Sūra II.: Baqara, or the Heifer.

Section 17

142. Sayaqoolu alssufahao mina alnnasi ma wallahum AAan qiblatihimu allatee kanoo AAalayha qul lillahi almashriqu waalmaghribu yahdee man yashao ila siratin mustaqeemin

142. The Fools among the people
Will say: "What hath turned
Them from the Qibla to which
They were used?" Say:
To God belong both East and West:
He guideth whom He will
To a Way that is straight.

143. Wakathalika jaAAalnakum ommatan wasatan litakoonoo shuhadaa AAala alnnasi wayakoona alrrasoolu AAalaykum shaheedan wama jaAAalna alqiblata allatee kunta AAalayha illa linaAAlama man yattabiAAu alrrasoola mimman yanqalibu AAala AAaqibayhi wa-in kanat lakabeeratan illa AAala allatheena hada Allahu wama kana Allahu liyudeeAAa eemanakum inna Allaha bialnnasi laraoofun raheemun

143. Thus have We made of you
An Ummat justly balanced,
That ye might be witnesses
Over the nations,
And the Apostle a witness
Over yourselves;
And We appointed the Qibla
To which thou wast used,
Only to test those who followed
The Apostle from those
Who would turn on their heels
(From the Faith). Indeed it was
(A change) momentous, except
To those guided by God.
And never would God
Make your faith of no effect.
For God is to all people
Most surely full of kindness,
Most Merciful.

144. Qad nara taqalluba wajhika fee alssama-i falanuwalliyannaka qiblatan tardaha fawalli wajhaka shatra almasjidi alharami wahaythu ma kuntum fawalloo wujoohakum shatrahu wa-inna allatheena ootoo alkitaba layaAAlamoona annahu alhaqqu min rabbihim wama Allahu bighafilin AAamma yaAAmaloona

144. We see the turning
Of thy face (for guidance)
To the heavens: now
Shall We turn thee
To a Qibla that shall
Please thee. Turn then
Thy face in the direction
Of the sacred Mosque:
Wherever ye are, turn
Your faces in that direction.
The people of the Book
Know well that that is
The truth from their Lord.
Nor is God unmindful
Of what they do.

145. Wala-in atayta allatheena ootoo alkitaba bikulli ayatin ma tabiAAoo qiblataka wama anta bitabiAAin qiblatahum wama baAAduhum bitabiAAin qiblata baAAdin wala-ini ittabaAAta ahwaahum min baAAdi ma jaaka mina alAAilmi innaka ithan lamina alththalimeena

145. Even if thou wert to bring
To the people of the Book
All the Signs (together),
They would not follow
Thy Qibla; nor art thou
Going to follow their Qibla;
Nor indeed will they follow
Each other's Qibla. If thou
After the knowledge hath reached thee,
Wert to follow their (vain)
Desires,—then wert thou
Indeed (clearly) in the wrong.

146. Allatheena ataynahumu alkitaba yaAArifoonahu kama yaAArifoona abnaahum wa-inna fareeqan minhum layaktumoona alhaqqa wahum yaAAlamoona

146. The people of the Book
Know this as they know
Their own sons; but some
Of them conceal the truth
Which they themselves know.

147. Alhaqqu min rabbika fala takoonanna mina almumtareena

147. The Truth is from thy Lord;
So be not at all in doubt.

Next: Section 18 (148-152)