The Holy Quran 2:145 — Surah Al-Baqarah

Arabic text

وَلَئِنْ أَتَيْتَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ بِكُلِّ ءَايَةٍ مَّا تَبِعُوا۟ قِبْلَتَكَ ۚ وَمَآ أَنتَ بِتَابِعٍ قِبْلَتَهُمْ ۚ وَمَا بَعْضُهُم بِتَابِعٍ قِبْلَةَ بَعْضٍ ۚ وَلَئِنِ ٱتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَآءَهُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَكَ مِنَ ٱلْعِلْمِ ۙ إِنَّكَ إِذًا لَّمِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ

Translation

Even if you have to present (bring) every kind of proof to those who have been given the Book (the Jews and the Christians), they will not turn towards your Qibla (because of stubbornness). You should also not turn towards their Qibla. In fact, they (the Jews and Christians) will not even turn towards the Qibla of each other (the Qibla of the Jews was the Rock of Baytul Maqdas while that of the Christians was the eastern side of Baytul Maqdas). Should you now follow their wishes after knowledge (revelation) has come to you, then surely you would be among the unjust ones.

Tafsir (excerpt) — Tafsir Usmani

The command to face the Kaaba is permanent: that is, since the case is that the People of the Book know that facing the Kaaba is the truth yet conceal the truth out of envy and obstinacy, do not expect from them any agreement with your qibla at all.

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