Surah 2 Al-Baqara — Ayah 148
وَلِكُلٍّۢ وِجْهَةٌ هُوَ مُوَلِّيهَا ۖ فَٱسْتَبِقُوا۟ ٱلْخَيْرَٰتِ ۚ أَيْنَ مَا تَكُونُوا۟ يَأْتِ بِكُمُ ٱللَّهُ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَىْءٍۢ قَدِيرٌۭ
۽ سڀ ڪنھن لاءِ (ڪو) ھڪڙو قبلو آھي جنھن ڏانھن اُھو مھاڙ ڪندو آھي پوءِ چڱاين ڏانھن اڳرائي ڪريو، جتي ھوندؤ (اُتان) الله اُوھان کي گڏ ڪري آڻيندو، ڇوته الله سڀ ڪنھن شيء تي وس وارو آھي.
walikullin wij'hatun huwa muwallīhā fa-is'tabiqū l-khayrāti ayna mā takūnū yati bikumu l-lahu jamīʿan inna l-laha ʿalā kulli shayin qadīrun
Word by word
- وَلِكُلٍّۢ walikullin And for everyone
- وِجْهَةٌ wij'hatun (is) a direction
- هُوَ huwa he
- مُوَلِّيهَا ۖ muwallīhā turns towards it
- فَٱسْتَبِقُوا۟ fa-is'tabiqū so race
- ٱلْخَيْرَٰتِ ۚ l-khayrāti (to) the good
- أَيْنَ ayna Wherever
- مَا mā that
- تَكُونُوا۟ takūnū you will be
- يَأْتِ yati will bring
- بِكُمُ bikumu you
- ٱللَّهُ l-lahu (by) Allah
- جَمِيعًا ۚ jamīʿan together
- إِنَّ inna Indeed
- ٱللَّهَ l-laha Allah
- عَلَىٰ ʿalā (is) on
- كُلِّ kulli every
- شَىْءٍۢ shayin thing
- قَدِيرٌۭ qadīrun All-Powerful
Tafsir · Ibn Kathir (Abridged)
Every Nation has a Qiblah
Al-`Awfi reported that Ibn `Abbas said:
(For every nation there is a direction to which they face (in their prayers))
"This talks about followers of the various religions. Hence, every nation and tribe has its own Qiblah that they choose, while Allah's appointed Qiblah is what the believers face."
Abul-`Aliyah said, "The Jew has a direction to which he faces (in the prayer). The Christian has a direction to which he faces. Allah has guided you, O (Muslim) Ummah, to a Qiblah which is the true Qiblah." This statement was also related to Mujahid, `Ata' Ad-Dahhak, Ar-Rabi` bin Anas, As-Suddi, and others.
This last Ayah is similar to what Allah said:
(To each among you, We have prescribed a law and a clear way. If Allah had willed, He would have made you one nation, but that (He) may test you in what He has given you; so compete in good deeds. The return of you (all) is to Allah.) (5:48)
In the Ayah (2:148), Allah said:
(Wheresoever you may be, Allah will bring you together (on the Day of Resurrection). Truly, Allah is able to do all things.) meaning: He is able to gather you from the earth even if your bodies and flesh disintegrated and scattered.