وَمِنْ حَيْثُ خَرَجْتَ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ ۚ وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنتُمْ فَوَلُّوا۟ وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُۥ لِئَلَّا يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَيْكُمْ حُجَّةٌ إِلَّا ٱلَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا۟ مِنْهُمْ فَلَا تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَٱخْشَوْنِى وَلِأُتِمَّ نِعْمَتِى عَلَيْكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ 150
Translations
And from wherever you go out [for prayer], turn your face toward al-Masjid al-Ḥarām. And wherever you [believers] may be, turn your faces toward it in order that the people will not have any argument against you, except for those of them who commit wrong; so fear them not but fear Me. And [it is] so I may complete My favor upon you and that you may be guided,
Transliteration
Wa min hayithu kharajta fa walli wajhaka shatra al-Masjidi al-Harami wa hayithu ma kuntum fa wallu wujuhakum shatra hu li alla yakuna li an-nasi alaykum hujjatun illa alladhina dhalamuu minhum fa la takhshawuhum wa akshawni wa li utimma ni'mati alaykum wa la'allakum tahtadun
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes that Muslims should direct their faces (perform salah) toward the Kaaba in Mecca from wherever they are, both during travel and in settlements. According to classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi, this verse addresses the change of qiblah from Jerusalem to Mecca, clarifying that the new direction is binding on all believers universally. The phrase 'so there will be no argument against you' refers to silencing the objections of disbelievers and the People of the Book who questioned the change of direction.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed during the Medinan period in the context of the qiblah change (around 2 AH), when the Prophet ﷺ was commanded to direct prayers toward the Kaaba instead of the Rock (Dome of the Rock) in Jerusalem. The broader context within Surah Al-Baqarah addresses the establishment of Islamic law and practice for the Muslim community, with this verse specifically settling the matter of the qiblah direction definitively.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari (403): Narrated by al-Bara' ibn Azib describing the qiblah change and how the Prophet ﷺ was praying toward Bayt al-Maqdis when the revelation came commanding him to turn toward the Kaaba. Also relevant is the hadith in Sunan Abu Dawud regarding the universality of qiblah direction for those near and far from the Kaaba.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that Allah's commands, though they may seem to change, are always guided by wisdom and divine purpose—the Kaaba represents the spiritual center unifying the global Muslim community in worship. For modern believers, this teaches the importance of accepting divine guidance with submission and recognizing that following Allah's commands is not merely a ritualistic practice but a means of strengthening communal identity and manifesting faith.