“Euzubillahiminesheytanirracim.
“Bismillahirrahmanirrahim”
Dear friends, today we continue our Qur’an lessons with the verse 140.
140 – Em tekulune inne ibrahime ve ismaiyle ve ishaka ve ya’kube vel esbata kanu huden ev nesara* kul e entum a’lemu emillah* ve men azlemu mimmen keteme shehadeten indehu minellah* ve mallahu bi gafilin amma ta’melun.
Or are you claiming that Abraham and Ishmael and Isaac and Jacob and his descendants were Jews or Christians? Say, “Are you more knowing or is Allah?” Who can be more unjust than one who conceals the testimony of Allah? Allah, as the innermost essential reality of your being, is not unaware of what you do. (A.Hulusi)
Or do ye say that Abraham, Ismail, Isaac, Jacob and the Tribes were Jews or Christians? Say: Do ye know better than Allah. Ah! who is more unjust than those who conceal the testimony they have from Allah. But Allah is not unmindful of what ye do! (Abdullah Yusuf Ali)
Em tekulune inne ibrahime ve ismaiyle ve ishaka ve ya’kube vel esbata Or… you sons of Israel who became jewminded… Do you claim that Abraham, Ismael, Isaac, Jacob and their descendants kanu huden were jews? Or you christians… ev nesara Do you say all those prophets were christians? Kul Answer them. e entum a’lemu emillah Do you know better or does Allah know better? ve men azlemu mimmen keteme shehadeten indehu minellah Who can be more unjust than those who conceal a knowledge or testimony they have from Allah. ve mallahu bi gafilin amma ta’melun Don’t you forget that Allah is not unmindful of what you do.
The first sentence of this verse reveals a claim. A claim which was given by Jews and Christians and the target of this verse by that sense. They were saying, “All arrived prophets until this day from the beginning were christians or jews. Because they were the descendants of Abraham and Isaac and other names written above. At least these were the examples of their claims. And for the need of answering of all these claims, Qur’an rejects that kind of clasification altogether. Because this claim is wrong by historical informations.
It’s commonly known that the belief named “Jewism” is founded by a great ancestor named “Patriarch” from the history of jews and many many years after the prophet Moses. The rising of the name “Jew” is in fact centuries after the demise of Prophet Moses. A belief system named Jewism didn’t exist at the era of Moses.
Imagine that. You will name a person as the founder of a belief and yet the name of this belief won’t be used for centuries. This is a historical fact.
And the name christianism… It’s also a certain knowledge that the name christianism hadn’t been used at the era of Jesus and 12 apostates. The name Christ is in fact a fictional named derived from Jesus’s name. And this name was began to used after the death of the last apostate. Especially after the Paul’s religious mentality was added inside the Jesus’s belief system. So historically that claim above is also wrong.
And second; it contradicts with the truth. Because all prophets are Islam prophets. And the messages they delivered were all islamic messages. They all came from the same source.
So Qur’an reminds a basic fact to the people who have the claims of believing some other celestial message. Through the entire story of humanity on earth, there have been a single true religion. It is Islam. There’s no truth beside that religion. So if you want to call people to something, don’t call them the Christianism, Mosevism, Jewism; call them to Islam. Look, Muhammad hasn’t been calling you to be Muhammadi. Muhammad calls you to be Muslim. He calls you to Abraham. Your great ancestor. To walk on the path of Abraham, the path of submission. And by the essence of truth, the belief system Muhammad delivered is in fact the same belief systems of Moses and Jesus’s systems which you claim to be following. Because of that, last prophet didn’t call you to himself, he called you to yourselves.
Come to your senses, o sons of Israel who became jewminded. Come to yourselves o the community of Jesus, who became Christians. Turn to your origins. If you turn back to your sources, you would come back to me as well. Because I’m the brother of Moses and Jesus which you have claims of following. I delivered the match of Tora and Bible which you have claims of reading even after corrupting them. That’s why this is a call for come back. A call for returning to yourselves. Again what’s the incident of concealing the testimony we read in this verse?
ve men azlemu mimmen keteme shehadeten indehu minellah Who can be more unjust than those who conceal a testimony, an information? Asks Qur’an. What’s this testimony, you might ask. It’s clear. The message of the arrival of the Prophet Muhammad. This was the testimony. We stayed on this topic on our tafsirs of the verses 42 and 86. Those who have curiosity on this matter may check those verses for details. But I should remind you right here that there were many hints and references both in Tora and Bible about the arrival of Rasulallah. That’s why both jews and christians were waiting for this new prophet. Especially jews in particular; they have claims about the name of the location for this new prophets arrival.
And yet they became the very first enemies for this new prophet. Because this new prophet wasn’t from their bloodlines. They weren’t waiting for a prophet, they were waiting for a national leader who would deliver them to salvation and rescue their race. Truth wasn’t a problem for them. The Allah’s path wasn’t a concern for them. They were in wait for a national leader who will save themselves from the pinch and gather them from being outcast, crashed and banished all over the world.
And when the Prophet arrives from the sons of Ismael; not sons of Isaac… They were cousins by nature. Sons of uncles. Both Ismael and Isaac were the sons of Abraham. But when the prophethood passed to the other branch of their great fathers, they became the first to deny.
141 – Tilke ummetun kad halet* leha ma kesebet ve lekum ma kesebtum* ve la tus’elune amma kanu ya’melun.
That was a community that has passed on. (The consequence of) what they earned is theirs, and what you earn will be yours! You will not be called to account about what they used to do. (A.Hulusi)
That was a people that hath passed away. They shall reap the fruit of what they did, and ye of what ye do! Of their merits there is no question in your case. (Abdullah Yusuf Ali)
Tilke ummetun kad halet They were a community. They came and passed. Lived and moved on. leha ma kesebet ve lekum ma kesebtum What they earned is theirs and what your earned is yours. ve la tus’elune amma kanu ya’melun You definitely won’t be hold responsible for what they had done.
As you remember we studied this verse in our previous lessons. Because it arrived once more. So if you ask they have the same meaning, same purpose of this verse here and there, well, here’s my answer. Definitely not. Despite the spellings are exactly the same, that doesn’t necessarily mean giving the same message. In the verse before;
Tilke ummetun kad halet* leha ma kesebet ve lekum ma kesebtum* ve la tus’elune amma kanu ya’melun (Baqarah/134) The attention was on Jews. Especially on the deeds they have done. The concept was good predecessors. As in; they were bragging about their passed ancestors and prophets from their bloodlines. But when we look at this verse, the previous sentences concept; Who can be more unjust than those who conceal the testimony of Allah?
A great shame is revealed, a shame which was made by their ancestors, their grand fathers. It’s been said now that, “You are their children too. And we won’t hold you responsible for what they had done, for concealing the testimony of Allah as well. Their deeds were their own. But you; be men, correct yourselves. Don’t commit the same crimes of them. You’re not responsible with the same crime yet.” This has to be the message.
The previous same verse before, emphasis on the pointlessness of criticising children with their bad ancestors or glorifing children with their great bloodlines. But here the emphasis is on saying; children won’t be hurt for their bad ancestors evil deeds. There won’t be a responsibility over children for their wrong-doer fathers actions.
At this point I open a parentheses and briefly mention about the word “BASTARD”. The concept of bastard is a false concept from the very beginning. This concept has no place within Islam. If this word is used as an insult; how can you blame a child for what his mother and fathers sins? So, there are no bastards in Islam. The criminal and sinner is not the child. The sinners are their mother and father who put that child up to this. If his mother and father committed a crime, if they fornicated; you cannot give this sin to a child and want him to pay their insteads. Therefore there are no concept of bastard in islamic literature.
142 – Se yekulus sufehau minen nasi ma vellahum anibletihimulleti nasi ma vellahum an kibletihimulleti kanu aleyha* kul lillahil meshriku vel magrib* yehdi mey yeshau ila siratim mustekiym.
Among the people there are those with limited understanding and a wretched state of life, who say “What (excuse) has turned them away from their old qiblah (i.e. from Jerusalem to Kaaba)?” Say, “To Allah belongs the east and the west. He enables the realization that leads to one’s innermost reality for whom he wills (sirat al-mustaqeem).” (A.Hulusi)
The fools among the people will say: “What hath turned them from the Qibla to which they were used?” Say: To Allah belong both East and West: He guideth whom He will to a way that is straight. (Abdullah Yusuf Ali)
Se yekulus sufehau minen nasi ma vellahum anibletihimulleti nasi ma vellahum an kibletihimulleti kanu aleyha Some narrow mindeds and some simple men will say; “What made them turn away from their old Qibla? What’s the reason now?” Kul, Answer them; lillahil meshriku vel magrib East belongs to Allah, so does West.
Now, the first sentence of this verse is about Qibla. Actually all the mentionings above about Abraham is to pull the speech to this topic. Qibla was a big revolution in first Islamic community. Because there are many motives laying in the background of Qibla situation; social, political, economical and of course religious motives… And when you put them altogether, it’s not unusual that the change of Qibla was considered as a revolution. But there’s a new community and for a new community, a new center is a necessity. A new Qibla.
Actually the change of Qibla, represents this. From this day, the heir of earth will be those who show their faiths to the last prophet. The change of Qibla have this meaning. And for that reason, Jews were the most touchy and resentful group of all about this change of Qibla. It almost like, the value they were entrusted with was taken from them. Like; “Give back the duty, give back the eternal trust, you betrayed it.” And just like that the Qibla was turned from Jerusalem to Kaaba.
With this verse, people who lived in the era (which the Qibla hadn’t changed yet) were prepared for the change. All people; from friends to foes. They were being prepared for this revolution psychologically. And they were told; kul lillahil meshriku vel magrib Tell them that the East belongs to Allah, so does the West. In essence, the change of Qibla is nothing. People cannot embrace the virtue just by facing right or left.
Leysel birra en tuvellu vucuhekum You facing to one way or another doesn’t hold a virtue. kibelel meshriki vel magribi Turning to East or West won’t ever be a merit. ve lakinnel birra But the real virtue lays with the virtue of those who show their faiths. Says the verse 177/Baqarah.
So, as a plain building, Qibla doesn’t hold a holy essence. Because true believers were making their prays by facing Jerusalem before. After the Hejira; for 16 months in Madina… Before Hejira however, in Mecca the prays were executed by facing Kaaba. But from my research I reached a conclusion that even when facing Kaaba as Qibla, Rasulallah was making his prays in the padio of Kaaba, he was putting Kaaba between him and Jerusalem and by that he was making his prays by facing both Qiblas. But facing Jerusalem alone was begun after the Hajira and lasted for 16 months.
For Jews and sons of Israel’s prophets the Qibla was Jerusalem. More specifically the Stone of Foundation (a.k.a Pierced Stone or Stone of Limbo) in Jerusalem… This location marker The Foundation Stone is now protected by an octagonal case. But as an area marker the Jerusalem situation is that showcase photos of an octagonal building and it’s not the holy praying grounds in Jerusalem we are talking. As in it’s not the praying building, Prophet Solomon was made built and later destroyed and with the conquest of Omar rebuilt.
This is a commonly known mistake. The building, the structure we may see in calendars and posters, the octagonal building stationed in Jerusalem is the Pierced Stone. And that was the center taken as Qibla by muslims for 16 months. That Qibla was the Qibla of all Israelian prophets as well.
Of course now Qibla was turned towards Kaaba. That was an intense exam. Can you imagine what this exam meant? How humiliating for an arab to face towards Jerusalem; Jew’s Qibla while he was executing his prays?An arab who knows he’s the descendant of Abraham and lives in the lands of Abraham which also holds the oldest temple within. Beyt-ul Atik. Kaaba’s other name, the name we read in Qur’an… It means oldest and first temple. Beyt… The House of Independence. The House of Freedom. So you can understand the level of humiliation for an Arab to face Jerusalem as Qibla in that state.
In actuality, praying towards Jerusalem was for teaching manners of Arabs who were just become Muslims. And what an intense manners was it! Rabb of All Worlds was measuring their level of submission to Allah by that. Did they really submit to Allah or some stones, rocks or buildings? Remember we read the verses of Abraham’s submissions in our previous lessons.
So why this verse arrived right after those? Those verses; and think about the first community who had contact with those. Think about the community who read and live those verses as first. Those verses was teaching manners to those people who read them and by that preparing them for something. Preparing them for something called submission. Because Incident of Qibla was a magnicifent revolution and a great exam.
Like I said, at first this act was insulting for an arab. Their own Qibla was there, beytullah was there, The Kaaba which was build by Abraham with his own hands was right under your noses and yet you have to face Jerusalem and make your prays. That’s how Allah tested them. “Do you show your faiths and make commitments to follow him; because of your submission to Allah or just for a nationalist agenda? Let’s see it.”
There were some who couldn’t pass it, of course. They were officially joined the ranks of hypocrites by that, those who failed.
And of course when all were facing Jerusalem for prays, dualists were saying; “Look, Muhammad left his ancestors qibla. He even claims he is from Abraham’s religion, from Abraham’s bloodline. He says “I came to rejuvenate the religion of Abraham.” And yet he turns his back on his ancestor Abraham’s qibla and faces Jerusalem for his worshippings.” They were saying those.
Hypocrites were saying something similar. They were saying, “Alas, he doesn’t even know where to point us, this man will lead us to salvation?”
Jews were saying; “He shuns our beliefs and yet he faces to our qibla.”
They were all saying things like that. None of them said, “Great job, you did well.” Actually you might expect something like that from Jews. Because he faces to your qibla, that means he doesn’t close the door for you. He backs the message, Moses delivered. He defends it. Don’t you suppose to appreciate these acts, o sons of Israel who became jewminded. But because of their jewish manners, their concerns weren’t about showing faith to Hakk. Their concerns were all and all about producing excuses.
And again they were creating more excuses. kul lillahil meshriku vel magrib Tell them, East belongs to Allah, so does West. You should ask them finger or the moon. Both directions belong to Allah, so those who have excuses… “For the change of Qibla, Are you looking to just the finger, while the finger was pointing to the moon? Or are you really looking for the moon. If your problem lays within the concepts of East or West, South or North; if you think it’s all about a rock in Jerusalem or a humble building in Mecca; then you are looking to finger while the finger is trying to get your attention to the moon. If your real concern is Allah’s will, then turn your faces where Allah shows to you. Because Allah is testing your submissions. Which direction may have a more holy nature than the others? All directions were sacred, because all of them are Allah’s directions. So by that logic, what makes an item or a direction holy, is it’s creator Allah. You won’t face a direction because of that directions own celestial nature. You will do that because Allah orders you to.”
That’s what it means on submission. If you are loyal to your faiths of Abraham, if you are sincere about your bragging about your “Abraham is our great ancestor.” claims, let’s see you bringing your faiths to Allah or a rock. Only Allah give a holy essence to things. If Allah blessed an item, that item is holy. And even if all worlds come together to oppose it, none can take back its celestial nature. But if Allah doesn’t bless an item, then even if all worlds consider it holy, cannot pass the level of superstitions.
yehdi mey yeshau ila sıratim mustekiym Allah turns whoever He wills, to the right path.
There’s a connection establishes between qibla and the right path. Actually turning qibla to Abraham’s Kaaba, was an official sign. A sign that the Rasulallah, the last Prophet and the completor of Islam, really brings a universal message like the message Abraham had delivered. Because almost all celestial religions have Abraham in their fundamentals. And by turning to Abraham’s Qibla, the emphasis was made on the new sheria (law) does indeed a universal one.
143 – Ve kezalike cealnakmum ummetev vesetal li tekunu shuhedae alen nasi ve yekuner rasulu aleykum shehida* ve ma cealnel kibletelleti kunte aleyha illa li na’leme mey yettebiur rasule mimmey yenkalibu ala akibeyh* ve in kanet le kebiraten illa alellezine hedellah* ve ma kanellahu li yudiy’a imanekum* innellahe bin nasi le raufur rahiym.
And thus we have made you a witness over the people and the Rasul a witness (an observer of the disclosure of the Names) over you. You are a just community (based on fairness and rightness). We changed the qiblah (direction) that you used to face to distinguish those who follow the Rasul from those who turn away and go back. This is very difficult for those other than whom Allah has guided. And never will Allah let your faith be fruitless. Indeed Allah is the Ra’uf and the Rahim, manifesting from the essence of man. (A.Hulusi)
Thus, have We made of you an Ummah justly balanced, that ye might be witnesses over the nations, and the Messenger a witness over yourselves; and We appointed the Qibla to which thou wast used, only to test those who followed the Messenger from those who would turn on their heels (from the Faith). Indeed it was (a change) momentous, except to those guided by Allah. And never would Allah Make your faith of no effect. For Allah is to all people Most surely full of kindness, Most Merciful. (Abdullah Yusuf Ali)
Ve kezalike cealnakmum ummetev vesetal And thus, We have made you a balanced community. (Or We want you to be a balanced community)
Let’s focus on that part of this verse. A balanced community. Why? A connection has been establishing between turning to Kaaba, Abraham’s Qibla and becoming a balanced community. A connection and a reasonable a logical one indeed. What’s the reason of this logical connection then?
The word vesetal here, means middle. As a literal translation. But that doesn’t mean mediocre or an inbetween. Because as you now islamic community didn’t commune between Moses and Jesus community. They arrived after them.
Then this middle road, this balance is a balance of what? To be exact I believe translating this word as balanced should be a perfect match for the sake of the meaning. That’s why I translated like this.
So; what’s the reason for a balanced community? A community which doesn’t treat religion as only a conscience matter or condemn it to a simple moral business like Christians; or doesn’t turn the religion into a series of ceremonies and strip down the love from it like Jews. A community which doesn’t stone to death their own prophets like Jews or turning into a god-like figure like Christians. A community which doesn’t create a religion theocracy managed nation like Jews or a religiousless managed nation like Christians. Also a balanced community, without creation an understanding of humanising Allah like Jews usually did. Yes; you can see this sick understanding when you read Tora, corrupted Tora to be exact. You can easily see an Allah figure demoted to a humanic, matter nature. On top of that Tora says; their great ancestor The Prophet Jacob whose nickname was Israel, once wrestled with Allah. Yes; wrestled with Allah and beat Allah down. Woe.! As you can see a humanised Allah understanding is present in Jewism.
So without turning Allah into a human figure, like Jews did or without turning a human to a god, like Christians did. A balanced community. That’s the real meaning of balanced. A balance of emotions, balance of thoughts, balance of actions. That’s why Islam is a religion of Justice and Sobriety. This community neither follows the road of Christianic understandings nor Jewic understandings; this community follows the road of Abraham’s community.
That’s for Ve kezalike cealnakmum ummetev vesetal Thus, have We made of you a community justly balanced; li tekunu shuhedae alen nasi ve yekuner rasulu aleykum shehida So that you may be leader, example and guide to humanity. Shuheda a meaning of this word is a model, an example. To be a model of mankind. ve yekuner rasulu aleykum shehida And we have assigned Rasul as a model, an example, a witness for you. Take what you see from Rasulallah so that you may be an example for people. So that you become a model community.
One of the previous verse and this verse have two similar concepts. The words Imam and Ummet have a very close relations. I stood on both of these Imam and Ummet words before. I said Imam is the mother of Ummet (Community) and Ummet is the mother of mankind. So this is the requirement of how to be a mother of humanity as a community.
li tekunu shuhedae alen nas If you want to be a mother community for mankind, then be a model community. Be an example. That’s how to be a witness for them, that’s how you can be shehiyd for them. This is the meaning of shehiyd. To be a community who witness to the Imam of humanity and to be a witness over mankinds submission for Allah. That community may take the title of shehiyd.
Whan asked to humanity; “O the family of mankind; o earths nations, could this community be a model for you? Did they show submission to Allah? Did they call you to constant values of life? Could they be able to live Allah’s orders within their lives? Could this community manage to execute Allah’s orders and commands on earth?”, if earth nations replied with; “Yes, o Rabb. We witnessed. We are witnesses.” They this community may take the title of shehiyd. A community which can have the witness of earths entire humans for its submission.
And Imam? Imam is the mother of such a community. ve yekuner rasulu aleykum shehida Mother of a leader and model community. Like I said before; Imam and Ummet come from the same root.
ve ma cealnel kibletelleti kunte aleyha illa li na’leme mey yettebiur rasule mimmey yenkalibu ala akibeyh We changed the qibla that you used to face to distinguish those who follow the Rasul and resist; from those who turn away on their heels and go back. The reason of the change is to seperate the weaks, the ones who turn away from Allah’s command and break his promise to Allah, from those who are loyal to the Prophet and follow the right path. We did this, so that it’s been knows who is who.
Now the explanations above became much clearer. You can understand what a great revolution, this change of qibla incident. Looks like there were some who went astray, who couldn’t handle the change and turn back from faith. And by the looks of it, they weren’t a few. They were many and became hypocrites. Because they couldn’t take it anymore. Like some said; “He doesn’t even know where to direct us. That man; will point us the right path of salvation!” Because of this deep feelings they couldn’t handle the faith and turn back from it.
Some Jews had said; “He directs everyone to our Qibla and yet he finds our way, wrong and invites to himself.”
And hypocrites had said; “He says he’s rejuvenating Abraham’s beliefs but he turns his back from Abraham’s qibla.”
So now he’s turning back to Kaaba: Those who criticized him all the way; did they feel ashamed and apologized? No way, they are factories of excuses. They came up something new this time. Once muslims turn their faces to Kaaba as qibla, this time they said; “Let’s just wait. Now he turns to his ancestors qibla, tomorrow he will turn his ancestors religions. Eventually he will reach our beliefs.”
This is what wanted to meant here. We changed the qibla that you used to face to distinguish those who follow the Rasul and resist from those who turn away on their heels and go back.
We understand from the expression of turning you back to your old qibla; the prophet and true believers with him were all facing Kaaba as qibla in their days of Mecca. And their 16 months period, 16 months process where they lived in Madina and facing Jerusalem as their qibla was a small gap, a few counted times between two parantheses, which had a wisdom behind it for sure. First of all the faith was been tested for both the true believers to prophet and Jews. And they were both short for excuses anymore.
ve in kanet le kebiraten illa alellezine hedellah Yes, like I said, the verse explains the situation with the exact same words. “Without a doubt this was a hard exam.” le kebiraten illa alellezine hedellah Say; This is very difficult for those other than whom Allah has guided.
ve ma kanellahu li yudiy’a imanekum And never will Allah let your faith be vain and fruitless. Old translators were saying with this verses meaning; faith here is namaz (prays) and they deliver a reason about it.
There were some true believers who died before this verse arrived and qibla was changed like the ones in the battle of Bedir. And when their relatives and close friends were asking the prophet about their prays; “What happened to the prays of those who passed away, o Rasulallah?”; this verse gave them the reply before Rasulallah answered them. This is the reason we read about this situation.
I however see here that the verse talks about faith clearly. And I don’t want to shackle this verse, this sentence to a reason of deliverence like this. I don’t want to sacrifice the depth of this verse to a story of reasoning like this. So again;
ve ma kanellahu li yudiy’a imanekum And never will Allah let your faith be vain and fruitless. As in; after such a fierce and heavy test, Allah won’t abandon the faiths of those who resist with their faiths. This is what saying here.
This test is almost more difficult than the Battles of Bedir and Uhud. Because here the people were been tested with their social enviroments. They were tested with their ancestors. With their fossilized superstitious commitments.
Imagine this test would be executed today. Direct people who have the most commitment; maybe to the lands of theirs, on the top of their nationalism. Direct them to the qibla of their enemies. Just the see their reactions, just to test them. And then watch them.
So you may understand the situations of Arabs when they were ordered to turn to Jerusalem as qibla. Understand the depth of hardness of this exam. On top of that, Arabs are a nation who are full of nationalism and clan-based idologies to the bone. Their only values were their ancestors before Islam. The values of their ancestor were also their values. This verse almost broke these bonds with the change of qibla. An act of breaking the bonds of their ancestors religions, their ancestoral commitments and make new bonds to Allah.
innellahe bin nasi le raufur rahiym For Allah is to all people Most surely full of kindness, Most Merciful.
144 – Kad nera tekallube vechike fis semai fe lenuvelliyenneke kibleten terdaha* fevelli vecheke shatnal mescidil haram* ve haysu ma kuntum fevellu vucuhekum shatrah* ve innellezine utul kitabe le ya’lemune ennehul hakku mir rabbihim* vemallahu bi gafilin amma ya’melun.
We see the turning of your face (how you change from state to state in observation of the reality) towards heaven. (Based on ‘So wherever you turn, there is the Face of Allah’ why should one necessarily be bound to Jerusalem when one can turn to the Kaaba to which Abraham invited…) We will surely turn you to a qiblah with which you will be pleased. So turn your face (your observation of the Reality) toward al-Masjid al-Haram (Kaaba – absolute nothingness – the unknown – unmanifest). And wherever you are, turn your faces toward Him (align your consciousness with your essence). Indeed, those who have been given the Book (the knowledge of the reality and the sunnatullah) know well that it is the Truth from their Rabb. And Allah, as their innermost essential reality, is not unaware of what they do. (A.Hulusi)
We see the turning of thy face (for guidance) to the heavens: now Shall We turn thee to a Qibla that shall please thee. Turn then thy face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque: Wherever ye are, turn your faces in that direction. The People of the Book know well that that is the truth from their Lord. Nor is Allah unmindful of what they do. (Abdullah Yusuf Ali)
Kad nera tekallube vechike fis semai We see the turning of your face to the heavens. fe lenuvelliyenneke kibleten terdaha fevelli vecheke shatnal mescidil haram And now We shall turn you to a qibla that you shall please with. There were times prophet was turning his eyes to heavens and pray for his wishes. “O Rabb, when will we face to Kaaba as our qibla?” He was praying Allah with all his heart to face Abraham’s qibla.
Can you imagine? Abraham’s qibla was in the hands of infidels by that time and there were 360 clay idols in it. So when to order of facing back to Kaaba had arrived, more were gone astray to the path of hypocrisy. Reason; “Kaaba was the qibla of those idols as well. Hadn’t we fought with them, hadn’t we battled them with our lives before? Hadn’t they banished us from our homelands? So we shall face their qibla in our prays now?” See the weight of the test?
For that the verse above has a better understanding now. le kebiraten a harsh test. Except those whom Allah show them the right path, this was a harsh test for everyone. Harsh indeed.
fevelli vecheke shatral mescidil haram Turn your face towards the Mesjid-i Haram. Shatral, means “that way, towards, to that direction.” Some scribes say if this particular word hadn’t arrived within this verse then for everyone who wishes to pray to Allah facing Kaaba directly would become an absolute must. And without the exact facing, the pray wouldn’t be admissible. But because of this word, facing towards Kaaba, facing to the direction of Kaaba do suffice. So basically facing the land of Kaaba is enough for a pray to be counted as admissible.
The law behind this verse has a source of action course about the facing process. This is a commonly known fact among specialists. On the facing process to Kaaba as qibla, the proofs are derived from this verse and the following ones. The fact is for those who has Kaaba within his eyesight, Kaaba is the exact qibla; obviously. For those who live in the area of Masjid-i Haram but not have a visual, the qibla is the area of Masjid-i Haram. For those who live outside the city zone, the qibla becomes the Mecca. And for those who live in other continents, qibla is the Arab Peninsula. If we start to live in space then qibla becomes the Earth and if one day there would be muslim residents, followers of Islam, submission givers to Muhammad (p.b.u.h.) in other galaxies, qibla would turn to our solar system and our Milky Way Galaxy. The facing process follows a magnificent spiral path, just like a stones creation of waves in the sea when it is dropped. Wave by wave from a certain center to a wider area. So; to those who are in the zone; qibla is the exact building of Kaaba.
If you get further from the center to the peripheral, qible starts to become a direction, rather than a specific location. Actually qibla is an element of unity. An element of creating an ummet as a whole; this qibla is. Could there be a community without a qibla, a direction? So facing to qibla or with the common knowledge of Islamic scholars “Being the Ehl-i Kibla (Qibla People)” expression is the largest boundry to identify and define the community of Islam. And the principle of “Ehl-i Qibla cannot be turned to infidelity” is based on the principle of facing to a certain qibla.
Every person who turns to Kaaba as his directions for praying is generally considered a muslim, a member of islamic community. So sorting someone out by the first look for his nature is whether a muslim or not, qibla is the first fundametal measure. For that reason Qibla is the essential component to make a community as a whole unity and very important for this nature. If Allah hasn’t informed us where to face, then there would be countless qiblas and directions. And indirectly, religions uniting value, its function couldn’t be carried. But as you know, all religions have a uniting function. They unite human groups together. They unite them around a feeling, a target, a thought, an action. And the symbol of this uniting is always a Qibla. Facing the same Qibla, same direction gives a person an incredible feeling.
Think about it. When you execute your prays, there are millions of yellow, black, white, European,Asian, African, American brothers and sisters face the same direction as you turn. Millions, hundreds of millions people have the same excitement, same feeling as you have. Thinking, feeling that all those people are bowing down and prostrating the same Qibla you pray. This is the feeling of a muslim to see himself as a universal human. Every true believer is a universal human for him. You have millions of brothers and sisters on Earth. Qibla gives this feeling to a person.
ve haysu ma kuntum fevellu vucuhekum shatrah Wherever you may be, turn your faces to that direction.
This is an order. A Qibla order. Came as specific for the prophet and generally for the entire true believers community. You can see this type of dual formed commands in Qur’an, but very few. Though as the sake of basic action ruling, an order given to the prophet specifically, (if not just for him and him alone, and that ruling may be commonly known as a bond for all parties, not just the prophet himself), it bonds all true believers. This is what means for the ruling of actions. But even after that, a second order is formed with a generally bonding nature. Wherever you may be, turn your faces to that direction.
This expression represents the sharpness of the order. Precise, clear and bulletproof order. Also we might say this basing on that fact; The Qibla Situation’s echos in that era had a huge impact indeed. We can see this clearly now.
[Additional Info: “Vech” means face. But it’s not the head, or figure or visage as we know it. That is not the meaning we read here. The word is about our “inner face”.
For example we might say for a person; “two faced”. What is the “two faced” expression here means? We may use other expressions like “split personality” or “thousand faced”. As a multi personality meaning.
“Vech” means the face of personality. We may call this a spiritual face. Also calling it as a “thought based identity of a person” is suited too. All in all, it has a meaning of “mind personality”. (A. Hulusi/What did Muhammad read)]
ve innellezine utul kitabe le ya’lemune ennehul hakku mir rabbihim The People of the Book know well that that this order is the truth from their Rabb.
Red handed, Allah caught them red handed. Right on the crime. Qur’an says that they knew this order was coming from Allah. So if you ask why did they resist, even with a certain knowledge; I can answer that with one word only. The problem is FAITH.
Knowing is never be enough alone. One must believe. If only just knowing would be enough. In the society, prophet was sent to; almost every infidel knew that the prophet was a sincere person, a real prophet who was sent by Allah, the message he delivered was genuine and all in all a true living leader. They knew it and they were denying him. So problem is something more than just knowing. It’s a problem of believing. So Allah says, “If someone resists the incident of Qibla’s change and ask you the reason of your turn from this qibla to the other one you used before; know that they weren’t asking something they didn’t know. They knew the answer already. The question represents the objection to oppose Allah.”
vemallahu bi gafilin amma ya’melun Yes, the same expression came with the form of Ta’melun before. vemallahu bi gafilin amma ya’melun. This time it’s ya’melun. Allah is not unaware of what they do. Ta’melun form comes with a meaning of “Allah is not unaware of what you do.” It seems like they were thinking that Allah is unaware of their inner thinkings and some objections of their minds. They were thinking that Allah didn’t know what was staying within their hearts. Wasn’t that a problem of faith, don’t you think? Allah informs that that all things they were trying to hide in their hearts are very well known.
145 – Ve le in eteytellezine utul kitabe bi kulli ayetim ma tebiu kibletek, ve ma ente bi tabiin kibletehum, ve ma ba’duhum bi tabiin kiblete ba’d, ve leinitteba’te ehvaehum mim ba’di ma caeke minel ilmi inneke izel le minez zalimin.
And if you were to bring all the verses to those who were given the Book (the knowledge that guides to the reality), they will still not follow your qiblah! Nor will you be a follower of their qiblah. (In fact) they will not follow each other’s qiblah either. So if you follow their desires (ideas and wants formed by their conditionings) after what has come to you of knowledge, indeed, you would surely be among the wrongdoers. (A.Hulusi)
Even if thou wert to bring to the People of the Book all the Signs (together), they would not follow thy Qibla; nor art thou going to follow their Qibla; nor indeed will they follow each other’s Qibla. If thou after the knowledge hath reached thee, Wert to follow their (vain) desires,- then wert thou Indeed (clearly) in the wrong. (Abdullah Yusuf Ali)
Ve le in eteytellezine utul kitabe bi kulli ayetim ma tebiu kibletek Even if you were to bring to the People of the Book all the evidences, they wouldn’t follow your Qibla; Vema ente bi tabiin kibletehum And you wouldn’t follow their Qibla. What more interesting is ve ma ba’duhum bi tabiin kiblete ba’d Just like they wouldn’t follow your Qibla, they wouldn’t follow each others Qibla’s as well.
To understand the depth of this truth, I should inform you about a historical explanation. In the first era of Christianism, worshippings were made facing east. And Jews have been doing their prays by facing the Hacer-ul Muallak (Foundation Stone) in Jerusalem. By calling them like “Those who won’t even turn to each others qiblas, how can they call you to become a Jew or a Christian?” The message above becomes more clear with that statement.
ve leinitteba’te ehvaehum mim ba’di ma caeke minel ilmi If you; after all that knowledge, certain proofs have reached you, were to follow their desires and egos; inneke izel le minez zalimin then without a doubt, certainly you will become a wrong-doer to yourself as well; if you follow their empty and vain desires.
This is a scolding. And yet this scolding is an answer too. Because some were in assumption of facing to Jerusalem at first place was an act of making peace and melting the ice between Jews and themselves. So naturally they were saying; “Look, look. As soon as Muhammad came to Madina, he turned to Jews Qibla, just to see cute in their eyes.”
There’s no verse in Qur’an to order the first qibla change, the one who make the muslims turn to Jerusalem at first place. We cannot see a verse like that. So if you ask; “This order was a direct order from Allah to Prophet?”, my humble answer would be yes. And as a follow up question; “Then where is the documented proof of this order, where is the text?”, I answer you with this “That order wasn’t a written one. Not all orders were Qur’an based verses between Allah and the Prophet. Like this one. This one was an action-based order.” So as you can understand Prophet was taking action based orders too, as well as the written Qur’an based verses. “So why do you assume something like that?” if you may ask. Well, the verse above is my proof. A prophet who in every time look for the heavens, turn his eyes to skies everytime to change his Qibla to the first one back again; may choose to change it to Jerusalem; a qibla which clearly wasn’t his; on his own, independently from Allah? So as you can see I believe that the facing Jerusalem as Qibla was not a text-based verse but an action based command taken directly from Allah.
At this point the debate of Written Revelations and Unwritten Revelations comes to the stage. I’m not going to argue about this now. But I myself know and believe that the prophet was taking direct action orders and news from Allah to his heart. Because we see a verse saying; “Several assassination attempts and news about the battles; Haven’t We informed you about them even not written in Qur’an?” For example the verse Tahkim/5 is one of them. But there are no verse about those incidents in Qur’an. So it’s safe to assume that some news were directly channeled to prophet from a celestial broadcast. And naturally he was taking some of them as action. I believe we should take the assessments within this frame.
Like I said before, some were claiming, “Look, look, he is facing Jews Qibla to appease them.” This claim was a product of “What would they say?” logic. But to be honest, if prophet was doing this for this “What would they say?” reason; he wouldn’t turn his face to Jerusalem in the first place. Because when doing such a change, wouldn’t a person think about his own lands people? A logic of “What would the first true believers say, wouldn’t they object changing their first and original qibla as Kaaba, for another one?” Someone with a “What would they say?” logic; might considered this first. And somewhat the change happened and qibla was turned to Jerusalem; wouldn’t a person with a weak mind say “Why should we change our qibla again?” So basically, by asking “What would they say?” question, one can only enter the path of wrong-doers desires.
I continue to translate. The verse says; ve leinitteba’te ehvaehum mim ba’di ma caeke minel ilmi If you; after all the knowledge have reached you, choose to follow their desires inneke izel le minez zalimin, then you become indeed among wrong-doers.
Following their hearts desires means acting with their anxiety. If Allah ordered something, what might their vain objections do? If someone put the “What would they say? question in front of the real “What is Allah saying?” question; then that person put them as gods in his heart instead of Allah. So if Allah says something, whatever the other parties comment about it, the verdict must be “Whatever Allah ordered.” The prophet showed us this attitude of submission.
[Additional Info: Even if you bring any kind of proof from their own books or a strong mental source about the truth of prophethood and Qibla is indeed Allah’s order; they won’t turn to your Qibla. Because they are blocked and veiled by their own religions and mental capacities. You won’t turn to their Qibla’s because your place is higher than their religions level. They won’t turn each others Qiblas as well. Because each of them veiled by their own beliefs. Because of the feelings rooted in their inner natures and the corruption of their educations, they always turn the opposite way.(Ibn Arabi / Tevilat)]
146 – Ellezine ateynahumul kitabe ya’rifunehu kema ya’rifune ebnaehum, ve inne ferikam minhum le yektumunel hakka ve hum ya’lemun
Some of those to whom We have given (the Book) Knowledge know Him, just as they know their own sons. But a group of them deliberately conceal the Truth. (A.Hulusi)
The People of the Book know this as they know their own sons; but some of them conceal the truth which they themselves know. (Abdullah Yusuf Ali)
Ellezine ateynahumul kitabe ya’rifunehu kema ya’rifune ebnaehum Those people whom We give the celestial message before; The People of the Book, recognize them like they recognize their own sons. To get a better understanding for this verse, we should look back the verse 76. We studied this concept. “Not just knowing; recognizing”. We may see in the verse 76. They saw the message about the arrival of Muhammad. In Tora and Bible there are hard proofs on this signs. This verse says “recognize”, not just know. They recognize it like they recognize their sons. In fact there’s a hadith we may look within this concepts frame.
One day Caliph Omar asked a question to Abdullah bin Selam who was once a famous Jewish rabbi and later convert to Islam and put his faith to Rasulallah. “Did you already know the arrival of him, before his time?” Bin Selam answered, “I swear to Allah, we were in recognition just like we recognize our own sons.” He even continued his sentence with this comment. “Who knows; maybe the mother of my child may lied to me about me being the father. So in fact I recognize Muhammad better than I recognize my own son.”
That’s why there’s a comparison here. The verse says they denied a prophet they recognized closely. They didn’t just deny a newly arrived prophet. They have gone against a prophet they knew, waited and recognized.
Almost all hard headed infidels who have been in denial throughout history, be in that state of mind not because they were incapable of recognizing the truth; they have been in denial because they became slaves for their egos, desires and demons. They are not oblivious to the truth. Most of them have known that the truth is indeed this. And they know that you are indeed on the right path. They know that the orders of Allah will bring joy for him and the entire humanity. They know. But with their jewminded heads, they become slaves for his desires and fall into denial with their roles as slaves of demons.
ve inne ferikam minhum le yektumunel hakka ve hum ya’lemun Most of them covered the truth intentionally. A similar verse came before. We translated it a few verses ago.
147 – Elhakku mir rabbike fe la tekunenne minel mumterin.
The Truth (the absolute and unequivocal reality) is from your Rabb (the output of the Name composition constituting one’s brain) so never be among the doubters (of this truth). (A.Hulusi)
The Truth is from thy Lord; so be not at all in doubt. (Abdullah Yusuf Ali)
Elhakku mir rabbike The truth is from your Rabb. As in the source of truth is only Allah. fe la tekunenne minel mumterin So don’t be among the ones who have doubts. The topic of this verse is the problem about the source of the truth. At first glance this sentence may seem like it is forced in the Qibla business. But this verse has deeper connections than this. We cannot take this verse solely about the Qibla situations. This verse holds the answer to one of the basic problems of humanity; the ontological problem of Truth’s Source. We might consider that the answer is brought to the center of Qibla business.
We can seperate whole answers about the truths source for humanity into two sections.
1- Celestial originated answers
2- Eartly originated answers
You know the celestial originated answer is one and only. The source of all truths is Allah. Truth is from Rabb. For that a true believer never search anywhere else for an answer about the source. He always search on the doorsteps to Allah.
By saying, search on the doorsteps to Allah, we aren’t just emphasising the search within the books sent down by Allah. Truth is always in the universe which is also created by Allah. Because every single creation is a verse from Allah. They are the unwritten ones. Also the truth stays within the walking verses of Allah; humans. The pure nature (fitrat) of humans are the sources of the truth by themselves. Therefore there are many forms of truth; written ones, living ones, unliving, walking and staying forms… So basically all the creations in universe is a reflection of the truth.
So; if we hold all the other answers together; what do they say? Actually it doesn’t matter what they say. Some say the source of truth is mind, some say the source is matter, some claim it must be idea, unseen sources. Also some have claims that the truth doesn’t exist, there is no truth behind the seen matter. Some sufists say the truth cannot be known and even if known, cannot be named, cannot be comprehended and explained. Also there are some total deniers in antic and modern era who choose the deny the truth altogether. Doesn’t matter though; because neither one of them may be stronger than the other. They are all the same. These are all denies to the truth. The ones who say the source of truth is mind, everything comes from the mind; are basically have the same origins about this matter who take the materialist vision and denying the truth. Because the source of Truth is Allah.
So, what about mind? Mind is the connection which bonds the source of the truth to humans. For that the word “Ak (Akil, a.k.a. mind) comes from the root of Ugaal. Meaning connection. The word akil or mind comes with the verbal meaning of connection. The connection which bonds the human with the source of truth. That’s why if you choose to take the tools as a purpose; than the real purpose becomes a tool in your life and that would be a huge insult to Allah.
148 – Ve li kulliv vichetun huve muvelliha festebikul hayrat* eyne ma tekunu ye’ti bikumullahu cemia* innellahe ala kulli shey’in kadir.
For everyone has a face pertaining to Him. So race towards good work (strive to know your self, the qualities comprising your essential reality). Wherever you may be, Allah, your essential reality, encompasses you. Indeed, Allah is Qadir over all things. (A.Hulusi)
To each is a goal to which Allah turns him; then strive together (as in a race) towards all that is good. Wheresoever ye are, Allah will bring you together. For Allah Hath power over all things. (Abdullah Yusuf Ali)
Ve li kulliv vichetun huve muvelliha festebikul hayrat Everyone has a direction he choose to face. Every community. Every society has a direction to which Allah turns them. For this “Huve” expression here, the translation I choose is; the direction (goal) to which Allah turns them. Other translations might not choose this angle. Some says; “Every society is given a Qibla.”. But here there’s a deeper association in this verse. Every nation has an agenda, a road.
festebikul hayrat And you, race towards to good. As in; if you want to compete with someone, then the goal shouldn’t be about facing a direction. This contest must be about virtue. A race of virtue, wisdom and goodness. So you should do that.
eyne ma tekunu ye’ti bikumullahu cemia Whereever you are, whereever you might be, Allah will surely gather you altogether. The message here is this; It doesn’t matter where you are, it doesn’t matter which direction you choose to face and which belief you find yourselves within; one day you will be brought to Allah’s domain and you will explain your beliefs, explain your denials, explain for the things you should believe and choose to deny. innellahe ala kulli shey’in kadir For Allah has power over all things.
Here; especially the beginning of this verse Ve li kulliv vichetun huve muvelliha a sentence saying “Every society have a direction to which Allah turns them. This sentence holds a reference to another verse, the verse Maida/48. We appointed a different way and system for every nation. There’s a certain similarity between this verse and the one we are studying right now. It almost says the reasoning behind all societies different agendas and different point of views, are in fact come from the human nature. But it’s not about some ideas about multiple versions of a truth. There’s a weakness in human nature, a weakness of straying out from the road. All corrupted agendas and goals from other nations are based on that weaknesses. This verse has actually explained that the reason behind deviation from the true path, comes from humans weaknesses. So that’s why you should race among yourselves in good instead.
149 – Ve min haysu haracte fevelli vecheke shatral mescidil haram* ve innehu lel hakku mir rabbik* ve mallahu bi gafilin amma ta’melun.
So from wherever (whatever thought; outlook) you set out from, turn your face (observation) toward al-Masjid al-Haram (the state in which the annihilation of multiplicity is experienced; the essence of prostration), and certainly, it is the truth from your Rabb. And Allah as your essence is not unaware of what you do. (A.Hulusi)
From whencesoever thou startest forth, turn thy face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque; that is indeed the truth from thy Lord. And Allah is not unmindful of what ye do. (Abdullah Yusuf Ali)
Ve min haysu haracte fevelli vecheke shatral mescidil haram From whereever you set out from, turn your face in the direction of Masjid-i Haram. While reading the verse 149; we come across the same order, this is the second time. First one, first order about turning to qibla was in the verse 144. And now we see the same order again. We will see this order one more time. Next verse. There will be a repetition again.
Ve min haysu haracte fevelli vecheke shatral mescidil haram ve innehu lel hakku mir rabbik Yes, know that this order is indeed the truth from your Rabb. The situation has been handling again, with consistance.
ve mallahu bi gafilin amma ta’melun. Here. There was a “Ya’melun.” word back there. And now it’s “Ta’melun.” Back there the message was “Allah is not uninformed from their evil deeds.” But here the message turns to believers and comes like this, “Allah is not uninformed from your good deeds. Allah knows.” If we compare these two verses, we realize the deeper message wants to be told. “If you change your attitude, o sons of Israel; if you get rid of your Jewminded natures; Allah will know your turn. Allah is not oblivious to you. And you, o the community of Muhammad, if one day you become Jewminded, Allah will also know about that. Get yourselves together and be careful.”
150 – Ve min haysu haracte fevelli vecheke shatral mescidil haram* ve haysu ma kuntum fe vellu vucuhekum shatrahu li ella yekune linnasi aleykum hucceh* ilellezine zalemu minhum fe la tahshevhum vahshevni ve li utimme ni’meti aleykum ve leallekum tehtedun.
So from wherever (whatever thought; outlook) you set out from, turn your face (observation) toward al-Masjid al-Haram (the state in which the annihilation of multiplicity is experienced; the essence of prostration). And wherever you may be, turn your face toward it so that the people will not have any argument against you. Though those among you who are incessant wrongdoers will be against you. So fear them not, but fear Me so that I may fulfill My favor upon you, that you may attain the realization of your innermost essential reality. (A.Hulusi)
So from whencesoever thou startest forth, turn thy face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque; and wheresoever ye are, turn your face thither: that there be no ground of dispute against you among the people. Except those of them that are bent on wickedness; so fear them not, but fear Me; and that I may complete My favors on you, and ye May (consent to) be guided; (Abdullah Yusuf Ali)
Ve min haysu haracte fevelli vecheke shatral mescidil haram The same order, third time. So from wherever you set out from, turn your face in the direction of Masjid-i Haram. ve haysu ma kuntum fe vellu vucuhekum shatrah Same order but for general. You too; from wherever you might set out from, you should turn your faces in that direction too. li ella yekune linnasi aleyküm hucceh* ilellezine zalemu minhum fe la tahshevhum vahshevni Why should you turn this direction, o true believers? li ella yekune linnasi aleykum hucceten So that the people won’t have any argument against you. They won’t have any evidence that may hold it against you. So that they won’t find any excuse.
Yes, this is important. What could be humans excuses? You know the questions above. Remember the objections made. I talked about them before. There were many objections made to the prophet. They were saying; “Once he was facing his ancestors qibla, now he left it. He says; “I’m on belief of Abraham.” and yet he faces the opposite direction.” Others were commenting like; “He criticizes our beliefs but he faces our qibla.” And hypocrites had also somethings to say; “Will this man deliver us to salvation, he has been changing our qibla constantly.”
This time the prophet was turned to the right qibla. He was turned the Kaaba. For there won’t be any excuses left anymore. Actually shouldn’t everyone obey this qibla, come to think of it? Because Jews were saying; “We are the grandchildren of Abraham.”
If you really are the grandchildren of Abraham, then why do you object to Abraham’s qibla? Hadn’t Abraham built the Kaaba? Why do you criticize Kaaba, even you know it was handbuilded by Abraham himself?
Just here we should stop and analyze these three verses. Verses 144, 149 and 150. This order comes three times. The order came in the verse 144, has shown the motive of Rasulallah’s desire before. All three orders are unique and not a repetition. They are different. Points out different things. Verse 144’s motive is for Rasulallah’s desire. This three orders are showing us the three different motives for qibla’s change. First one is this. But naturally this is not the only reason. What has been saying in verse 149? The motive is hidden in the verse 148. Every community has a qibla.
As you can see the reason of the order in 149th verse came in 148. Every community has a qibla. The community of Muhammad is a new community. Ergo a new qibla is a necessity of the community of Muhammad. And this motive has been given us here. And with this motive, this message is given. The community of Muhammad is a universal community. And a universal community must have a universal qibla. So noone should present any kind of excuses anymore. People shouldn’t use terms like Jews Qibla or Christians Qibla anymore. Because Abraham is the father of unity on earth. So could there be any excuse not to face the qibla of the father of unity? Also Abraham is never be used as a national figure. Every nation has taken a part of Abraham’s ideology.
Where is Abraham from? He’s from Anatolia. We don’t know the specific location. It could be Urfa, Iraq, Uru, Palastine, Egypt or Arabia maybe. The point is, Abraham is from earth. Abraham is the univeral true believer of earth. For that you should turn your qibla to the Abraham’s qibla. Nobody should have claims like “I will face another persons qibla, or this nations direction.” Qur’an has been offering a universal true believers qibla. This is the second motive. This is the reason of second orders arrival.
So what is the third motive for the order came in the verse 150. The reason of this order is given by another piece in the same verse. li ella yekune linnas so that people won’t dispute over it. People won’t have anymore excuses. This is the third reason. Of course there’s a higher reason which manifest these three reasons in the first place. And it’s hidden in the verse 147. Elhakku mir rabbike The change of qibla didn’t happen just because the prophet wished for it. The change of qibla is a truth coming from Allah. The real message here.
What wants to be told here is this. Qibla became a magnificent trying board on the creation of identity. This incident created a personality. Over the question of “Allah’s sake or people’s sake?”, Allah’s sake took over. Because we continue with this. fe la tahshevhum vahshevni Don’t fear them, fear me. Who are they? The ones who criticize you. Don’t say “What would people say?” first. Say “What would Allah say?” first. Hold on to what Hakk told you, only then you may have the right fear, fear of Allah. What would happen if you fear them? Let’s continue.
ve li utimme ni’meti aleykum ve leallekum tehtedun If you scare of me but not them, then and only then I will complete my blessing upon you. Fear me to be complete. ve leallekum tehtedun Only then you may reach the one and only true path.
Yes, fear from enemy… Being scared from enemy means admitting defeat from the beginning. The ones who adjust their moves according to their enemies cannot do anything right. How can a person please his friends if the only question in his mind is “What would my enemy say to that?” We should ask “What would my friend say?” instead of concerning about his enemies thoughts. And a person who asks “What would my friend say?” is a friend of Allah, then the question turns into “What would Allah say?”
The reason of showing Abraham as an example is because of this. Because Abraham is Halilullah. Friend of Allah. If a person manages to fear Allah, he is granted with two things.
1 – Freedom. Because he cannot fear from anything else anymore.
2 – Security. The person who fear only from Allah reaches a security feeling. Because he would be sure that Allah will keep him safe. Allah is All-Mighty, All-Knowing, Aziz and Hakim. That’s why the person who fears only Allah may be able to reach that freedom and security feelings together.
Some easy on their earth life and broken faithed groups suggest an Allah figure which should only be loved instead of a feared one. Like they are able to love or fear from Allah at any point. They often use the phrases like, “Don’t scare off people with Allah.” which is interesting since their intentions are rifting people apart from Allah. But in reality they don’t love Allah. Because the person who loves Allah, fears Allah. Why? Because he’s afraid of losing this love of Allah. Corrupting or withering this Allah’s love. He has fears of “He might not love me back.” Fear from Allah and fear from a lion have huge differences inbetween. They always mix these two feelings of different forms of fears.
For that they cannot reach salvation. leallekum tehtedun Because those who are able to reach salvations are only those who fear Allah.
151 – Kema erselna fikum rasulem minkum yetlu aleykum ayatina ve yuzekkikum ve yuallimukumul kitabv vel hikmete ve yuallimukum ma lem tekunu ta’lemun.
We revealed a Rasul from within you (to disclose the reality), reciting (teaching) to you Our verses (signs pertaining to our reality within the core of all existence) and purifying you and teaching you the Book (of the reality and sunnatullah) and wisdom (the system and mechanics of creation) and that which you do not know. (A.Hulusi)
A similar (favor have ye already received) in that We have sent among you a Messenger of your own, rehearsing to you Our Signs, and sanctifying you, and instructing you in Scripture and Wisdom, and in new knowledge. (Abdullah Yusuf Ali)
Kema erselna fikum rasulem minkum yetlu aleykum ayatina So We have sent among you; to recite you our verses, ve yuzekkikum to purify you, ve yuallimukumul kitabv vel hikmete to teach you the book and the wisdom, ve yuallimukum ma lem tekunu ta’lemun and to teach you all things you don’t know; a prophet.
This verse is an answer for the Prophet Abraham’s pray in the verse 129. Remember we read this pray of Abraham in 129th verse. Rabbena veb’as fihim rasulem O my Rabb, o our Rabb. Sent a prophet among them. A prophet, purifying them, reciting them and teaching them the book and the wisdom. So our Rabb gives us the answer of this pray in this verse. As in “Abraham prayed like this and I accept this pray like this. Muhammad is the product of Abraham’s pray, Jesus’s heralding and Amina’s dream.
152 – Fezkuruni ezkurkum veshkuru li ve la tekfurun.
So remember (dhikr) Me (contemplate); so that I will remember you. And be grateful to Me (evaluate Me) and do not deny Me (do not deny that I comprise your essence and the essence of the entire existence). (A.Hulusi)
Then do ye remember Me; I will remember you. Be grateful to Me, and reject not Faith.(Abdullah Yusuf Ali)
Fezkuruni ezkurkum veshkuru li ve la tekfurun Then remember (zhikr) Me, so that I will remember you. Be greatful to Me, don’t deny Me, don’t be among ungreatful. Can you manage to see the connection with “Remember Me” and the verse above? Before saying “Remember Me”, Allah showed us how Abraham’s pray was answered, how Allah answered that pray. Allah almost saying clearly now, “Abraham remembered me zhikred me and I remembered him back like that.”
Abraham prayed me with all his heart and I accepted his pray. Abraham asked me to bring forth leaders from his bloodline and I brought forth a leader like Muhammad. Abraham had built a structure. A humble building a simple cubic room to show his helplessness. The most plain and humble building over the earth. Most undecorated, plain and simple building. Almost saying Me “O Rabb, a person who wants to show You his gratitude can admit his helplessness and incapability like this. I’m not capable enough to show You my whole gratitude, O Rabb” That was Abraham’s mentality when he was making the Kaaba. So as an answer to this gratitude, I turned his plain and simple building into a center, a relished spot for Earth’s entire mankind. I put the Kaaba on the light and turned it into a center where people visit all the time with tears of gratitude. A center where people stay side by side both physically and emotionally.
Fezkuruni ezkurkum You zhikr Me like this, so that I zhikr you like that. You pray me like this, so that I answer your pray. You call me for help like this, so that I come for your help. You show your submission to me like this, so that I be your Rabb like that. You worship me like this, so that I ascend you like that. You bow down before me like this, so that I take you to heavens like that.You become humble to me like this, so that your name becomes a saga of humanity I wrote over millenniums. That is the meaning of remembering Allah and Allah’s remembering you back.
[Additional Info: Remember me, mention me by coming to my call, by obeying my commands and restrictions, by following my will, so that I remember you more. I send directions of the road you walk in one after another and I bless you the Light of my closeness. (Ibn Arabi/ Tevilat)]
153 – Ya eyyuhellezine amenusteiynu bis sabri ves salah* innellahe meas sabirin.
O you, who have believed, seek help through patience (endurance) that generates from your essence and through salat (the observation resulting from you turning towards your innermost essential reality; the Names). Indeed, Allah is with the patient (with His Name Sabur). (A.Hulusi)
O ye who believe! seek help with patient perseverance and prayer; for Allah is with those who patiently persevere. (Abdullah Yusuf Ali)
Ya eyyuhellezine amenusteiynu bis sabri ves salah* innellahe meas sabirin O you, who have believed, who have claims of beliefs, seek help through patience and pray. Allah is with those who persevere. The patience here means resistance. I remind you that this verse came right before the Battle of Badir. Be careful, prepare to resist. What you are about to face will be something to require resistance.
Remember Allah, turn your faces to Allah and seek help from Allah. Allah will be your shelter, your sanctuary, your helping hand. If your only shelter would be Allah, then your help will arrive from Allah, so herald those who show resistance.
I seek help from Allah that we may be among those who show resistance to blasphemy, shirk, rebellion, satan and the temptations from our own egos; that we may be among those who have the same faith with Abraham.
[Additional Info: The addressing ways of Qur’an to True Believers-II
Seek Allah’s help with patience and pray.
Human is a lonely wanderer who stepped on earth on his way to afterlife. And in order to continue his life, he requires lots of things.
el-Gani (All-Rich) and es-Samed(All-Self Sufficent) is only Allah. “O humans! You depend on Allah. Gani and Hamid (All-Praiseworthy) is only Allah (el-Fatir 35/15). This verse openly reveals the truth.
Like humans needs are infinite, there’s no ending in humans incompetence, inability and requirements. At this point the only being a person should rely on, show his gratitude and seek help from is the Supreme Ruler and Rabb of all universe, Allah of All Worlds. As a result of this truth our Rabb show the way of reaching with the words in the verse el-Fatihah/5; “You alone we serve, and from You alone we seek help.” Allah informs us that the primary requirement of asking for His help is to be a worshipper, a servant on Allah’s way and seeking any kind of help only from Allah.
Then the help should ask only from Allah and it will arrive only from Allah as well. “Help is only with Allah. Without a doubt Allah is Aziz and Hakim. (el-Enfal 8/10). In order to ask for celestial helps arrival, we should seek it by the proper ways and attitudes first. Our great Rabb informs us about two of them in this verse.
O you who believe! Seek help with patient perseverance and prayer; for Allah is with those who patiently persevere. (el-Baqarah/153)
Two ways on seeking help: Patience and pray. Patience is defending the faith, showing resistance, enduring the pain, resisting agonies and anxieties, walking on the path of mind and religion shows with consistence. Patience is, commanding the ego to act by orders and preventing it from doing things that is forbidden. This can only be achieved by enduring the worshippings hardinesses and resisting all kinds of calamities and problems with patience. Patience is a tool of becoming calm-minded in case of facing a problem. It prevents us to do things that we will regret later on. For that reason the real patience is the one we show at the first contact with a problem. Rasulallah also informs us with this fact. “The genuine patience is the one you show at the first moment of a disaster.” (Buhari, Cenaiz, 32)
Hakk of all Worlds, tests His worshippers to reveal the real patients and reward them (Muhammad 47/31); loving those who patiently waiting amongst worshippers and informing them that Allah is always with them by saying; Those who patiently persevere will truly receive a reward without measure! (ez-Zumer 39/10). The celestial verse promises that whoever arms himself with the weapon of perseverence will receive rewards without measure.”
Second way to seek the celestial help is pray. The word “salat” we see in the verse is used as namaz (pray), the more general form, and by the looks of it, this way counts all kinds of words, deeds, actions and all forms of gratitudes showed to Allah of All Words. A pray which is carefully executed with all its terms and actions and emotions; will keep away the person from all kinds of ugly and shameless things. (el-Ankebut/45) Because this kind of pray prevents a person to get busy with earthly details and give peace to heart. Reading Qur’an as praying and by that listening those lessons and advices, directs a heart to Allah, makes it easier to get the force and power from Allah.
Service of pray is, showing gratitude to Allah. Gratitude reminds a person about blessings and encourages him to follow the orders of the giver of all those blessings. Plus, the person should be in the state of Allah’s orders have showed, must resist the actions besides allowed within the pray and must show perseverence at this point. In the process of praying, a celestial secret is hidden originated from the reflection of Rabb’s will, towards the persons life. In order to disperse the sadness, destroying the grief and sorrow, the service of praying has a huge importance. (et-Tahrir ve’t Tenvir, I, 479) For this reason, Rasulallah had been running to prays whenever he was against some kind of problem. (Ebu Davud, Tatavvu, 22/1319)
The holy verse informs us the among the reasons of getting celestial help, patience and pray have importance. Because patience is the hardest of all earthly emotions and most heaviest to a person. Pray is the heaviest among the earthly actions. Since praying is a very importance service which holds all types of rules like must(farz), encouraged must(vacip), sunnet and manners; and all types of heart virtues like peace, awe and tranquility. To execute the pray with full capability is only possible by Allah of All Worlds’s blessing and returnings.
Again in the verse, the concept of getting rid of all evil and harmful things before getting all useful things is in order. That’s why the patience is first and the pray is second. The informations reason of giving the space to patience and pray only is; because these two are possible right after the faith for all true believers. Zekah (charity) is only possible who possesses valid amounts of things. Hacc (pilgrimage) is only possible for those who have the health and assets for the service. And oruc (fasting) is already a form of perseverence by resisting eating, drinking and staying away from sins. (Bursevi, Ruhu’l-Beyan, Istanbul, 1389, I, 257)
Allah of All Worlds is with those who persevere. Because they have never stayed away from Allah’s zhikr. Impatients cannot achieve that, their hearts miss the celestial zhikr. And that heart, even the owner possesses the earths entire belongings, has filled with annoyance and anxiety of all kinds.
Reaching the state of mind of closeness with Allah and seeking help with patience and pray; is important at having a spiritual integrity, having peace and tranquility, leaving all sorts of spiritual problems.
At the verse 146/Al-i Imran; this closeness is explained with “fondness”. “Without a doubt Allah loves those who are firm and steadfast” Getting the fondness of our Great Rabb, means getting the togetherness.” Without a fondness, there’s no closeness. And the fondness of Allah is a great deal. If not fully known the extent, a celestial heralding is there saying; “Allah loves them and they love Allah.” (el-Maida/54)
At the end of holy verse the sentence is given as “Rabb of all Worlds is with those who persevere”. Not just with those who pray. The reason behind this, because the pray is more virtuous and honorable than just perseverence. One can think perseverence apart from praying but you cannot seperate praying from patience. If you look at that point, when Allah is with those who persevere, He automatically and undoubtedly is with those who prays as well.
Cenab-ı Hakk will always help those who show resistance against difficulties on Hakk’s path and He will be enough against their enemies. “(O my Rasul) Allah will suffice thee as against them. (el-Baqarah/137). This addressing shows firstly to our Prophet and us, his community that a celestial guarantee and fondness. So whenever worshippers show resistance against disasters, avoid sins, obey Allah’s rules and seek help with perseverence and prays; Allah of All Worlds, The Creator and Owner of Universe, will surely help them and continue His blessings towards them with constantly increasing. (Prof. Dr. Omar Celik/2003 – December, Issue 214, Page:25) ]
“Ve ahiru davana velil hamdulillahi rabbil alemiyn” (Jonah/10) “Praise be to Allah, the Cherisher and Sustainer of the Worlds!” All products of our claims, causes and lives are for Allah and our last word to our Allah is “Hamd”. “Esselamu aleykum.”
