In The Name of Allah,
the Beneficent and the Most Merciful
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Volume 2: Surah Baqarah, Verses
142-151
The
fools among the people will say: "What has turned them from their qiblah
which they had?" Say: "The East and the West belong only to Allah; He
guides him whom He likes to a straight path" (142). And thus We have made
you a medium nation so that you may be witnesses for the people and the
Messenger may be a witness for you. And We had not made the qiblah which
you had but that We might know him who follows the Messenger from him who
turns back upon his heels; and though this was surely hard except for
those whom Allah has guided aright; and Allah was not going to make your
faith to be fruitless; most surely Allah is Affectionate, Merciful to the
people (143). Indeed We see the turning of thy face to heaven, so We shall
surely turn thee to a qiblah which thou shalt be pleased with; turn then
thy face towards the Sacred Mosque; and wherever you are, turn your faces
towards it; and those who have been given the Book most surely know that
it is the truth from their Lord; and Allah is not at all heedless of what
they do (144). And even if you bring to those who have been given the Book
every sign they would not follow your qiblah, nor can you be a follower of
their qiblah, neither are they the followers of each other's qiblah; and
if you follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, then
you shall most surely be among the unjust (145). Those whom We have given
the Book recognize him as they recognize their sons; and a party of them
most surely conceal the truth while they know (it) (146). The truth is
from your Lord, therefore you should not be of the doubters (147). And
every one has a direction to which he would turn; therefore, hasten to
(do) good works; wherever you are, Allah will bring you all together;
surely Allah has power over all things (148). And from whatsoever place
you come forth, turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque; and surely it is
the very truth from your Lord, and Allah is not at all heedless of what
you do (149). And from whatsoever place you come forth, turn your face
towards the Sacred Mosque; and wherever you are turn your faces towards
it, so that people shall have no argument against you, except such of them
as are unjust; so do not fear them, and fear Me; and so that I may
complete My favor on you and that you may walk on the right course (150).
Even as We have sent among you a Messenger from among you who recites to
you Our communications and purifies you and teaches you the Book and the
wisdom and teaches you that which you did not know (151).
********
COMMENTARY
Ponder on these verses and
you will find them well-connected with each other, a common context
joining them together like a strand running through the beads. These
verses together talk about the appointment of the Ka'bah as the qiblah
(the direction of prayer etc.) for the Muslims. Therefore, no
attention should be paid to those who say that there was a change of
sequence in the arrangement of these verses, or that some of them have
abrogated the others. Although then narrate some traditions to this
effect, but then do not deserve any comment because all of them go against
the clear meaning of these verses.
QUR'AN: The fools
among the people will say: "What has turned them from their qiblah which
they had?": It is the second introductory sentence for the
soon-to-be-promulgated order to make the Ka'bah as the qiblah of
the Muslims. Also, it teaches the reply of the objection which the "fools
among the people", that is, the Jews and the pagans of Mecca, were
expected to raise: The Jews because of their partisanship of their own
qiblah, Baytu 'l-Maqdis; and the pagan Arabs because then were
always on the look out for any new thing which then could object to.
Allah prepared the minds
for change of qiblah, first by revealing the story of Ibrahim
(a.s.) and various honors bestowed on him by Allah, as well as the honor
accorded to his son, Isma`il; their prayers for the Ka'bah and Mecca, as
well as for the Prophet and the Muslim group; their construction of the
House and the order then received to cleanse it for the worship of
Allah.
It is recognized that the
change of qiblah from Baytu 'l-Maqdis to the Ka'bah was an event of
greatest religious significance, one of the most important commandments
given to the Muslims after the hijrah of the Prophet to Medina,
when the roots of Islam were firmly taking place and its knowledge and
realities were being spread. Understandably, the Jews were not going to
remain silent in face of this legislation: According to their thinking
this change negated. one of their greatest religious prides, that is,
qiblah; hitherto the Muslims were following them in their
qiblah, and the Jews could claim a precedence over the Muslims in
this religious symbol. Moreover, this new legislation was a manifest
advancement in the Muslims' religion - it made all of them to face a
single point in their worship and other religious rites. It saved them
from looking towards divergent directions - physically; and from
difference of opinions - spiritually. Facing towards the Ka'bah had rather
more influence and deeper impression on the souls of the Muslims than the
rules of cleanliness and invocation etc.; and their enemies, and
particularly the Jews, understood it, and they resented it. Their stories,
as narrated in the Qur'an, prove that they were a nation which did not
give any credence to anything in this world which was beyond the reach of
the five senses. As spiritual things were not of any importance in their
eyes, they used to accept the spiritual rules without any protest - they
did not consider it worth arguing about. But whenever they were given a
Divine Commandment which had any connection with the physical world, which
had a material form - like war, emigration, sajdah, polite speech
etc. - they stood up against it, and opposed it very vehemently.
In short, Allah informed
His Messenger what the enemies of Islam were going to say against the
change of qiblah, and taught him how they should be replied, how
their arguments should be refuted.
Their objection: The
first qiblah was prescribed by Allah for the previous prophets. Why
was it changed to another House which had no such distinction? Was this
change affected by the order of Allah? How could Allah contravene His Own
previously ordained rule, or abrogate His Own law? (We have mentioned
under the verse of "Abrogation" that the Jews do not believe in
abrogation.) Or, was it done, without any order from Allah? If so, then
the Muslims have deviated from the right path and have left guidance for
misguidance. (This objection has not been mentioned in so many words in
the Qur'an, but the suggested reply points to it.)
Reply: When Allah
prescribes a house like the Ka'bah as qiblah, it is not based on
any specialty of that house or stone; there is no unalterable and
inseparable quality in that building which could demand that honor as a
right. Being chosen as a qiblah is not an inviolable and natural
characteristic of any building. Every article, every building and every
direction is equally capable of being selected for this purpose; and none
has any especial claim for it. Everything belongs to Allah, He issues
orders about it, whatever He likes, in any way He likes, and whenever He
likes. Whatever He decrees, it is for the guidance of the people, for
their individual and collective good and perfection. He does not order but
for guidance, and He does not guide except to the way which leads directly
to their perfection and well-being.
QUR'AN: The fools
among the people will say: It means the Jews and the polytheists of
Arabia; and that is why they have been referred to as "the people". They
have been called "fools" because their mentality was not right, and their
ideas about the Divine Law were unsound. And that is what foolishness is:
crookedness of mind and unsoundness of opinion.
QUR'AN : What has
turned them. ... When the verb, "at-tawliyah" is joined
to its object (without preposition), it means, to turn your face towards
that thing, to keep it facing you; as Allah says: "so We shall surely turn
thee to a qiblah which thou shalt like". When it is followed by the
preposition `an, it gives the opposite meaning, that is, to turn
away from, to turn one's face from. The verse means: What has turned them
away, or turned their faces, from the qiblah which they were using
hitherto, that is, Baytu 'l-Maqdis towards which the Prophet and the
Muslims used to pray during his stay at Mecca and for a few months after
his emigration to Medina.
QUR'AN: from
their qiblah: The qiblah is attributed to the Muslims, although
the Jews were using it centuries before the Prophet. Obviously, their
turning from their own qiblah looks more surprising, and gives more
room for objection. And it was for the same reason that the opening phrase
says: "What has turned them", instead of saying, "What has turned the
Prophet and the Muslims." It would not have looked objectionable in the
least if they had said: "What has turned the Prophet and the Muslims from
the qiblah of the Jews?"
QUR'AN: Say: "The
East and the West belong only to Allah": Only these two directions
were mentioned, because it is through them that all other cardinal and
compound directions are fixed, like the North, the South and all the
intermediate directions between any two cardinal ones. The East and the
West are relative directions which are fixed by the rising and setting of
the sun and the stars; they cover all places of the earth (except two
imaginary points of the true North and South Poles). Perhaps, it was for
this reason that only these two were chosen to represent all the
directions.
QUR'AN: He
guides him whom He likes to a straight path: The word
"sirat" (= path) is mentioned here without a definite
article "al" since it is a common noun, and does not specify a
definite path, because nations differ in their paths due to their
differences in ability to attain perfection and happiness.
QUR'AN: And thus
We have made you a medium nation that you may be witnesses for the people
and the Messenger may be a witness for you: Apparently it means as
follows: As We are going to change very soon the qiblah for you in
order that We may guide you to a right path, in the same way We have made
you an intermediary nation.
RELATIONSHIP
BETWEEN PRESCRIPTION OF QIBLAH AND UMMAH BEING WITNESSES
FOR THE PEOPLE AND THE MESSENGER BEING WITNESS FOR THE
UMMAH
Someone has explained it in
the following way: And like this wonderful making, We have made you a
medium nation. Such an explanation deserves no comment.
Another explanation given
by another exegete is as follows:
They were made a "medium
nation" to "be witnesses for the people". What does it mean? "Medium" is a
thing in the centre, neither to this side nor to that. This "ummah"
has the same position vis-a-vis "the people" - that is, the
People of the Book and the polytheists. The polytheists and the dualist
emphasize the physical aspects of life. Their whole attention is fixed to
this worldly life; their plans are centered on its trinkets and comforts.
They do not believe in the Resurrection or the hereafter; spiritual
perfection and esoteric virtues are not so important to them. On the other
extreme are some groups, like the Christians, who put utmost emphasis on
the spiritual aspects to the detriment of the physical ones. They teach
monasticism and rejection of the world. They seem heedless to the fact
that the Creator has made the physical perfection a means by which man may
reach the goal for which he has been created. In short the latter - the
"people of spirit " - nullified their goal by nullifying the means; and
the former - the "people of body" - nullified their goal by focusing their
whole attention to the means as though it was the goal in itself. Allah
has made this ummah a "medium", by giving them a religion which
leads them to the straight and upright path, in the middle - inclined
neither to this side nor to that. It strengthens both sides - the body as
well as the soul - according to what each of them needs and deserves; it
is a religion which encourages and invites man to combine the virtue of
both. Man is, after all, a combination of body and soul; he is neither
body alone nor spirit alone. If his life is to be a happy one, he must
unite physical perfection with the spiritual one.
This ummah then is
the medium and well-balanced one; it is a criterion to judge and weigh
both sides of extremes. It is, therefore, the witness for all the people
who have deviated from the middle way going to this side or that. And the
Prophet - the most perfect and the ideal example of this ummah - is
the witness for this ummah. The Prophet is the criterion to judge
the condition of this ummah's individuals; and the ummah, in
its turn, is the criterion to judge the condition of other people; it is
the point to which the two extremes are expected to return.
COMMENT : What this
exegete has said is true in itself, but it does not explain the wordings
of this verse. The ummah, by virtue of its position in the middle,
may be called a criterion to judge the extremes, as well as a point to
which the people of the two extremes should return. But it does not make
it a "witness" for the two extremes, nor it gives the ummah ability
to observe the said extremes. Apparently, there is no correlation between
being a medium (in the above-mentioned sense) and being a witness. Also,
there is no reason why the Messenger of Allah should be made a witness for
them; there is no correlation between the two witnessing. But the verse
clearly says that the Messenger of Allah shall be a witness for the
ummah, because the ummah shall be a witness for the people,
and it shall acquire that status because it is a medium ummah.
Moreover, the witnessing,
referred to in this verse, is one of the Qur'anic realities, which has
been mentioned repeatedly in the Divine Speech; and looking at various
contexts where it has been referred to, we find that its connotation
differs completely from the above-quoted meaning. Allah says: How will
it be, then, when We bring from every people a witness and bring you as a
witness for these? (4:41); And on the day when We will raise up a
witness out of every nation, then shall no permission be given to those
who disbelieve, nor shall they be made to solicit favor
(16:84); ... and the Book shall be laid down and the prophets
and the witnesses shall be brought up. . . (39:69). Note that
witnessing in these verses is unconditional, and the obvious meaning is
that they shall be witnesses for the deeds of their nations, and will also
testify that the messengers of Allah did convey the Divine Message to
those nations, as is made clear in the verse: Most certainly then We
will question those to whom (the messengers) were sent, and most
certainly We will question the messengers (7:6). No doubt they
will give the evidence in the hereafter; but they must have seen the
events in this life, as may be inferred by the words of `Isa (a.s.)
quoted in the Qur'an: ... and I was a witness of them so long as I
was among them, but when Thou didst take me (away) completely, Thou
were the watcher over them, and Thou art witness of all things
(5:117); ... and on the Day of Resurrection he
(i.e.,`Isa) shall be a witness against them (4:159).
Obviously, our normal
senses, with all their powers, cannot perceive except the exterior forms
of deeds and actions, and that also of a thing which is present, which is
within the reach. They cannot perceive a non-existent or a non-present
item. And it is completely beyond their power to know, comprehend or
identify the realities of those actions and deeds; nor can they observe
the immaterial ideas like belief or disbelief, and success or failure. In
short, no man can witness a thing which is hidden from the five senses,
nor can he observe the esoteric ideas and characteristics that are locked
into another person's heart. But it is these hidden realities which will
be taken account of, and looked into, on the Day of Resurrection, as Allah
says: . . but He will call you to account for what your hearts have
earned (2:225). Obviously, these things cannot be seen even by those
who are present, let alone those who are absent. It can be done only by a
man whose affairs are managed directly by Allah, and whom Allah makes to
"see" the hidden realities. This fact may be inferred from the words of
Allah: And those whom they call upon besides Him have no authority for
intercession, but he who bears witness of the truth (i.e., of the
reality) and they know (43:86). Surely, `Isa (a.s.) is included in
this exception, because, Allah has testified that he is one of those who
shall bear witness (as is seen from the above-mentioned two verses). Thus,
he is one of those who had "seen" the realities and known the hidden
factors of the deeds of their ummah.
In short, the witnessing
mentioned in the verse under discussion does not mean that this ummah
follows a religion which combines physical perfection with spiritual
sublimity. Certainly, this explanation has nothing to do with the meaning
of "witness" nor does it fit the apparent meaning of the above-quoted
verses.
Actually, they have been
called "witnesses" of the people, because they see and observe in this
world the realities of the people's actions - felicity and infelicity,
rejection and acceptance, submission and arrogance. And they shall
give evidence for or against those people on the Day of
Judgment, the day when Allah will make every thing to testify for or
against a man, not excepting his own limbs and organs; the day when the
Messenger will say: "O my Lord! surely my people treated this Qur'an as
a forsaken thing (25:30).
Also, it is known that the
whole ummah could not attain to this position; it is a special
status given to only the pure friends of Allah. Even those who are only
slightly below them in the ranks of felicity, and other just and pious
believers are not included in this verse - let alone the rubble of the
nation, or the Nimrods and Pharaohs of the ummah. You will see in
the Commentary of the verse 4:49 (And whoever obeys Allah and the
Messenger, these are with those upon whom Allah has bestowed favors from
among the prophets and the truthful and the martyrs and the good ones; and
excellent are these as companions,), that the least that can be said
about the martyrs - the witnesses of the deeds - is that they are under
the guardianship of Allah, enjoying His favors, and proceeding on the
straight path. Also, it has been described in short in the explanation of
the verse: The path of those upon whom Thou halt bestowed favors. ..
(1:7).
When Allah told this
ummah that it was made witness for the people, the meaning was that
the "witnesses" would be from among this ummah. In this respect, it
is not different from those verses which tell the Children of Israel that
they were made to excel over the worlds. Such verses show that there were
among the Children of Israel such personalities who were given that
distinction; not that every individual of them was superior to the worlds.
A distinction enjoyed by a group is attributed to the whole nation,
because the group is a part of the nation. Likewise, this ummah has
been said to be "witnesses over the people", because there are, in this
ummah, people who shall be witnesses of the people, and the
Messenger shall be witness of them.
Objection: Allah
says in the Qur'an: And (as for) those who believe in Allah and
His messengers, these it is that are the truthful and the witnesses near
their Lord (57:19). It shows that all the believers, in general, are
"the witnesses".
Reply: The phrase
"near their Lord " proves that Allah will include them among the witnesses
on the Day of Resurrection, a rank which they had not got in this life. It
is like the verse which says: And (as for) those who believe and
their offspring follow them in faith, We will unite with them their
offspring ... (52:21). Apart from that, this verse is general and
shows that all the believers from all the nations will be witnesses near
Allah; it does not speak about this ummah especially; therefore, it
is of no use to the objector.
Objection: If the
ummah has been made a "medium" in this meaning, it does not
necessarily follow that the ummah, or a certain group among the
ummah, should be witnesses of the people's deeds, nor that the
Messenger of Allah should be witness of those witnesses. Therefore, the
problem which had arisen in the previous explanation, remains unanswered
even by your exegesis.
Reply: The verse
says that those people were made witnesses because they were made a medium
nation. It means that this "mediumship" is something which brings the
"evidence" and "witnesses" in its wake. And Allah says: 0 you who
believe! bow down and prostrate yourselves and worship your Lord, and do
good that you may succeed. And strive hard in (the way of) Allah,
(such) a striving as is due to Him; He has chosen you and has not
laid upon you any hardship in religion; the faith of your father, Ibrahim;
he named you Muslims before and in this, so that the Messenger may be a
witness for you, and you may be witnesses for the people; therefore,
establish prayer and pay zakat and hold fast to Allah; He is your
Guardian; how excellent the Guardian and how excellent the Helper!
(22:77-78). Note that the distinction that the Messenger should be a
witness for them and they should be witnesses for the people, is based on
two things: First, that they were chosen by Allah; and, second, that Allah
had not laid upon them any hardship in religion. Then the religion is
defined as the faith of your father, Ibrahim, who had named you
Muslims before. He had used this name for you when he prayed to Allah
on your behalf, in these words: and (raise) from our offspring a
group submitting (Muslims) to Thee. Allah granted his prayer
and made you Muslims, you have surrendered to His order and command; you
neither disobey Him nor behave arrogantly before Him; that is why you feel
no hardship in the religion, no rule looks difficult for you to follow.
You have, therefore, been chosen by Him, and guided on the straight path,
submitting to your Lord in all affairs. We have made you like this, in
order that the Messenger may be a witness for you and you may be witnesses
of the people. Accordingly, you shall be a medium between the Messenger
and the people; you shall be connected to the Messenger on one side and to
the people on the other. In this way, the wish of Ibrahim has been
fulfilled about you and the Messenger, as he had prayed: Our Lord! and
raise up in them an Apostle from among themselves who shall recite to them
Thy communications and teach them the Book and the wisdom, and purify
them (2:129). You are that Muslim ummah; the Messenger
has transmitted the knowledge of the Book and wisdom to your hearts; and
you have been purified by him. Purification has cleansed your hearts from
impurities and freed it for My worship and obedience (and as mentioned
earlier, it is what Islam means). Therefore, you are the Muslims, sincere
in your worship. Of course, the Messenger has precedence over you, because
it is he who has guided and trained you. He has precedence over the whole
ummah, and you are the medium group - joined to the Messenger on
one side, and to the people on the other.
There are many associations
at the beginning and the end of the verse which point to this meaning; one
may understand them on meditation; and we shall further explain it in a
proper place, Allah willing.
However, the foregoing
explanation shows that:
First: The fact that
they have been made a medium ummah has a direct bearing on the two
objectives. In other words, the facts that "you may be witnesses for the
people", and that "the Messenger may be a witness for you", both are the
direct result of their being "a medium nation".
Second: They have
been called a medium ummah because they are placed between the
Messenger and the people - not because they are a medium between two
extremes, or between the "people of spirit " and the "people of body".
Third: The verse in
its connotation has connection with the verses of the prayer of Ibrahim
(a.s.) ; and this witnessing is a privilege of the said Muslim
ummah.
One thing more: It appears
from the Qur'an that witnessing about the deeds is not exclusively
reserved for the human witnesses. Everything which has any connection with
a deed - angels, time and place, religion and Book, limbs and organs,
senses and hearts, for example - will testify about it.
It may be inferred from the
above that the same place and limbs etc. which we have in this life will
be present on the Day of Judgment. Also, it appears that all the
above-mentioned things have a sort of a life and perception with which
they can perceive the particulars of deeds - those particulars are
imprinted on them. It is not necessary that every life should be like our
own; there is no reason why life should be of only one type. It cannot be
said that because time or space does not have a life like ours, therefore,
it has no life.
This topic has been
mentioned here just to complete the picture. Details about each point will
be given in more suitable places.
QUR'AN: And We
had not made the qiblah which you had but that We might know him who
follows the Messenger from him who turns back upon his heels: The
words: "We might know", may be explained in two ways:
First: It may mean,
`My Messenger might know'. Great people generally use this style to speak
on behalf of themselves and their subordinates. For example, a ruler says:
`We killed him', or, `We imprisoned him', although it is his employees,
not himself who kill or imprison.
Second: It may refer
to that knowledge of Allah which accompanies the creation or existence of
a thing, and not to that knowledge which Allah has of everything before
that thing comes into being. "Turning back upon one's heels" is an
allegorical expression, which denotes evasion or dissension. When a man,
who is standing, turns from one direction to another, he turns on his
heels. It is like the words of Allah: And whoever shall turn his back
to them on that day ... (8:16).
Obviously, this verse aims
to remove any possible misgivings which the believers would have had
because of the change of qiblah: Why qiblah was changed? Why
the previous qiblah was abrogated? What will happen to the prayers
which they had prayed facing Baytu 'l-Maqdis?
Also, it is clear that "the
qiblah which you had" refers to Baytu 'l-Maqdis, and not to the
Ka'bah (as someone has said). If his explanation is accepted, it would
imply that both Baytu 'l-Maqdis and Ka'bah were prescribed as qiblah
twice, not once. But there is nothing to support this suggestion.
However, it was but natural
that the believers should feel some uneasiness because of this change.
First of all, as Allah had
already decided that He would ultimately make the Ka'bah as the qiblah
of the Muslims, then why did He make Baytu'l-Maqdis as their qiblah
for so many years in the beginning?
The verse says that all
these rules and legislations are made for the benefit of the people
themselves. The laws of religion aim at training the people and perfecting
them; separating the believers from others; distinguishing the obedient
from the disobedient, the submissive from the arrogant. And it was for the
same reason that the previous qiblah was prescribed for you. It was
done in order that "We might know him who follows the Messenger", that is,
We might distinguish him who follows the Messenger "from him who turns
back upon his heels". In usual way, the sentence should have said, "who
follows thee", but the Qur'an has used the noun "the Messenger" instead of
pronoun, it is to remind us that his status of Messengership has a direct
bearing on this separation between obedient and disobedient ones.
"We had not made the
qiblah which you had": That is, We had not made Baytu 'l-Maqdis as
qiblah for you but for the reasons described.
Their second worry could be
about the prayers which they had prayed facing Baytu 'l-Maqdis. What would
be its legal status, as it was prayed towards a building that was no
longer valid?
Allah says that Baytu
'l-,Maqdis was a valid qiblah as long as it was not abrogated. When
Allah abrogates a rule, it looses its validity from the time of its
abrogation, not from the original legislation; and it is a result of
Allah's affection and mercy to the believers.
The above misgiving and its
reply is inferred from the words: "and Allah was not going to make your
faith to be fruitless; most surely Allah is Affectionate, Merciful to the
people." "ar-Ra'fah" and "ar-rahmah" both basically denote
mercy and compassion; but the former usually has the connotation of pity
for an afflicted one, while the latter is general.
QUR'AN: Indeed We
see the turning of thy face to heaven, so We shall surely turn thee to a
qiblah which thou shalt be pleased with: The verse shows that the
Messenger of Allah, before the revelation of the verse of qiblah -
that is, this very verse - used to turn his face to heaven, as he
waited - or hoped - that Allah would send some commandment regarding
qiblah. He did so because he wished that Allah would honor him with
a qiblah especially prescribed for him. It does not mean that he
was not pleased with Baytu'l-Maqdis as his qiblah - for be it from
the Messenger to do so! Allah says: "We shall surely turn thee to a
qiblah which thou shalt be pleased with." To be pleased with a thing
does not necessarily mean to be displeased with its alternative.
The traditions, describing
the occasion of revelation of this verse, say that the Jews reviled the
Muslims and boasted against them, all because the Muslims prayed towards
Baytu 'l-Maqdis - the Jews' qiblah. It made the Messenger of Allah
sad; so he came out in the dark of the night looking towards heaven
waiting for a revelation from Allah, hoping that it would cheer him up.
Then this verse was revealed.
Now, suppose he would have
received revelation to continue praying towards the previous qiblah,
that is, Baytu 'l-Maqdis, it would have been his proof against the
Jews that he followed the qiblah by the order of Allah and not in
imitation of the Jews. The fact is that there never was, nor there ever
is, anything to be ashamed of, if the Prophet and the Muslims prayed
facing Baytu 'l-Maqdis, because the servant has no choice but to accept
and obey the order of the Master. But the verse promulgated a new
qiblah, It removed the cause of the Jews' revile and boast, in
addition to defining the new qiblah. In this way, it was doubly
welcomed - it was a proof against the Jews as well as a source of pleasure
for the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) .
QUR'AN: turn then
thy face towards the Sacred Mosque; and wherever you are, turn your face
towards it. "ash-Shatr" translated here as "towards", literally means
"part of". "Part of the Sacred Mosque" refers to the Ka'bah. Allah used
this expression, instead of saying, towards the Ka'bah, or, towards the
Sacred House, to keep the new rule parallel to the previous one. They used
to pray to a part of the Remote Mosque, that is, its well-known Rock; so
it was changed to a part of the Sacred Mosque, that is, the Ka'bah. It is
quite apart from the fact that the addition of the word, "part of" to "the
Mosque" and its qualification with the adjective "Sacred" gives many
details of this legislation which would have been lost if this phrase were
changed to "the Ka'bah" or "the Sacred House".
Allah begins this verse by
giving the order personally to His Messenger (turn then thy face
towards the Sacred Mosque), and ends it by including all the Muslims
in it (and wherever you are, turn your face towards it). It
supports the traditions that the qiblah was changed when the
Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) was praying and the Muslims were praying
behind him. Therefore, he was personally told to turn towards the Ka'bah
during that prayer; then the verse went on describing a general order
which covered him and all the Muslims, for every time and in every
place.
QUR'AN: and those
who have been given the Book most surely know that it is the truth from
their Lord: Their Book contains the prophecies showing the truth of
the prophethood of Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) , or that this True Prophet would
pray facing towards the Sacred Mosque. In any case, the verse shows that
the Jews' Book had some verses which confirmed - explicitly or implicitly
- the truth of this legislation; and Allah is not at all heedless of
what they do; He knows how they hide the truth and conceal the
knowledge which they had been given.
QUR'AN: And even
if you bring to those who have been given the Book every sign they would
not follow your qiblah: The verse rebukes them for their obstinacy and
stubbornness. Their refusal is not because truth is hidden from them. No,
they know very well that it is the truth - they have no doubt about it.
Yet they create mischief and invent objection after objection, because
they hate the religion and reject the truth. No proof would satisfy them;
no sign would make them change their attitude. Even if you bring to them
every sign they would not follow your qiblah, because they are
obstinate and refuse to accept the truth; nor can you be a follower of
their qiblah, because you have a clear proof from your Lord. This
Qur'anic sentence may also be interpreted as a prohibition given in the
form of a proposition. Neither are they the followers of each other's
qiblah. The Jews face towards Baytu 'l-Maqdis wherever they may be;
and the Christians face towards the East wherever they may be. Neither the
former would follow the qiblah, of the latter, nor the latter would
accept the qiblah of the former - because all of them follow their
own desires.
QUR'AN: and if
you follow their desires after the knowledge that has come to you, then
you shall most surely be among the unjust: The admonition (in singular
pronoun) is addressed to the Prophet, but it is really meant for his
ummah. It also indicates that the Jews, in their recalcitrance,
follow their desire and have become unjust.
QUR'AN: Those
whom We have given the Book recognize him as they recognize their sons:
The pronoun "him" refers to the Messenger of Allah, not to "the Book";
the simile, "as they recognize their sons", fits recognition of a man, not
of a book. Nobody says: He recognizes this book as he recognizes his son.
Moreover, the subject of the speech is the Messenger of Allah and the
revelation he received regarding the qiblah, it has nothing to do
with the Book which was given to the People of the Book. The verse says:
The People of the Book recognize the Messenger of Allah by the prophecies
which their Book contains, as they recognize their sons, and a party of
them most surely conceal the truth while they know (it).
The previous verses were
addressed to the Prophet (in second person singular pronouns) ; then in
this verse he has been mentioned in third person, and the talk is
addressed to the believers; then the next verse again reverts to the
previous style and is addressed to the Prophet. The style was changed here
to show that the truth of the Prophet was clear and well-known to the
People of the Book. This change reminds one of a speaker who is talking
before a group, one of whom surpasses all in virtues and excellence. The
speaker, therefore, addresses him especially (in recognition of his
excellence), although the talk is meant for the whole group. Then for some
reason, he wants to describe the virtues and excellence of that person;
now he turns towards the audience and treats him as absent, mentioning him
by pronouns of third person. When that topic is finished, he again assumes
the previous style of addressing him directly.
QUR'AN : The
truth is from your Lord, therefore you should not be of the doubters:
It emphasizes the preceding statement and strongly interdicts
doubting. The talk in singular pronouns is addressed to the Prophet but is
actually intended for the ummah.
QUR'AN: And every
one has a direction to which he would turn; therefore, hasten to (do)
good work: "al-Wijhah" on paradigm of, as well as synonymous to,
al-qiblah, has the same meaning 'that to which one
faces'. The verse sums up the foregoing statements and draws their
attention to another more important reality. Every nation has its own
qiblah, prescribed for them according to their own needs and
atmosphere. Being qiblah is not an inherent and inseparable
characteristic of any place or direction; it is not a natural or personal
feature of a thing which could not be changed. It is therefore not good
for you to waste your time and energy in disputation and argumentation
about it. You should rather hasten to do good work and try to excel others
in virtuous deeds; Allah is surely going to gather you on a day about
which there is no doubt; and wherever you are, Allah will bring you all
together; surely Allah has power over all things.
This verse is applicable to
the subject of qiblah, as it comes
between the verses dealing with that subject. Also, it
may be applied to the creative affairs as it points to the Divine Measure
and Decree and to the related legislation. We shall explain this topic,
Allah willing, in another place.
QUR'AN: And from
whatsoever place you come forth, turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque:
According to some exegetes it means: And from any place you come forth
and at any place you come down, turn your face to the Sacred Mosque.
Others say that it means: And from whatever town you come out.
The phrase, "from
whatsoever place you come forth", literally means as follows: `from
whatsoever place thou hast come forth'. Possibly it may refer to Mecca
from which the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) had to come out, as Allah
says: ... the town of thine which has driven thee out...
(47:13).
However, the. verse says
that the law to face the Ka'bah is a firm order which you have to observe
in Mecca as well as in other towns and places. Then Allah emphasizes it in
these words: and surely it is the very truth from your Lord, and Allah
is not at all heedless of what you do.
QUR'AN: And from
whatsoever place you come forth, turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque;
and wherever you are turn your faces towards it: The first sentence is
repeated here word by word, to show that this law is to be followed in
every condition. For example, one says: Fear Allah when you stand up; fear
Allah when you sit down; fear Allah when you speak; fear Allah when you
are silent. The speaker wants to emphasize that you should fear Allah in
all conditions and in every situation. This point would be lost if the
above sentence were reconstructed in the following way: Fear Allah when
you stand up, when you sit down, when you speak, and when you are silent.
The meaning is as follows: Face towards the Sacred Mosque of Mecca whence
you had to come out, and wherever you happen to be in the world, turn your
faces towards it.
QUR'AN: So that people shall have no argument against
you, except such of them as are unjust; so do not fear them, and fear Me;
and so that I may complete My favor on you and that you may walk on the
right course: These sentences describe the following three benefits of
this commandment, and at the same time put the utmost emphasis on obeying
this law:
First: The Jews knew
from their books that the promised Prophet would face towards the Ka'bah,
turning away from Baytu 'l-Maqdis, as Allah has pointed to this fact in a
foregoing verse, and those who have been given the Book most surely
know that it is the truth from their Lord (2:144). If the
qiblah were not changed, the Jews could have used it as a proof
against the Muslims that the Prophet was not the one whose advent was
foretold in the. previous books. But now the promulgation of this order
has not left them any room for disputation - except those of them who are
unjust. This exception gives the following meaning: Of course, those of
them who are unjust - because they follow their desire - will never be
satisfied; they will continue arguing against it; "so do not fear them",
because they are unjust and they follow their desires - and Allah does not
guide aright the unjust people - "and fear Me".
Second: Obedience of
this rule will lead the Muslims to the completion of Divine favor on them,
by perfecting their religion. We shall explain the meaning of the
"completion of favor", when we write the verse: This day have I
perfected for you your religion and completed My favor on you and chosen
for you Islam as a religion (5:4).
Third: There is the
hope that through this rule the Muslims will be guided to the straight
path. We have explained the meaning of guidance under the verse: Guide
us to the straight path (1:5).
An exegete has written:
"The verse of qiblah contains the words, `and so that I may
complete My favor on you and that you may walk on the right course'.
Similar words have been used in the `Chapter of Victory', while mentioning
the victory of Mecca: Surely We have given to you a clear victory, so
that Allah may forgive you your (i.e., your ummah their)
past faults and those to follow and complete His favor to you and keep
you on a straight path (48:1-2). This almost identical
expression shows that the verse of qiblah too alludes to the
victory of Mecca."
According to that exegete,
"the Ka'bah in the beginning of Islam was occupied by the idols, which
were put there by the polytheists - the power in those days was in the
hands of the pagans. Islam was weak, it had no authority or power.
Therefore, Allah told the Prophet to face towards Baytu 'l-Maqdis, the
qiblah of the Jews, who were nearer than the polytheists, to Islam.
Then the Prophet emigrated to Medina, and Islam began to gain strength.
The time was coming nearer when Mecca would be conquered and the House
of Allah cleansed of the idols' pollution. Allah therefore
ordered the Prophet to change the direction of qiblah. It was a
great bounty favor which Allah has reserved for the Muslims. And Allah
gave a promise, included in this verse of qiblah, that He would
complete His favor on them and guide them to the right course. It was
implied in these words that the Ka'bah would soon be cleansed of
the idols and images; the Muslims would be exclusively connected to
the Ka'bah as it would remain exclusively under their care. This verse
actually gave the good tidings of the conquest of Mecca. Thereafter, when
Mecca was conquered, Allah reminded them of that promise by using almost
similar words in its description: ... and complete His favors to you
and keep you on a straight path."
COMMENT : This explanation, although apparently well-founded, is
in fact not based on deep reflection; because the words of the Qur'an do
not support it. How do we know that the verse of qiblah contains a
promise to complete the favor? The answer is: Because of li ( = a preposition used here for the
final cause; so that, in order that) in li-utimma ( = so that I may
complete. . .). And the verse in Chapter 48 (Victory), which,
according to him, was revealed in fulfillment of that promise, also begins
with the same proposition: so that Allah may forgive you your (i.e.,
your ummah their) past faults and those to follow and
complete His favor to you and keep you on a straight path (48:2).
Clearly, both verses contain the same promise to complete the favor in
future; neither gives the good news of its fulfillment yet.
Moreover, the verse of qiblah gives this promise to all the Muslims
while that of the Victory uses singular pronouns and is addressed to the
Prophet personally. Clearly they have been revealed in different
contexts.
If there is any verse
showing the fulfillment of the promise given in both these verses, then it
can only be the verse: This day I perfected for you your religion and
completed My favor on you and chosen for you Islam as a religion
(5:3). We shall explain the meaning of an-ni'mah ( =
favor, bounty, blessing) in the explanation of this verse, and there
we shall describe what was the favor and bounty that was completed on that
day, and by which Allah has put the Muslims under His obligation for
ever.
There are two other verses
which, like the above-mentioned two, contain the promise of completion of
favor; but He wishes to purify you and that He may complete His favor
on you so that you may be grateful (5:6); even thus does He
complete His favor upon you, that haply you may submit (16:81). We
shall write under these verses some things related to this topic.
QUR'AN: Even
as We have sent among you a Messenger from among you who
recites to you Our communications and purifies you and teaches you the
Book and the wisdom and teaches you that which you did not know: The
verse begins with the word kama ( = like, as, even as), which is
obviously a compound of ka (= like, as) and ma which changes
the verb into masdar. The connotation, therefore, is as follows:
`We have bestowed Our favors on you by appointing the Ka'bah as your
qiblah. It is the House that Ibrahim built, and he prayed to Us for
its good and blessings. We have done this in the same way as We have
favored you by sending to you a Messenger from among you who recites to
you Our communications and teaches you the Book and the wisdom and
purifies you. We did so in answer to the pleading of Ibrahim, when
he and his son, Isma'il, prayed to Us: Our Lord! and raise up in them a
Messenger from among themselves, who shall recite to them Thy
communications and teach them the Book and wisdom and purify them.'
This verse, in short, says that it was Allah's favor on this ummah
that he sent the Prophet among them, as it was a favor to appoint the
Ka'bah as their qiblah.
Who are the people referred
to by the second person pronouns in "among you a Messenger from among
you"? The application may be restricted or extended, depending on the
level of explanation whether it is interpreted esoterically, literally or
legislatively. Esoterically, it is addressed especially to the earlier
mentioned: Submissive group (2:128), that is, those who were
given authority over religion and followers of religion; literally all the
Muslims from the progeny of Isma'il (i.e., the Arabs of Mudar tribe) are
included; legislatively, it covers all the Muslims, Arabs and non-Arabs
alike.
QUR'AN: recites
to you Our communications: "al-Ayat" (= verses, signs - translated
here as communications) obviously refers to the verses of the Qur'an,
because it is the words (not the meanings) that are recited;
"at-tazkiyah" (= to purify) is to remove dirt, filth and blemish.
The Prophet cleansed them thoroughly - from wrong beliefs like polytheism
and rejection of true faith, from vile and base character like pride and
avarice, and from evil and immoral actions and things like murder,
fornication and intoxicants.
QUR'AN: and
teaches you the Book and the wisdom and teaches you that which you did not
know: It encompasses all primary and secondary aspects of religious
knowledge.
These verses have variously
changed the pronouns used for Allah, using third and first persons,
singular and plural; and for others, using first, second and third
persons. The reason of every such change may be understood by a little
meditation.
TRADITIONS
al-Qummi narrates in his
at-Tafsir that as-Sadiq (a.s.) said about the words of Allah,
The fools among the people will say... "The qiblah was
changed to the Ka'bah after the Prophet prayed towards Baytu 'l-Maqdis for
thirteen years in Mecca; and (also) after his emigration to Medina he
prayed towards Baytu 'l-Maqdis for seven months." (He said:) "Then Allah
turned him towards Mecca. And it was because the Jews used to revile the
Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.), saying that he was their follower (as) he
prayed to their qiblah. The Messenger of Allah (s. a. w. a.) became
very sad because of it; and he came out in the middle of the night looking
to the horizons of the heaven, waiting for an order in this regard from
Allah. When it was day and the time of the noon prayer arrived, (the
Prophet, s.a.w.a.) was in the mosque of Banu Salim. And he had (already)
prayed two rak'ahs of zuhr, when Jibril came down; and he
held the Prophet's upper arms and turned him towards the Ka`bah. And he
brought down to him (the revelation): Indeed We see the turning of thy
face to heaven, so We shall surely turn thee to a qiblah which thou shalt
like; turn then thy face towards the Sacred Mosque. Thus, the Prophet
had prayed two rak`ahs towards Baytu 'l-Maqdis, and (prayed the
remaining) two rak`ahs towards the Ka'bah. Then the Jews and the
fools said: `What has turned them from their qiblah which they had?' "
(Majma `u 'l-bayan )
The author says: There are
numerous traditions of similar meaning narrated by the Sunni and Shi `ah
narrators, which are recorded in the books of traditions. The reports
differ about the time when the qiblah was changed. Most of them say
that it happened in the month of Rajab in the second year of
hijrah - the seventeenth month after the emigration; and this
timing looks more correct. Allah willing, we shall describe some other
related topics in a separate discourse.
There are traditions from
Sunni narrators, which explain the witnessing of this ummah
concerning the people and the witnessing of the Prophet for them, in
these terms: "The nations will deny, on the Day of Judgment, that the
prophets had conveyed any message to them. Then Allah will ask the
prophets to bring their proof that they had really conveyed the message -
and Allah knows it better. So, the ummah of Muhammad (s. a. w. a.)
will be brought in and they will testify (for the prophets).
Then the (other) nations
will say: `How do you know?' They will say: `We knew it from the
information which Allah revealed in His Book on the tongue of His truthful
Prophet.' Then Muhammad (s.a.w.a.) will be brought there and he will be
asked about the condition of his ummah. So he will testify for
their purity, justice and probity. And this is the meaning of the words of
Allah: How will it be, then, when We bring from every people a witness
and bring you as a witness for these? (4:41)
The author says: This theme
is supported by other traditions narrated by as-Suyuti in ad-Durru
'l-manthur and others. But how is it that the Prophet would testify
about his ummah that they were pure and just? It can be accepted
only if it is taken to mean that he will testify for a selected group, not
for the whole ummah. Otherwise, such traditions have to be
rejected, as is selfevident from the Qur'an and the sunnah. How can
the Prophet sanction or approve all those oppressions, cruelties,
tyrannies and massacres perpetrated by this ummah, and whose like
was never seen in any of the previous nations? How can he testify that all
those Pharaohs and taghuts of this ummah were pure, just and
upright? What is this tradition, if not a calumny against this upright
religion? A joke with the realities of this illustrious faith? Moreover,
it is based on the wrong idea that a hearsay testimony is
acceptable!
The correct meaning of the
verse may be seen in a tradition narrated from al-Baqir (a.s.) that he
said: "Only the Imams and the Messengers will be witnesses for the people.
And as for the (general) ummah, it is unthinkable that Allah would
call them as witnesses - and there are among them those whose testimony is
not accepted for a bundle of vegetable." (al-Manaqib)
as-Sadiq (a.s.) said about
the verse, that you may be witnesses...: "(It is) then (wrong) if
you think that Allah in this verse means all the monotheists, the people
of qiblah (i.e., the Muslims). Do you think that a person
whose evidence is not acceptable in this world about
a as-sa' (= a weight about 3 kilogram)
of date, Allah will call him as a witness on the Day of Judgment and will accept his evidence in
presence of all the previous nations? Certainly not. Allah does not mean
(here) such of his creatures; He means only that ummah in which the
prayer of Ibrahim was granted; you are the best
ummah raised up for the (benefit of) men (3:110); and they are the medium ummah
and they are the best ummah raised up for the men."
(al-`Ayyashi)
The
author says: We have described it
under that verse with the help of the Qur'an itself.
as-Sadiq
(a.s.) narrates from his father, from the Prophet, that he said : "It is
among the (bounties) which Allah gave to my ummah and (by which) He
made them excel all other nations, that He gave them three attributes
which (previously) were not given but to a prophet . . . And when He sent
a prophet, made him a witness for his nation; and surely Allah, Blessed
and High is He, has made my ummah a witness for the creatures, as
He says: so that the Messenger may be a witness for you, and you may be
witnesses for the people (22:78). (Qurbu 'l-asnad)
The
author says: This hadith is not in conflict with the above
explanation, because the word ummah refers to that submissive
ummah in which the prayer of Ibrahim (a.s.) was accepted.
Amiru
l-mu'minin (a.s.) says, inter alia, in a hadith describing
the Day of Judgment: "They will gather in a place where every one will be
required to speak; (but) no one shall speak: except he whom the
Beneficent Allah permits and who speaks the right thing (78:38). Then
the Messenger shall be asked to stand (and speak); and that is (the
meaning of) His word to Muhammad (s.a.w.a.): How will it be, then, when
We bring from every people a witness and bring you as a witness for these?
(4:41). And he is the witness of the witnesses, and the
witnesses are the Messengers." (al-`Ayyashi)
Abu
Basir, narrating from the fifth or the sixth Imam, says: "I said to him:
`Did (Allah) order him (i, e., the Prophet, s.a.w.a.) to pray towards
Baytu 'l-Maqdis?' He said: `Yes. Don't you see that Allah, Blessed and
High is He!, says: And We had not made the
qiblah which you had but that We might distinguish him who follows the
Messenger from him who turns back upon his heels' "
(at-Tahdhib)
The author says: This hadith shows
that the words: which you had, are related to: the qiblah,
and that the whole phrase refers to Baytu 'l-Maqdis; and it was the
qiblah which the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) had. As we have
mentioned earlier, this explanation is in conformity with the context.
Also, it supports what has been narrated in a hadith from al-'Askari
(a.s.)
"The
Meccans were attached to the Ka'bah. Therefore Allah wished to distinguish
the followers of Muhammad (s.a. w. a.), from his opponents, by following
the qiblah which he disliked. And because the people of Medina were
inclined towards Baytu 'l-Maqdis, He ordered them to go against it and to
turn towards the Ka'bah, in order that He may show who follows Muhammad
(s.a.w.a.) (even) in that which is not to his liking; such a man, then,
believes in his truth and agrees with him ... "
It also
shows the incorrectness of the interpretation, to which we had made a
passing reference in the Commentary, and which runs as follows: The
phrase, which you had, is the second object of the verb, We had
not made. Accordingly, the verse means: And We did not make the
qiblah, that is, the Ka'bah, which you had before Baytu 'l-Maqdis.
In support of this interpretation, they quote the words, but that We
might distinguish him who follows the Messenger from him who turns back
upon his heels. The absurdity of this interpretation and of this
argument is self-evident.
az-Zubayri, narrating from as-Sadiq (a.s.) says: "I asked
him: `Will you not tell me about the faith, whether it is word with deed
or (only) word without deed?' He said: `The faith is deed, all of it; and
(utterance of) the word is one of those deeds; (it is) obligatory from
Allah, described in His Book; its light is clear, its proof
well-established; the Book bears witness for it and calls to it. And when
Allah turned his Prophet towards the Ka'bah, away from Baytu 'l-Maqdis,
the Muslims said to the Prophet : "What do you see (about) our prayers
which we used to pray towards Baytu 'l-Maqdis? What shall be our position
about these? And what shall be the position of those of us who have passed
away and they were praying towards Baytu 'l-Maqdis? " Then Allah revealed
(the verse) : and Allah was not going to make your faith to be
fruitless; most surely Allah is Affectionate, Merciful to the people.
Thus Allah named the prayer as "faith". Whoever therefore fears Allah,
guarding his limbs (from sins), fulfilling (obligation of) each of these
limbs which Allah has laid down for it, he shall meet Allah with perfect
faith, (and he shall be) from the people of the Garden. And whoever acted
falsely about any of these (limbs), or transgressed what Allah had ordered
about it, he shall meet Allah (as one) having an incomplete faith.' "
(al-`Ayyashi )
The
author says: It has been narrated also by
al-Kulayni. Although it says that the verse, and Allah was not going to
make your faith fruitless. . ., was revealed after the qiblah
was changed, yet it does not go against the explanation given in the
Commentary.
"The
Prophet prayed towards Baytu 'l-Maqdis for thirteen years in Mecca, and
nineteen months in Medina.* Then the Jews reviled him, saying: `You are a
follower of our qiblah.' He was very much saddened because of it.
Then one night he came out turning his face towards the horizons of the
heaven. When it was morning, he prayed the dawn (prayer). Then when he had
prayed two rak`ahs of zuhr, Jibril came and told him (the
message of Allah) : Indeed We see the turning of thy face to heaven, so
We shall surely turn thee to a qiblah which thou shalt like...; then
he took hold of the Prophet and turned him towards the Ka'bah, and those
who were (praying) behind him turned their faces (likewise), until the men
stood in place of the women, and the women in place of the men. Thus, the
early part of his prayer was towards Baytu 'l-Maqdis, and the latter part
towards the Ka'bah. Then the news reached another mosque in Medina, and
its people had already prayed two rak'ahs of asr (to Baytu
'l-Maqdis), and they turned towards the (new) qiblah. So the early
part of their prayer was to Baytu 'l-Maqdis and the latter part towards
the Ka'bah; so that mosque was named the Mosque of the Two Qiblahs."
(al-Faqih)
The
author says: al-Qummi has narrated a similar
hadith, with one variation that the Prophet was in the mosque of
Banu Salim.
al-Baqir
(a.s.) said explaining the words of Allah, turn then thy face towards
the Sacred Mosque: "Face towards the qiblah, and do not turn
away from the qiblah; otherwise your prayer will be void. For,
Allah says to His Prophet concerning the obligatory prayer, turn then
your face towards the Sacred Mosque; and wherever you are, turn your face
towards it." (al-`Ayyashi)
The
author says: There are numerous
al-mustafidah** traditions which say that this verse was revealed
about the obligatory prayer.
as-Sadiq
(a.s.) said about the verse: Those whom We have given the Book
recognize him as they, recognize their sons: "This verse was revealed
about the Jews and the Christians. Allah, Blessed and High is He! says:
Those whom We have given the Book recognize him, that is, recognize
the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.), as they recognize their sons. For,
surely Allah, Mighty and Great is He!, had revealed to them, in the Torah
and the Injil and Zabur, the attributes of Muhammad (s.a.w.a.), and the
attributes of his companions, as well as (the story of) his emigration.
And this is (the meaning of) the words of Allah:
Muhammad is the Messenger of Allah; and those
with him are severe against the unbelievers, compassionate among
themselves; you will see them bowing down, prostrating themselves, seeking
grace from Allah and pleasure; their marks are in their faces because of
the effect of prostration; that is their description in the Torah and
their description in the Injil... (48: 29). And this was the
description of the Messenger of Allah (s.a.w.a.) and of his companions in
the Torah. Thereafter, when Allah raised him up, the People of the Book
recognized him. (But they rejected him) as Allah, Great is His Majesty!,
says: but when there came to them that which they did recognize, they
disbelieved in him (2:89). (al-Qummi)
The
author says: A similar
hadith has been narrated in al-Kafi from `Ali (a.s.) .
Many
Shi`ite traditions say that the words of Allah, wherever you are, Allah
will bring you all together, has been revealed about the companions of
al-Qa'im (a.s.). Some of those traditions say that it is applied to them
according to the principle of the "flow of the Qur'an".
A
tradition, narrated by the Sunni narrators says that `Ali (a.s.) said
about the words of Allah, so that I may complete My favor on you:
Completion of favor is the death in the state of Islam (i.e., to die as a
Muslim)."
Another
Sunni hadith says that the completion of favor is entering into the
Garden.
AN ACADEMIC AND HISTORICAL DISCOURSE ON WAYS OF FINDING THE
DIRECTION OF QIBLAH:
The
Muslims have to face towards the qiblah in prayer - and it is an act of
worship which each of them has to perform several times a day - and at the
time of slaughtering an animal as well as at some other times. It
compelled the Muslims to find out the direction of the qiblah wherever
they might be.
In the
beginning it was based on guess and rough estimates. Then the overwhelming
need prompted the Muslim geographers and mathematicians to devise more
accurate methods to find its direction. They based their reckoning on the
longitude and
latitude
of a place - they calculated the degree of inclination between its
location and that of Mecca with the help of trigonometry and astronomy.
They fixed the direction of qiblah in every town with the help of
the well-known Indian Circle which fixed the meridian of a place and
showed the degree of its inclination from the qiblah.
Then
they started using the compass. Its hands pointed to the North and the
South; and if the degree of inclination to Mecca was known beforehand, it
was easy to fix the direction of the qiblah. It gradually replaced
the Indian Circle, being a lot quicker and easier to use.
But both
these endeavors of theirs - may Allah reward them for these - were not
free from defect and miscalculation.
First:
The Indian Circle: The latter geographers
found out that the early scholars were not very accurate in their
calculation of the longitude - and this had led to confusion in
calculation of the degree of inclination, and consequently in the fixing
of the qiblah's direction. The early scholars were more accurate in
finding the latitude of a place, than its longitude. They used to fix the
latitude of a place by measuring the altitude of the North Pole there. But
fixing a longitude depended on measuring the distance between two places,
and it was done by noting the time when a certain celestial event, like a
solar or lunar eclipse, occurred in one place, and then calculating as to
how much time had elapsed before it appeared in the other place.
Obviously, neither the old instruments were dependable enough, nor the
means of communications fast enough, to give this calculation the desired
accuracy.
With
advancement of scientific apparatus and development of new means of
communication, the need was felt to find a more accurate way of fixing the
qiblah. The well-known scholar, Shaykh (Haydar Quli) Sardar Kabuli
- Allah's mercy be on him! - looked into this matter, and calculated the
inclination of various places with the help of the modern sciences. He
wrote on this subject his book Tuhfatu 'l-ajillah fi ma `rifati
'l-qiblah. It is a fine work, in which he explains scientifically, how
to find out the direction of qiblah for a place; also he has given
charts fixing the qiblah of various towns.
Allah
helped him in his endeavour - may He reward him for it - in such a fine
way that his calculations showed a clear miracle of the
Prophet.
When the early Muslim scholars calculated the position of
Medina, they found that it was situated at 25ºn lat.
75º20' long. The trouble was that al-mihrab (= niche)
of the Mosque of the Prophet (based on the original direction) was
not exactly to the direction which the newly calculated position was
indicating. The religious scholars were always arguing on this subject,
and they invented some reasons to justify that "deviation", although none
was based on reality. But Sardar Kabuli - may Allah have mercy on him! -
showed clearly that Medina is situated on 24º57' lat.
39º59' long; and that the inclination towards Mecca is
0º45'. And the niche of the Prophet's Mosque has exactly the
same inclination. By this calculation, one more miracle of the Prophet
came to light; it was the direction to which he turned his face while he
was praying, and about which he later said that Jibril took hold of
his hand and turned him towards the Ka'bah. Truth was what Allah and
His Messenger said.
After
him, came the great mathematician, 'Abdu 'r-Razzaq al-Bagha'iri - Allah's
mercy be on him - and he calculated the direction of the qiblah
of most of the towns of the world, and published it in
his book; his charts fix the qiblah of more than 1,500 towns. In
this way, the favor of Allah was completed about the direction
of the qiblah.
Second :
The Compass : It has been established that
the Earth's magnetic Poles are not identical with its geographical Poles.
First of all, the magnetic Poles have been changing from time to
time. Second, the magnetic North Pole is at a distance of about one
thousand miles from the geographical North Pole. Obviously, the compass
does not show the exact direction of the qiblah; in some
places the deviation may reach a degree that cannot be allowed.
Now, the
leading mathematician, Husayn `Ali Razm Ara, undertook these days (i.e.,
the 1332nd year of the solar hijri calendar) to solve this problem. He
calculated the difference between the magnetic and geographical Poles at
various places, and determined the degrees of inclination of the qiblah
from the magnetic Pole in respect of about one thousand towns. Then he
invented his compass which fixes the qiblah of those places very
accurately.
This
compass is now in general use in the Muslim world. May Allah reward him
for his endeavors.
A SOCIOLOGICAL ESSAY ON THE MEANING OF QIBLAH
AND ITS BENEFITS
Let as look at the social structure of humanity. Ponder on society
per se, and you will admit that it was the human nature which
brought it into being and developed it with its many-sided aspects. It did
so because of the inspiration it received from Allah - the divinely-gifted
instinct which made a man realize that he depends on collective efforts of
other men for his survival and development. That is why human beings rely
on society and keep their activities within the bounds of the social
laws.
Then he
acquired knowledge - mental images - related to his surrounding matter,
and about his own needs and activities. What creates a relation - positive
or negative - between a man and his activities is the knowledge of their
various properties; like the knowledge that something is good or bad, this
should be done, that should be avoided. In fact, all the fundamental
concepts of sociology come under this category. It covers leadership and
subordination, ownership and jurisdiction, collective and individual
affairs, and in short, all the common rules and values as well as the
national or tribal traditions and customs. Even the last mentioned rites
which change from nation to nation, from region to region and from era to
era, have been produced by the human nature which worked according to the
divinely bestowed instinct.
All
these exoteric aspects of society are symbols of esoteric ideas and
ideals; human nature sees in them fulfillment of its inner craving, and
thus moves towards it in appropriate way - by taking it, discarding it,
doing it, leaving it or perfecting it.
Now,
Allah is free from matter and its concomitants; He can never be perceived
by any physical sense. How can people turn towards Him, especially if they
want their inner devotion manifested in their actions - because actions
are confined within material limits. It can only be done by representing
the esoteric ideas with manifest actions. Various feelings and emotions
are represented with various appropriate physical postures: Man prostrates
to show his self-abasement; and bows down to glorify the Creator.
Circumambulation around the Ka'bah represents self-sacrifice. Standing in
prayer portrays the Creator's greatness, and wudu' and ritual bath
are intended to make one spiritually clean, to prepare oneself for Divine
Presence.
Undoubtedly, complete attention towards God during the prayer
is the soul of the. worship. Without total undiverted attention worship
has no life, no vitality. And the attention depends on such
representations for its existence, continuation and perfection.
The
worshippers of idols, celestial bodies or other material things (like
trees, animals and/or human beings) stand face to face with their deities
and idols, turning towards them with their bodies maintaining close
proximity with them.*** Islam came to verify the previous religions
brought by the prophets; it is the most comprehensive and complete Divine
Religion. It has appointed the Ka'bah as the qiblah - the direction
to which people should turn during prayer (and no one is excused from
prayer in any condition) wherever they may be in the world. They are
further obliged (or encouraged) to turn towards it in certain conditions,
and forbidden to face it or keep it behind their backs in some other
conditions. Thus, a Muslim is obliged to keep his attention to the House
of Allah. He is not to forget his Lord in private or in public,' in his
working hours or in sleep, while standing up or sitting down in prayer, or
in other actions - not even in his meanest condition.****
The
above discourse looked at the benefits which an individual derives from
the qiblah. If we ponder on this rule from sociological point of
view, then its effects are even more important and far-reaching. It has
united all the Muslims - of diverse places and different times - fixing
their attention to one point. The qiblah, therefore, portrays that
they are one in their belief, connected to each other in their social
structure, and brothers in in Islam. If such a fine spirit permeates the
material and ideological lives of the individuals and groups, the society
shall reach its highest point of perfection; and the most comprehensive
and all- encompassing unity shall manifest itself in the Muslim society.
Allah has especially bestowed this favor on His Muslim servants. By this
favor He has protected their religious unity - even now when they have
fallen apart in so many groups, have been divided into so many sects and
are following so many diverse ideologies.
We are thankful to Allah for His favors.
* The Prophet emigrated to Medina in the month of
Rabi `u 'l-awwal. The nineteenth month after hijrah was Ramadan
of the
second year. (tr.)
** al-Mustafidah
= A tradition narrated by a great many narrators,
but to a degree less than that required for mutawatir.
(tr.)
*** But that method,
invented by human mind, was rejected by Divine religions brought by the
prophets of God, because instead of fixing the attention to God, it
actually diverted the attention towards those idols etc., making them into
partners of God in worship. Yet, the original aim - a physical
manifestation of undiverted attention towards God - was good and in
conformity with demands of the human nature, provided it could be achieved
without any risk of falling into polytheism. (tr.)
**** It is
unlawful to face towards the qiblah, or to keep the qiblah on backside, while urinating or relieving the bowels.
Therefore, a Muslim has to remember the direction of qiblah
even at that time.
(tr.)
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