3. Hizb حزب ٣

The foolish people will say, ‘What has turned them away from the prayer direction they used to face?’ Say, ‘East and West belong to God. He guides whoever He will to the right way.’

We have made you [believers] into a just community, so that you may bear witness [to the truth] before others and so that the Messenger may bear witness [to it] before you. We only made the direction the one you used to face [Prophet] in order to distinguish those who follow the Messenger from those who turn on their heels: that test was hard, except for those God has guided. God would never let your faith go to waste [believers], for God is most compassionate and most merciful towards people.

Many a time We have seen you [Prophet] turn your face towards Heaven, so We are turning you towards a prayer direction that pleases you. Turn your face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque: wherever you [believers] may be, turn your faces to it. Those who were given the Scripture know with certainty that this is the Truth from their Lord: God is not unaware of what they do.

Yet even if you brought every proof to those who were given the Scripture, they would not follow your prayer direction, nor will you follow theirs, nor indeed will any of them follow one another’s direction. If you [Prophet] were to follow their desires, after the knowledge brought to you, you would be doing wrong.

Those We gave Scripture know it as well as they know their own sons, but some of them hide the truth that they know.

The truth is from your Lord, so do not be one of those who doubt.

Each community has its own direction to which it turns: race to do good deeds and wherever you are, God will bring you together. God has power to do everything.

[Prophet], wherever you may have started out, turn your face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque- this is the truth from your Lord: He is not unaware of what you do-

wherever you may have started out, turn your face in the direction of the Sacred Mosque; wherever any of you may be, turn your faces towards it, so that people may have no argument against you- except for the wrongdoers among them: do not fear them; fear Me- and so that I may perfect My favour on you and you may be guided,

just as Wehave sent among you a Messenger of your own to recite Our revelations to you, purify you and teach you the Scripture, wisdom, and [other] things you did not know.

So remember Me; I will remember you. Be thankful to Me, and never ungrateful.

You who believe, seek help through steadfastness and prayer, for God is with the steadfast.

Do not say that those who are killed in God’s cause are dead; they are alive, though you do not realize it.

We shall certainly test you with fear and hunger, and loss of property, lives, and crops. But [Prophet], give good news to those who are steadfast,

those who say, when afflicted with a calamity, ‘We belong to God and to Him we shall return.’

These will be given blessings and mercy from their Lord, and it is they who are rightly guided.

Safa and Marwa are among the rites of God, so for those who make major or minor pilgrimage to the House it is no offence to circulate between the two. Anyone who does good of his own accord will be rewarded, for God rewards good deeds, and knows everything.

As for those who hide the proofs and guidance We send down, after We have made them clear to people in the Scripture, God rejects them, and so do others,

unless they repent, make amends, and declare the truth. I will certainly accept their repentance: I am the Ever Relenting, the Most Merciful.

As for those who disbelieve and die as disbelievers, God rejects them, as do the angels and all people.