The Qur'an (Oxford World's Classics)

2: 155
The Cow 17
towards a prayer direction that pleases you. a Turn your face in the
direction of the Sacred Mosque: wherever you [believers] may be,
turn your faces to it. Those who were given the Scripture know with
certainty that this is the Truth from their Lord: God is not unaware
of what they do. 145 Yet even if you brought every proof to those who
were given the Scripture, they would not follow your prayer direction,
nor will you follow theirs, nor indeed will any of them follow
one another’s direction. If you [Prophet] were to follow their desires,
after the knowledge brought to you, you would be doing wrong.
146 Those We gave Scripture know it as well as they know their own
sons, but some of them hide the truth that they know. 147 The truth is
from your Lord, so do not be one of those who doubt. 148 Each
community has its own direction to which it turns: race to do good
deeds and wherever you are, God will bring you together. b God has
power to do everything.
149 [Prophet], wherever you may have started out, turn your face in
the direction of the Sacred Mosque – this is the truth from your
Lord: He is not unaware of what you do – 150 wherever you may have
started out, turn your face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque;
wherever any of you may be, turn your faces towards it, so that
people may have no argument against you c – except for the wrongdoers
among them: do not fear them; fear Me – and so that I may
perfect My favour on you and you may be guided, 151 just as We d
have sent among you a Messenger of your own to recite Our revelations
to you, purify you and teach you the Scripture, wisdom,
and [other] things you did not know. 152 So remember Me; I will
remember you. Be thankful to Me, and never ungrateful.
153 You who believe, seek help through steadfastness and prayer,
for God is with the steadfast. 154 Do not say that those who are killed
in God’s cause are dead; they are alive, though you do not realize it.
155 We shall certainly test you with fear and hunger, and loss of
a The Prophet secretly hoped to be allowed to face the Mosque in Mecca in prayer, as
it was so dear to him, being built by Abraham and Ishmael, as seen from verse 127
onwards.
b On the Day of Judgement, cf. 5: 48.
c Both Jews and polytheists questioned the choice of qibla (prayer direction) for their
own reasons.
d Note the shift in pronoun from singular to plural of majesty (see Introduction,
p. xx).