This verse, and the following ones, talk about an abrogated ruling, which is facing the sacred city of Jerusalem during prayer. The new abrogating ruling is facing the Holy Ka‘ba since when the prayer was ordained, the Prophet (saws) was ordered to face Jerusalem. However, after seventeen months or less, as mentioned in some narrations, the Qiblah (the direction to which Muslims turn in prayer) was changed. The new Qiblah has become towards the Holy Ka‘ba.

This change stimulated a huge storm of debate and argument. The Jews, polytheists, and the hypocrites called this religion into question. They wondered whether the reward of the previous prayers had gone and asked about the condition of those who had prayed towards Jerusalem then died before the change of the Qiblah? The response here was that Allah (swt) has abrogated the ruling.

How does Allah (swt) start the speech about changing the Qiblah?

When we want to show how much miraculous the Holy Qur’an is, we say, had it been from any other than Allah (swt); as Allah (swt) says:

{وَلَوْ كَانَ مِنْ عِندِ غَيْرِ اللَّهِ لَوَجَدُوا فِيهِ اخْتِلَافًا كَثِيرًا}

(If it had been from [any] other than Allah, they would have found within it much contradiction) (An-Nissa: 82)

Thus, if the speech about changing the Qiblah had been from a human being, and not from the Lord of humans, it would never come in this way. Human beings cannot talk about the reactions before the action happens.

( سَيَقُولُ ) (will): is for future, and it indicates that the Qiblah has not been changed yet. Had the Qur’an been from any other than Allah (swt), the verse:

 {قَدْ نَرَىٰ تَقَلُّبَ وَجْهِكَ فِي السَّمَاءِ ۖ فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبْلَةً تَرْضَاهَا }

(We have certainly seen the turning of your face, [O Muhammad], toward the heaven, and We will surely turn you to a Qiblah with which you will be pleased) (Al-Baqarah:144)

would have come before the verse:

( سَيَقُولُ السُّفَهَاءُ مِنَ النَّاسِ) (The foolish among the people will say…)

But Allah (swt) brings miraculous things and tells about things before they happen.

( السُّفَهَاءُ) (The foolish): Fools are those who are lacking good sense or judgment.

(مَا وَلَّاهُمْ عَن قِبْلَتِهِمُ الَّتِي كَانُوا عَلَيْهَا) (What has turned them away from their Qiblah, which they used to face?“): Allah (swt) had known what would they say when the Qiblah would be changed. Therefore, He had told the Prophet (saws) about that in a recited Qur’an. If they had not said a word when the Qiblah was changed, this would have proved the falsehood of the Holy Qur’an. Nevertheless, they would say exactly as Allah (swt) had told that it would be, because the knowledge of Allah (swt)  is disclosing.

The answer to their question: (What has turned them away from their Qiblah, which they used to face?“) is:

 (Say, “To Allah belongs the east and the west. He guides whom He wills to a straight path).

Allah (swt) is not limited in time or place. We do not say about Allah (swt): where and how:

…  { وَهُوَ مَعَكُمْ أَيْنَ مَا كُنتُمْ }

(… and He is with you wherever you are) (Al-Hadid: 4))

Allah (swt) is nearer to us than our jugular vein. The manifestations of Allah (swt) are in everywhere and in all directions. When you want to be disciplined in a worship, Allah (swt) will set you the path and the rite.

The rite is the path of worship. Therefore, if Allah (swt) sets it in this direction, you should turn to it. You do not turn towards the Ka‘ba or Al-Aqsa Mosque for their sanctity only. However, the sanctity of the Ka‘ba or the Al-Aqsa Mosque comes from Allah’s command to face them, and if He had not ordered that, they would have been buildings and stones just like other buildings.

‘Umar Ibn Al-Khaṭṭᾱb (May Allah be pleased with him) kissed the Black Stone, and then said: “By Allah, had I not seen the Messenger of Allah (swt) kissing you, I would not have kissed you”. It is a stone, which can neither benefit nor injure. In the rituals of pilgrimage, the messenger of Allah (swt) taught us to kiss a stone (which is the Black Stone), and he ordered us to throw stones (pebbles) in Mina. What is the value of a stone? Is it stone’s worship! Alternatively, is it meant by the stone the symbol? You obey because of Allah’s command and the act of obedience, and if you obey for the effective cause (al-‘illah), then you are not worshiping Allah (swt). An example for this would be, when you are asked not to eat sweets (and you know that sweets harm you because you have diabetes), or not to drink wine because it harms you, or not to eat pork because it contains the pork tapeworm (Taenia solium) then, if you obey these orders because these things harm you, then your obedience is not a worship.

The worship is when you obey the command without knowing the effective cause of it, only then, this is a belief and obedience. Wherefore, Allah (swt) has revealed a side of wisdom in things, and hid it in many things, so that obedience becomes pure to Allah (swt).

When Allah (swt) obligated the ‘Fajr’ prayer, He obligated it two (Rak‘ah). Why did not He make it three Rak‘ah? Circumambulating the Ka‘ba (Ṭawᾱf) is seven circuits. Why not eight? Kiss this stone and throw that stone… Here, when you obey and abide by the commands, you are obeying the Commander. Likewise, when Allah (swt) commanded the angels to prostrate before Adam (pbuh) by saying:

}وَإِذْ قُلْنَا لِلْمَلَائِكَةِ اسْجُدُوا لِآدَمَ فَسَجَدُوا إِلَّا إِبْلِيسَ أَبَىٰ وَاسْتَكْبَرَ وَكَانَ مِنَ الْكَافِرِينَ{

(And [mention] when We said to the angels, “Prostrate before Adam”; so they prostrated, except for Iblees. He refused and was arrogant and became of the disbelievers) (Al-Baqarah: 34)

All the Angels prostrated pursuant to the order of Allah (swt) and in obedience to Him. They did not prostrate in obedience to Adam (pbuh). They did that in obedience to the Lord of Adam (pbuh). As for Iblees, he rejected the command of Allah (swt), and returned the command to the Commander. Therefore, it is not necessary to know the effective cause of the obedience and worship. Rather, it is important to obey the Commander of the command. If you know it, that is well and good, and if you do not know it, it is sufficient to know that Allah (swt) is the Commander.

Allah (swt) has answered them:

(Say, to Allah belongs the east and the west. He guides whom He wills to a straight path.)

The path: is the road.

Straight: The shortest route between two points, and the shortest way to reach the desired end.