Tafsir of Al-Baqarah 2:148

(And to each is a direction) meaning, for every people of a religion, or for every group of Muslims, Jews, and Christians; or for every group of the Muslims, there is a direction and side of the Ka'bah toward which they pray—either southern, northern, eastern, or western. The tanwin in kullin (to each) is a substitute for the mudaf ilayh (possessive). The word wijhah (direction) is based on the original root and analogy, like jihah (side), similar to iddah (count) or zinah (weight). It is a verbal noun meaning "that which one turns toward," like al-khalq (creation) in the sense of al-makhluq (the created). Its augmentative letters are omitted because the verb is tawajjaha or ittajaha, and the verbal noun is tawajjuh or ittijah; the form wajah was not used as a verbal noun, unlike wa'd. It has also been said that it is a noun for the place toward which one turns, so the preservation of the waw is not anomalous.

Ubayy recited: wa likullin qiblah (And to each is a qiblah).

(He turns to it): The nominative pronoun [in huwa] refers to kull (each), taking its literal form into account. The second object of the active participle [the implicit muwalliha] is omitted—i.e., yuwalli wajhahu aw nafsahu (he turns his face or his self toward it), meaning he faces it. It is also possible that the pronoun refers to Allah the Almighty, meaning "Allah is the One who turns them toward it." Ibn Abi Hatim narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both) that he recited wa likullin wijhatan (with the accusative wijhatan), adding an alif [instead of wijhatin]. This has been difficult to parse, to the extent that some have dared to reject it, which is a grave error. Others have parsed it by suggesting that kulla was originally in the accusative as an object for an implied operator explained by muwalliha, and the pronoun huwa refers definitively to Allah. Then, the lam was added to the explicit object because the implied operator is weak for two reasons: being an active participle and the object preceding it, and the other object is omitted—meaning "for every direction, Allah is the One who directs them." This was refuted by stating that the "lam of strengthening" is not added to one of two objects of a verb that takes two, because it would either be added to the other—which has no parallel—or not added at all, resulting in a preference without a preferrer. Even if one answers that the general statement of the grammarians allows it, the "preference without a preferrer" is precluded here because it [the kulla] gained preference by being placed first.

It is said that the genitive is an object for the aforementioned participle, with the lam being added, or that the speech is of the category of ishtighal (preoccupation) with a pronoun. It is not hidden that the first of these explanations requires returning the genitive pronoun in the participle back to the act of turning and making it an absolute object, like the line: "This is Suraqah, studying the Quran." This is to avoid the objection: "How does a participle act while being occupied with a pronoun?" The second requires the claim that a genitive may occur in the category of ishtighal, based on the recitation of those who read wa al-zalimina a'adda lahum (the wrongdoers, He has prepared for them). The claim that the lam is original and the prepositional phrase relates to an implied sallu (pray) or istabiqu (compete), and the fa is extra, is far-fetched; in fact, I barely permit it.

Ibn Amir recited—and it is narrated from Ibn Abbas (may Allah be pleased with them both)—muwallaha in the form of a passive participle, meaning "He has been directed toward that direction." The nominative pronoun then refers to kull (each) entirely, and it is not permissible for it to refer to Allah the Almighty because it would corrupt the meaning. Ibn Jarir and Ibn Abi Dawud recorded in the Masahif from Mansur that he said: "We read: wa likullin ja'alna qiblatan yardawnaha (And to each We have assigned a qiblah they are pleased with)."

(So compete with each other in goodness): The plural of khayrah (with a shortened vowel), meaning the excellent one among all things. The feminine [gender] is in consideration of [the concept of] a trait. The alif-lam is for generalization, thus encompassing the matter of the Qiblah and others. The address is to the believers. Istibaq (competing) is transitive, as stated in the Taj, though it is also said to be intransitive, with ila (to) being implied. Meaning: Since the matter is thus, hasten, O believers, toward that which brings happiness in both abodes—from facing the Qiblah to other things. Do not dispute with those who disagree with you, for there is no way to agree upon a single Qiblah, as it is the habit [of Allah] to assign each people a Qiblah to face.

In the command to the believers to seek to compete among themselves, as al-Sa'd said, there is an indication of seeking to surpass others as a matter of priority. It is also said that limiting it to competing among themselves is an indication that others are not on the path of goodness, so one would not be commanded to compete with them. It is also permissible for the alif-lam to be for reference [the Covenant], so what is meant by "the good things" are the superior directions that are parallel to the Ka'bah. In this is an indication that prayer toward the very entity of the Ka'bah is more rewarding than prayer toward its general direction. Others say it might mean the superior prayers, and that the competition is for speed and performing them at the beginning of their times—though this is far-fetched. More far-fetched than that is the claim that the meaning is "compete for your Qiblah," and it was expressed as "good things" to indicate that it contains every good.

The Shafi'is derived from the verse the ruling that prayer at the beginning of its time, after its commencement is verified, is better—a matter already finalized in [works of] Furu' (jurisprudence).

Some gnostics have another perspective on this verse: that Allah has placed people in their worldly and otherworldly affairs in varying states, making some of them helpers to others. One farms, another bakes; likewise in matters of religion, one collects Hadith, another derives jurisprudence, and another studies the fundamentals. In appearance, they are choosers, but in essence, they are compelled. To this, the Prophet (may Allah bless him and grant him peace) alluded: "Everyone is facilitated for that which he was created for." This is why a pious person said, when asked about the disparity of people in their actions: "All of these are paths to Allah." He intended that He wants to populate the earth with His servants. Whoever seeks the Countenance of Allah in every path he takes will reach Him, but one should strive for the best of those paths, for ranks are varied, states are different, and the manifestations of the Names are diverse.

It is also said that it means everyone has a Qiblah: the Qiblah of those brought near is the Throne; of the spiritual beings, the Kursi; of the Cherubim, the Much-Frequented House; of the Prophets before you, the Bayt al-Maqdis; and your Qiblah, O Muhammad, is the Ka'bah, which is the Qiblah of your body. As for the Qiblah of your soul, it is Me; and My Qiblah is you, as alluded to in: "I am with those whose hearts are broken for My sake."

(Wherever you may be, Allah will bring you all together): Ayna is a locative noun incorporating the meaning of a condition, and ma is an addition. Ya'ti is the response to the condition. The meaning is: In whichever place you may be—places conducive to your nature, such as the earth, or contrary to it, such as the sky; or places composed of unified parts, like a rock; or scattered, where what is in it is mixed, like sand—Allah the Almighty will gather you to Him for the recompense of your deeds. If good, then good; if evil, then evil. The sentence provides the reason for what precedes it, and it contains an incitement to compete [in goodness] through encouragement and warning. It is like the saying of Allah: "O my son, if it should be the weight of a mustard seed and be within a rock or in the heavens or in the earth, Allah will bring it forth."

Alternatively: In whatever place you may be, from the depths of the earth to the peaks of the mountains, Allah the Almighty will take your souls to Him. It is like His saying: "Wherever you may be, death will overtake you, even if you should be within towers of lofty construction." It contains an incitement to compete by seizing the opportunity, for death is not restricted to one place over another. Or: "Wherever you may be"—from opposing directions, right and left, east and west—Allah the Almighty makes your prayer, despite the difference in directions, have the ruling of a prayer toward a unified direction, as if it were toward the very entity of the Ka'bah or in the Sacred Mosque. "He will bring you together" is a metaphor for making the prayer unified in direction. The purpose of this explanatory sentence in that case is to clarify the ruling of the command to compete.

Some have said: The address in "compete" is either general to believers and disbelievers, or specific to believers. Based on the former, it means generality here: in whichever place you are—from the places compatible with the Truth or opposed to it. Based on the latter, it is specific: Wherever you are in prayer, O believers, from the opposing directions—north, south, east, and west—after you turn toward the direction of the Ka'bah, Allah will make your prayer as if it were toward one direction, due to your unity in the direction toward which you were commanded to turn. This is weak, as is evident.

(Indeed, Allah is over all things competent). From that is your causing to die, your giving of life, and your gathering. The sentence is a tail-piece and a confirmation of what preceded.