Tabari

Tafseer of The Cow · Al-Baqara · 2:149

وَمِنْ حَيْثُ خَرَجْتَ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ ۖ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ ۗ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَٰفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ

So from wherever you go out [for prayer, O Muhammad] turn your face toward al- Masjid al-Haram, and indeed, it is the truth from your Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what you do.

Important: The Arabic source text is always authoritative. This translation is a study aid and has not been verified by scholars — do not use it as a basis for religious proof or for deriving rulings (ahkam). When in doubt, always consult the Arabic text and a qualified scholar.

Tabari (1 passage)

  1. Full Dutch translation of Tabari's text

    The explanation of the saying of the Exalted: وَمِنْ حَيْثُ خَرَجْتَ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَإِنَّهُ لَلْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّكَ وَمَا اللَّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ

    (And from wherever you set out, turn your face toward the Sacred Mosque, and indeed it is the Truth from your Lord, and Allah is not unmindful of what you do) (149)

    Abū Jaʿfar said: The Exalted — exalted be His praise — means by His word "And from wherever you set out": from whatever place you set out and toward whatever place you direct yourself, turn, O Muḥammad, your face — He says: turn your face. And we have already demonstrated that "the turning (al-tawliya)" in this place, toward the Sacred Mosque, means only: directing the face in its direction. And we have already explained the meaning of "al-shaṭr (the direction)" earlier. (25)

    * * *

    As for His word "and indeed it is the Truth from your Lord": He — exalted be His mention — means: and indeed directing oneself in its direction is the Truth concerning which there is no doubt, coming from your Lord. So adhere to that, and obey Allah in your turning toward it.

    * * *

    As for His word "and Allah is not unmindful of what you do": He says: Allah — exalted be His mention — is not inattentive to your deeds, nor unmindful of them, but rather He records them precisely for you, until He shall requite you for them on the Day of Resurrection. (26)

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    Footnotes:

    (25) See what has been said earlier about "al-tawliya (the turning)" in this volume 3:194, note 3, and what has been said earlier in the explanation of "al-shaṭr (the direction)" in this volume 3:175.

    (26) See the meaning of "ghāfil (unmindful)" in what has been said earlier in this volume 3:174, note 1, and the references therein.

    Show original Arabic
    القول في تأويل قوله تعالى : وَمِنْ حَيْثُ خَرَجْتَ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ الْمَسْجِدِ الْحَرَامِ وَإِنَّهُ لَلْحَقُّ مِنْ رَبِّكَ وَمَا اللَّهُ بِغَافِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ (149) قال أبو جعفر: يعني جل ثناؤه بقوله: " ومن حيث خرجت "، ومن أيّ موضع خرَجْت إلى أي موضع وجَّهتَ، فولِّ يا محمد وَجهك - يقول: حوِّل وَجْهك. وقد دللنا على أن " التولية " في هذا الموضع شطر المسجد الحرام, إنما هي: الإقبالُ بالوجه نحوه. وقد بينا معنى " الشطر " فيما مضى. (25) * * * وأما قوله: " وإنه للحق من ربك "، فإنه يعني تعالى ذكره: وإنّ التوجه شَطرَه للحق الذي لا شكّ فيه من عند ربك, فحافظوا عليه, وأطيعوا الله في توجهكم قِبَله. * * * وأما قوله: " ومَا الله بغافل عَما تَعملون "، فإنه يقول: فإن الله تعالى ذكره لَيس بساهٍ عن أعمالكم، ولا بغافل عنها, ولكنه محصيها لكم، حتى يجازيكم بها يوم القيامة. (26) * * * --------------------- الهوامش : (25) انظر ما سلف في"التولية" في هذا الجزء 3 : 194 تعليق : 3 ، وما سلف في تفسير : "شطر" في هذا الجزء 3 : 175 . (26) انظر معنى"غافل" فيما سلف من هذا الجزء 3 : 174 تعليق : 1 ، والمراجع هناك .