Al-Baqarah: (149 - 150) And from wherever you have gone out...

Know that the first point of discussion in this verse concerns the Almighty's statement preceding these verses:

{ We have certainly seen the turning of your face toward the heaven. So We will surely turn you to a Qiblah with which you will be pleased. So turn your face toward the Sacred Mosque. And wherever you [believers] are, turn your faces toward it... } (Al-Baqarah: 144)

Here, the Almighty mentions it a second time:

{ And from wherever you have gone out, turn your face toward the Sacred Mosque, and indeed, it is the truth from your Lord. And Allah is not at all heedless of what you do. }

And a third time:

{ And from wherever you have gone out, turn your face toward the Sacred Mosque, and wherever you are, turn your faces toward it, so that there will be for the people no argument against you... }

Is there a benefit in this repetition, or not? Scholars hold several opinions on this:

First Opinion: The states are three:

1. Being inside the Sacred Mosque (in Mecca).
2. Going out of the Sacred Mosque but remaining within the city limits.
3. Going out of the city to the ends of the earth. The first verse applies to the first state, the second to the second, and the third to the third. This is because it might have been assumed that proximity [to the Ka'bah] held a sanctity that the servant did not possess [when far away]. To remove this misconception, Allah repeated these verses.

Second Opinion: The Almighty repeated this three times because each instance carried an additional benefit:

1. In the first instance, He clarified that the People of the Book know that the prophethood of Muhammad (PBUH) and the command of this Qiblah are true, as they witnessed this in the Torah and the Gospel.
2. In the second instance, He stated that He Himself testifies that it is the truth. Allah's testimony to its truthfulness is distinct from the People of the Book's knowledge of its truthfulness.
3. In the third instance, He clarified that this was done so that people would have no argument against you. Since these benefits differ, repeating them was appropriate so that each benefit could be attached to one of the repetitions. This is similar to His saying:

{ So woe to those who write the Scripture with their own hands and then say, "This is from Allah," to purchase with it a small price. So woe to them for what their hands have written... }

Third Opinion: In the first verse, Allah said:

{ ...So We will surely turn you to a Qiblah with which you will be pleased. So turn your face toward the Sacred Mosque. And wherever you [believers] are, turn your faces toward it... } A ignorant person might think that Allah did this merely to seek the pleasure of Muhammad (PBUH) because He said, "So We will surely turn you to a Qiblah with which you will be pleased." Allah removed this corrupt notion by saying: { And from wherever you have gone out, turn your face toward the Sacred Mosque, and indeed, it is the truth from your Lord... } Meaning, We did not turn you to this Qiblah solely based on your pleasure, but because this turning is the undeniable truth. Therefore, facing it is not due to mere desire or inclination, unlike the abrogated Qiblah of the Jews, which they upheld only due to desire and inclination. Then, the Almighty said a third time: { And from wherever you have gone out, turn your face toward the Sacred Mosque, and wherever you are, turn your faces toward it... } This means persist in this Qiblah at all times and in all places, lest turning away becomes a reason to criticize your religion. In summary:

• The first verse commands persistence in all places.
• The second commands persistence in all times and places.
• The third commands persistence in all times and signals that it will never be abrogated.

Fourth Opinion:

1. The first command is coupled with honoring them with the Qiblah they loved: the Qiblah of their father Abraham (AS).
2. The second is coupled with His saying: { And for everyone is a direction toward which he turns... } (Al-Baqarah: 148). Meaning, every claimant to a message or religion has a Qiblah to face. So, you face the most noble direction that Allah knows to be the truth, which is His saying: { And from wherever you have gone out, turn your face toward the Sacred Mosque, and indeed, it is the truth from your Lord... }
3. The third is coupled with Allah cutting off the argument of those who disputed with them concerning the Qiblah. Thus, there were three reasons, and with each reason, a command to adhere to the Qiblah was linked. It is like saying: "Adhere to this Qiblah because it is the one you desired," then, "Adhere to this Qiblah because it is the truth, not the Qiblah of desire," which is His saying: { and indeed, it is the truth from your Lord }. Then, "Adhere to this Qiblah because your adherence cuts off the arguments of the Jews against you." This repetition in this context is like the repetition in His saying: { Then which of the favors of your Lord will you deny? } (Ar-Rahman: 12), and like what is repeated in: { Indeed, in that is a sign, but most of them were not to believe } (Ash-Shu'ara: 174).

Fifth Opinion: This incident was the first instance where abrogation appeared in our Law (Shari'ah), necessitating repetition for emphasis, confirmation, removal of doubt, and clarification of proofs.

As for His saying: { And Allah is not at all heedless of what you do } (Al-Baqarah: 144), it means Allah is not heedless of the actions of those obstinate people who conceal the truth while knowing it, and who introduce doubt to the common folk by saying: { What has turned them away from their Qiblah to which they used to face? } (Al-Baqarah: 142), and by claiming the Prophet (PBUH) longed for his birthplace and the religion of his forefathers. Allah knows this, so He revealed what invalidated their claims and exposed their weakness and frailty.

As for His saying: { so that there will be for the people no argument against you... } (Al-Baqarah: 150), there are several issues concerning it:

Issue 1: Know that this statement implies arguments and discussions that preceded it regarding the Qiblah from those people. Allah intended to clarify that this argument is now removed by facing the Ka'bah. There are narrations regarding the nature of that argument:

1. The Jews said: "You contradict our religion and follow our Qiblah."
2. They said: "Did Muhammad not know which direction to face in prayer until we guided him?"
3. The Arabs said: "He used to claim he was upon the religion of Abraham, and now he has abandoned facing the Ka'bah. Whoever abandons facing the Ka'bah has abandoned the religion of Abraham (AS)." These points became means for them to criticize his Law (PBUH). However, when Allah knew that the benefit lay in facing Jerusalem, He obligated them to face it because of the religious benefit therein. The saying of the opponents had no effect on the established benefits. We explained that benefit before: it was the distinction between those who followed him in Mecca and those who persisted in denying him. That distinction could only appear through this matter. When the Prophet (PBUH) migrated to Medina, the benefit changed, and wisdom required turning the Qiblah to the Ka'bah. This is why Allah said: { so that there will be for the people no argument against you... } meaning, the doubt they raised is removed by this turning. Since it was known that some among them would attach another doubt to this turning—namely, some Arabs saying: "Muhammad (PBUH) has returned to our religion in the Ka'bah and will soon return entirely to our religion"—clinging to this doubt and persisting in it was a cause for remaining in ignorance and disbelief. This is an injustice to the self, as Allah says: { Indeed, associating partners with Allah is a great injustice } (Luqman: 13). Thus, Allah said: { except those who wronged among them... }

Issue 2: Nafi' read it as li-layla (without the hamza), as he changes any open hamza preceded by a kasra to a ya'. The rest read it with the hamza, which is the original form.

Issue 3: The position of li-la' (so that not) is in the accusative case (nasb), governed by the verb wallū (turn), meaning: "Turn so that there will not be..." Al-Zajjaj suggested the implied meaning is: "I informed you of this so that there will not be an argument against you."

Issue 4: It is said that an-nās (the people) refers to the People of the Book, according to Qatadah and Ar-Rabi'. Others say it is general.

Issue 5: There is a question here: The doubt of those who wronged themselves is not a valid argument (hujjah), so how is it permissible to make an exception for it from the hujjah? Scholars have differing views on this:

First View: It is an attached exception (istithnā' muttaṣil). Based on this view, the question can be refuted in several ways:

• First Way: An argument (hujjah) can be sound or false. Allah says: { Their argument is void before their Lord } (Ash-Shura: 16), and He says: { Then whoever argues with you about it after knowledge has come to you... } (Al 'Imran: 61). Argumentation (muḥajjah) implies that each party presents an argument against the other. This requires that what the falsehood-bearer presents is also termed a hujjah. Furthermore, the root of hujjah is derived from ḥajja (to overcome). Thus, any speech intended to overpower another is a hujjah. Some say it is derived from maḥajjat al-ṭarīq (the path of the road), so any speech a person adopts as a way to establish or refute something is a hujjah. If it is established that a doubt can be called a hujjah, then the exception is attached.

• Second Way (to affirm it is an attached exception): The people referred to are the People of the Book, as they found in their scripture that the Prophet (PBUH) would turn the Qiblah. When it was turned, their argument was nullified, except for those who wronged themselves because they concealed what they knew (according to Abu Rawq).

• Third Way: Since they presented that doubt believing it to be an argument, Allah named it a hujjah based on their belief, or perhaps Allah named it a hujjah mockingly toward them.

• Fourth Way: Hujjah here means argumentation and dispute. He means: { so that there will be no argument against you except those who wronged among them }, for they argue with you falsely.

Second View: It is a detached exception (istithnā' munqaṭi'). Its meaning is: "But those who wronged among them cling to the doubt and place it in the position of an argument." This is like His saying: { They have no knowledge of it except following conjecture } (An-Nisa: 157). It is also like the poetry of An-Nabighah:

And there is no fault in them other than that their swords Have nicks from striking the battalions. Meaning: But their swords have nicks, and that is not a fault. Similarly, "He has no right except transgression," means he transgresses and wrongs. This type of expression is common among the Arabs, like His saying: { Indeed, I send messengers only as bringers of good tidings and warners. And those who disbelieve argue by falsehood to refute the truth thereby. And they have taken My verses and that by which they are warned in ridicule } (An-Naml: 10-11) [Note: The quote provided in the source text for this example seems slightly truncated or misaligned with the standard verse numbering, but the intent is clear regarding the structure]. And { There is no protector today from the command of Allah except for whom He has mercy } (Hud: 43).

Third View: Abu 'Ubaydah claimed that illā (except) means wāw (and). It is as if Allah said: "So that there will not be an argument against you, and for those who wronged." He cited poetry:

And every brother will eventually part from his brother, By your father's life, except the two bright stars (Al-Farqadān). Meaning: And the two bright stars.

Fourth View: Qutrub said that the position of alladhīna (those who) is in the genitive case (khafḍ) because it is an appositive (badal) to the kāf and mīm in 'alaykum (against you). It is as if He said: "So that there will not be an argument against you except those who wronged," meaning the argument will be against them, and they are the disbelievers. 'Ali ibn Isā considered these last two views weak.

As for His saying: { so do not fear them, but fear Me }, the meaning is: Do not fear those previously mentioned who are contentious, argumentative, and disputatious, and do not fear their criticisms of your Qiblah, for they cannot harm you. But fear Me, meaning, fear My punishment if you deviate from what I have obligated and commanded you. This verse indicates that what is obligatory for a person in all his actions and omissions is to keep before his eyes the fear of Allah's punishment, and to know that nothing is truly in the hands of creation, and that one should not be preoccupied with them or turn his thoughts toward them.

As for His saying: { and that I may complete My favor upon you }, scholars differed regarding the preposition lām (for/that):

1. It refers back to His saying: { so that there will be for the people no argument against you and that I may complete My favor upon you }. Allah clarified that He turned them to this Ka'bah for these two purposes: one, to cut off their argument, and two, to complete the favor. Abu Muslim bin Baḥr Al-Asfahani explained the favor involved: The people used to pride themselves on following Abraham in everything they did. When the Prophet (PBUH) was turned to Jerusalem, their hearts felt weakened. The Prophet (PBUH) loved the turning to the Ka'bah because of the honor of the location—this is the place of the favor.
2. The lām refers to an omitted object, meaning: "And for the completion of My favor upon you and My desire for your guidance, I commanded you this."
3. It is connected to an implied reason, as if He said: "And fear Me so that I may grant you success and complete My favor upon you." The first view is closer to the truth.

If it is argued that Allah revealed in the verse near the passing of the Messenger of Allah (PBUH): { This day I have perfected for you your religion and completed My favor upon you } (Al-Ma'idah: 3), so how could He say "and that I may complete My favor upon you" years before that day in this verse? We reply: The completion of the favor appropriate for each time is what He specified for it. In the Hadith: "The completion of the favor is entering Paradise." And from 'Ali (RA): "The completion of the favor is dying upon Islam."

Know that what we narrated from Abu Muslim (may Allah have mercy on him) regarding his doubt about the prayer of the Prophet (PBUH) and his Ummah toward Jerusalem: If he meant that the words of the Qur'an do not indicate this, then he was correct, because none of the words of the Qur'an indicate this at all, as we have explained. But if he meant to deny it entirely, that is far-fetched, because the reports concerning it are close to being mutawātir (mass-transmitted). Abu Muslim (may Allah have mercy on him) could argue against the tawātur, in which case he would say: One cannot rely on a single report (khabar wāḥid) to definitively establish the occurrence of abrogation in our Law. And Allah knows best.

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