وَمِنْ حَيْثُ خَرَجْتَ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَإِنَّهُ لَلْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّكَ وَمَا اللَّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ ﴿۱۴۹﴾ وَمِنْ حَيْثُ خَرَجْتَ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَحَيْثُ مَا كُنْتُمْ فَوَلُّوا وُجُوهَكُمْ شَطْرَهُ لِئَلَّا يَكُونَ لِلنَّاسِ عَلَيْكُمْ حُجَّةٌ إِلَّا الَّذِينَ ظَلَمُوا مِنْهُمْ فَلَا تَخْشَوْهُمْ وَاخْشَوْنِي وَلِأُتِمَّ نِعْمَتِي عَلَيْكُمْ وَلَعَلَّكُمْ تَهْتَدُونَ ﴿۱۵۰﴾ كَمَا أَرْسَلْنَا فِيكُمْ رَسُولًا مِنْكُمْ يَتْلُو عَلَيْكُمْ آيَاتِنَا وَيُزَكِّيكُمْ وَيُعَلِّمُكُمُ الْكِتَابَ وَالْحِكْمَةَ وَيُعَلِّمُكُمْ مَا لَمْ تَكُونُوا تَعْلَمُونَ ﴿۱۵۱﴾ فَاذْكُرُونِي أَذْكُرْكُمْ وَاشْكُرُوا لِي وَلَا تَكْفُرُونِ ﴿۱۵۲﴾
﴾149﴿ Wa min haisu kharajta fawalli wajhaka shatral Masjidil Haraam; wa innahoo lalhaqqu mir Rabbik; wa mallaahu bighaafilin 'ammaa ta'maloon
﴾150﴿ Wa min haisu kharajta fawalli wajhaka shatral Masjidil Haraam; wa haisu maa kuntum fawalloo wujoohakum shatrahoo li'allaa yakoona linnaasi 'alaikum hujjatun illal lazeena zalamoo minhum falaa takhshawhum wakhshawnee wa liutimma ni'matee 'alaikum wa la'allakum tahtadoon
﴾151﴿ kamaaa arsalnaa feekum Rasoolam minkum yatloo 'alaikum aayaatina wa yuzakkeekum wa yu'alli mukumul kitaaba wal hikmata wa yu'allimukum maa lam takoonoo ta'lamoon
﴾152﴿ Fazkurooneee azkurkum washkuroo lee wa laa takfuroon
﴾149﴿ And from wherever you come out, turn your face toward the Sacred Mosque. Indeed, it is the truth from your Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what you do.
﴾150﴿ The first time, the command was given to establish the obligation of the ruling. The second time, it was to generalize all locations, whether cities or villages. The third time, it was to include all circumstances, whether one is resident or traveling.
(And from wherever you come out) — “Min” here means “toward”, and it refers to coming out from one's place, whether traveling or nearby. Yet, the ruling of facing the qiblah does not change.
(It is surely the truth) — This indicates that the ruling is firm and unchangeable; it will not be abrogated.
﴾151﴿ (Such is the completion of the blessing) — just as We sent among you a Messenger from your own, who recites to you Our verses, and purifies you, and teaches you the Book and the sunnah, and teaches you that which you did not know.
﴾152﴿ So remember Me, and I will remember you. And be grateful to Me, and do not be ungrateful toward Me.
[149] The first time, the command was given to establish the obligation of the ruling. The second time, it was to generalize all locations, whether cities or villages. The third time, it was to include all circumstances, whether one is resident or traveling.
(And from wherever you come out) — “Min” here means “toward”, and it refers to coming out from one's place, whether traveling or nearby. Yet, the ruling of facing the qiblah does not change.
(It is surely the truth) — This indicates that the ruling is firm and unchangeable; it will not be abrogated.
[150] In this verse, the fourth reason for the change of the qiblah is mentioned. The point is: if you do not face the new qiblah, people will use it as an argument against you, because in the previous scriptures, it is mentioned as a sign of this Ummah that they will turn toward the Ka‘bah. However, after turning toward the Ka‘bah, if some people speak against you from behind or raise objections, they are stubborn wrongdoers.
Benefit: Fear (خوف) refers to general fear, while reverent fear (خشیت) means fear combined with reverence — and this is specific to Allah. However, sometimes the two terms are used interchangeably.
Note: This command (of turning the face) is mentioned five times. First, to establish the obligation of the ruling; second, to generalize all states — whether one is traveling or resident; third, to generalize all places — whether near or far; fourth, to indicate inward devotion of the heart; fifth, to remove the possibility of abrogation.
(Hujjah) — This means a proof, or it can also mean argumentative opposition.
(Those who wronged) — This refers to the stubborn and hostile individuals.
(So that I may complete My favor) — This is connected to so that people will have no argument against you, and what is meant by completing the favor is the change of the qiblah.
(So that you may be guided) — This refers to an increase in guidance.
[151] (Just as We sent) — This phrase is connected to “so that I may complete My favor”, meaning: the completion of the favor through the change of qiblah is like the completion of the favor through the sending of the final Messenger.
(That which you did not know) — Al-Nasafi said this refers to those rulings and commands which cannot be known except through revelation.
[152] From this verse up to verse (154), five matters are mentioned to strengthen one’s commitment to the religion during times of hardship and objections:
1. Remembrance of Allah — which includes remembering Him with the tongue, reflecting upon Him with the heart, and obeying Him with the body.
2. Gratitude to Allah — meaning attributing all blessings to Him and spending them in ways that please Him. Gratitude involves the tongue, the heart, and all limbs.
In (وَلَا تَكْفُرُونِ) — “Do not be ungrateful” — there is an indication of the need to continuously show gratitude.
What is meant by ingratitude here includes: disbelief, heresy, disobedience, and innovation in response to blessings.
Thus, three matters are emphasized in this verse: remembrance, gratitude, and avoidance of ingratitude.