ataita alladhina ootoo al-kitaba bi-kulli ayatin ma tabi'oo qiblataka wa-ma anta bi-tabi'in qiblatahum wa-ma ba'duhum bi-tabi'i qiblata ba'din wa-la-ini ittaba'ta ahwaa'ahum min ba'di ma jaa'aka min al-'ilmi innaka idhan la-min al-dhalimin
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah addresses the Prophet Muhammad's situation regarding the direction of prayer (qiblah), asserting that even if he presented all possible miracles to the People of the Book (Jews and Christians), they would not follow his qiblah due to their obstinacy and adherence to their own religious traditions. The verse emphasizes that the Prophet must remain steadfast on the truth revealed to him and not follow their desires, as doing so would constitute oppression (dhulm) against himself and the divine guidance he received. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi note this reflects the spiritual stubbornness of those who reject truth despite clear evidence.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in the Medinan period during early Islamic history when the qiblah was changed from Jerusalem to the Kaaba in Mecca (approximately 16-17 months after the Hijrah). The People of the Book criticized the Muslims for changing direction, prompting Allah to reassure the Prophet that their disagreement stemmed from stubborn pride rather than lack of evidence. The broader context of Surah Al-Baqarah addresses foundational Islamic beliefs and practices.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari reports that the Prophet asked for guidance regarding the qiblah, and Allah revealed verses addressing the changing of direction. Muslim scholars record that despite performing miracles, the People of the Book refused to believe, fulfilling the meaning of this ayah. The hadith in Sunan Abu Dawud discusses how the Companions asked the Prophet about the previous qiblah, and he explained the wisdom of the change.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers should not waver in their commitment to Islamic truth merely because others reject it; rather, they must remain grounded in divine knowledge and wisdom, understanding that some people's resistance to faith stems from spiritual blindness and ego rather than from weakness in the evidence presented.