Page 22 Notes

02 Surah Al-Baqarah (continued)

Page 22 Grammar 

Page 22 - Related Hadith/Sunnah

2:142

2:143

2:144

2:145

Translation of the meaning by Sahih International.

Page 22 - Related Hadiths and Sunnah

Page 22 of the Qur'an contains Surah Al-Baqarah, Verses 142–145. This specific section transitions the core theme of the chapter toward a foundational event in early Islamic history: The Changing of the Qibla (Direction of Prayer) from Jerusalem (Bayt al-Maqdis) to Mecca (Al-Masjid al-Haram).

The Hadith and Sunnah literature provides the necessary historical context (Asbab al-Nuzul or reasons for revelation), logistical details, and theological explanations for these exact verses.

1. The Context and Timing of the Change (Verses 142 & 143)

“The foolish among the people will say, 'What has turned them away from their Qibla, which they used to face?' Say, 'To Allah belongs the east and the west. He guides whom He wills to a straight path.'” (Qur'an 2:142)

The primary Hadiths textually tied to these verses are found in Sahih al-Bukhari and Sahih Muslim, narrated by prominent companions like Al-Bara' bin 'Azib and Abdullah ibn Umar. They detail exactly how long the Prophet $\text{PBUH}$ faced Jerusalem and how the sudden shift triggered confusion among the hypocrites and the People of the Book.

• Duration of Facing Jerusalem:
  According to a foundational report in Sahih al-Bukhari, Al-Bara' bin 'Azib narrated that when the Prophet $\text{PBUH}$ arrived in Medina, he prayed facing Jerusalem for 16 or 17 months, though he deeply desired to face the Kaaba. When the Qibla was changed via revelation, the first prayer he performed facing Mecca was the Afternoon ('Asr) prayer. A man who prayed with him passed by a group of people in another mosque who were bowing (Ruku') while facing Jerusalem. He called out, "I testify by Allah that I have prayed with the Prophet $\text{PBUH}$ facing Mecca." Hearing this, the entire congregation turned around toward the Kaaba while still in prayer.

• The Reaction of Observers:
  The Hadith explicitly links the complaints of the "foolish people" (mentioned in verse 142) to the Jews and hypocrites of Medina, who began mocking the Muslims for changing their sacred direction.

2. The Midday Shift at Masjid al-Qiblatayn (Verse 144)

“We have certainly seen the turning of your face, [O Muhammad], toward the heaven, and We will surely turn you to a Qibla with which you will be pleased. So turn your face toward al-Masjid al-Haram...” (Qur'an 2:144)

The Sunnah records the deep spiritual yearning of Prophet Muhammad $\text{PBUH}$ to face the Kaaba, the original house of monotheism built by Abraham. He would frequently look up at the sky, waiting for Angel Gabriel to descend with a decree.

• The Incident at Quba / Masjid Bani Salama:
  While the previous Hadith highlights a congregation learning about the change during the 'Asr prayer, another pivotal narration found in Sahih Muslim (narrated by Ibn Umar) and other Sunnan books notes that news reached the residents of Quba during the Morning (Fajr) prayer.

• Physical Adaptation in Prayer:
  The Sunnah details the exact mechanics of how the congregation shifted seamlessly mid-prayer without breaking their state of ritual sanctity. The Imam shuffled from the front of the congregation to what was previously the back, and the rows rotated completely to face the opposite direction (from North toward Jerusalem to South toward Mecca). This physical event gave birth to the historic mosque known today as Masjid al-Qiblatayn (The Mosque of the Two Qiblas).

3. The Test of Sincerity & Fate of Past Prayers (Verse 143)

“...And We did not make the Qibla which you used to face except that We might make evident who would follow the Messenger from who would turn back on his heels... And Allah would never cause your faith to be lost.” (Qur'an 2:143)

When the Qibla changed, an urgent theological question arose within the early Muslim community regarding the validity of the prayers offered by companions who had passed away before the shift occurred.

• Preservation of Reward:
  In a narrative preserved in Sahih al-Bukhari, companions asked: "O Messenger of Allah! What about our brothers who died while they were still praying towards Jerusalem?" In direct response to their anxiety, Allah revealed the latter part of verse 143: “And Allah would never cause your faith to be lost.” The Hadith commentators explain that "faith" (Iman) here directly substitutes for the word "prayer" (Salah), comforting the community that their past actions were fully accepted.

• The Concept of the Balanced Nation (Ummah Wasat):
  Verse 143 establishes the Muslims as a "middle/balanced nation" (Ummatan Wasathan). Hadith literature corroborates this status. In Jami' al-Tirmidhi, Abu Sa'id al-Khudri narrated that the Prophet $\text{PBUH}$ explained Wasat as meaning "just and fair." The Sunnah frames this moderation as a core methodology, warning against religious extremism and structural polarization (Mufidah, 123).

4. The Stubbornness of the People of the Book (Verse 145)

“And if you should bring to those who were given the Scripture every sign, they would not follow your Qibla. Nor will you be a follower of their Qibla...” (Qur'an 2:145)

This verse underscores that the rejection of the new Qibla by certain factions of the People of the Book was not due to a lack of evidence, but rather a theological impasse.

• Prophetic Foreknowledge:
  The Sunnah demonstrates that Jewish scholars in Medina recognized the Prophet's arrival and traits from their own scriptures. Hadiths detailing interactions with figures like Abdullah ibn Salam (a prominent rabbi who converted to Islam) show that they were fully aware that a final prophet would establish a global community. However, changing the direction away from Jerusalem became a point of theological friction, as facing Jerusalem was a hallmark of late-antiquity Judeo-Christian sanctuaries (Fuller, 2026). The Hadith reflects that no amount of miracles would make the rigid factions accept the Meccan orientation, cementing the independent identity of the Muslim community.

References

• Al-Bukhari, M. I. (n.d.). Sahih al-Bukhari, Book of Prayer (Kitab al-Salat), Hadith 399.

• Al-Tirmidhi, M. I. (n.d.). Jami' al-Tirmidhi, Chapters on Tafsir, Hadith 2961.

• Fuller, R. C. (2026). The Orientation of the Kaʿba to Jerusalem: Two Sanctuaries. An Older Love Affair? ProQuest Dissertations.

• Mufidah, Z. (2023). Islamic Moderation Values in the Qur'an and Hadith and Their Relevance to Contemporary Social Life. Journal of Academia Publication, 1(2), 120–135.

• Muslim, I. H. (n.d.). Sahih Muslim, Book of Mosques and Places of Prayer (Kitab al-Masajid), Hadith 525.

(Note: "n.d." denotes classical texts where modern standardized publication years vary across publishers, cited instead by their universally recognized book and Hadith numbers).