FEAR ALLAH 1

BY
Shaikh Jalilu Issah

In the name Allah, the most Beneficent, the most Merciful

English Transliteration

[002:149 Wamin (and from) haythu (wheresoever) kharajta (you come forth) fawalli
(turn) wajhaka (your face in prayer) shatra (towards) almasjidi (Mosque) alharami (the
Sacred) wa-innahu (and indeed this) lalhaqqu (is the truth) min (from) rabbika (your
Lord) wama (and not) Allahu (Allah) bighafilin (is unaware) AAamma (of what)
taAAmaloona (you do)]

[002: 150 Wamin (and from) haythu (wheresoever) kharajta (you come forth) fawalli
(so turn) wajhaka (your face) shatra (towards) almasjidi (Mosque) alharami (the
Sacred) wahaythu ma (and wheresoever) kuntum (you may be) fawalloo (turn)
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wujoohakum (your faces) shatrahu (towards it) li-alla (so that not) yakoona (may be)
lilnnasi (for people) AAalaykum (against you) hujjatun (an argument) illa (except)
allatheena (those who) thalamoo (do injustice) minhum (of them) fala (so do not)
takhshawhum (fear them) waikhshawnee (but fear Me) wali-otimma (so that I may
complete) niAAmatee (My Favors) AAalaykum (upon you) walaAAallakum (and that
you may be) tahtadoona (guided)]

Translation

[002:149 And from whatsoever place you come forth, turn your face towards the Sacred
Mosque; and surely it is the very truth from your Lord, and Allah is not at all heedless of
what you do.]

[002:150 And from whatsoever place you come forth, turn your face towards the Sacred
Mosque; and wherever you are turn your faces towards it, so that people shall have no
accusation against you, except such of them as are unjust; so do not fear them, and fear
Me, that I may complete My favor on you and that you may walk on the right course.]

Exegeses:

Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala is commanding the holy prophet (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa

sallam) in the verses mentioned above. “And from wheresoever you come forth then turn
your face in the direction of the Masjid al-Haram. For indeed, that is the truth from your
Rabb. And Allah is not unaware as to what you do”.
This verse also talks about the changing of the Qiblah. The centre point or Qiblah was an
important issue for the Jews, Christians, and Muslims. Especially it was big deal for the
Muslims. Because they had changed their Qiblah. And when Muslims changed their
Qiblah there arose a conflict that why it was changed and on what grounds. Before we
proceed ahead it would pertinent to mention here that at what place the word Almasjid
has been used. It is being mentioned for your ready reference please:
• Al-Baqara (The Cow) > [2:144][2:149][2:150][2:191]
• Al-Anfal (The Spoils of War)> [8:34]
• At-Tauba (The Repentance)> [9:7][9:19][9:28]
• Al-Isra (The Journey by Night)> [17:1][17:7]
• Al-Hajj (The Pilgrimage)> [22:25]
• Al-Fath (The Victory) > [48:25][48:27]
The Christians and the Jews raised much hue and cry that why the Muslims changed their
old Qiblah. That’s why in other verse too Allah is saying “So from wherever you come
forth then turn your face in the direction of the Masjid al-Haram.” Here Allah is
addressing Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam). Here it must be noted that point
of coming is not being discussed, the prime and foremost importance is on the direction
of the face. That it should be always towards Masjid al-Haram. In very open words
Allah told His prophet (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) to turn to the Kaba in order to
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offer his prayers. Then Allah says (and indeed this

is the truth from your Lord). Then Allah emphasized again that indeed this is the truth
from your Lord. Because, the doubt from other Muslims had taken place on this issue –
the change of the direction towards another Qiblah. The prophethood had come into the
suspicion in the sights of other Muslims.
In point of fact, the first Qiblah was Bayt al-Maqdis. And it remained the Qiblah
of Muslims for twelve years. Then an unexpected change came that Qiblah became
oriented towards the Kaaba in Mecca. Before it Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa
sallam) used to offer his prayer facing towards Jerusalem. And if it was a wrong Qiblah
then why the prophet (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) offered prayers facing towards this
Qiblah for twelve years. But the answer according to the Imam Ali (AS) is that the first
Qiblah that Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala wanted the Muslims to pray towards was the
Kaaba. We have got the answer from the same supreme personality of the universe that
Bayt al-Maqdis was the first Qiblah because Kaaba was full of idols by that time. How
logical is the answer! There used to come the Mushrekeen to worship their idols. So in
this situation how our prophet (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) could have gone over there
to offer the prayers? It was the main Burhāniyyah – proof.
And when Kaaba was cleaned then Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala told the prophet to
turn his face from the Jerusalem to the first house of Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala. And
that is the Kaaba.
During the noon prayer in Medina, in a mosque known as Masjid al-Qiblatain
(Mosque of the Two Qiblas). Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) was leading
the prayer when he received a revelation from Allah instructing him to take the Kaaba as
the Qiblah (literally, "turn your face towards the Masjid al Haram). This was from Allah
not from anybody else. That’s why it is the truth.
Dear readers you should note that the phrase min rabbika – from your Lord, has
been used. Why? Before we proceed ahead we should take notice that Allah advised
Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) in order to increase his knowledge

. The word Rabb has come from the word Tarbiyyat. In

Arabic this word is used for the training till the completion of something. And the only
one who could guide towards the completion is Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala. We and all
the prophets and holy Imams and holy family needed to have the guidance from Allah.

Allah says . What guidance Muhammad (Salla

'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) gets from Allah is for the completion. So the changing of the
Qiblah was also a kind of perfection in the directions. Imam Ali (AS) also said

I swear by the Lord of the Kaaba. There is one more point in it that he
wanted to tell us that Allah is the witness he was born in Kaaba. This is a great unique
feature of Imam Ali (AS). The great perfectionist of the world is swearing by the
perfection – Allah. Kaaba was the perfection in being Qiblah. The point where Qiblah is
located is the perfect place on the face of the earth. It was a perfect time to change the
Qiblah for the perfect Qiblah. Perfection is working for the perfection. And perfection is
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swearing by the perfection. And a perfect man was born in a perfect place of the
perfection.
And in the verse Allah is telling us that nothing is hidden from Him, either it is in
our hearts or in the skies of the heavens etc. He is all-Knower. He knows our every
move in heart and on the earth. So we should be careful in our maneuvers. Nothing is
hidden from the Law of Requital.
Now we have to see that why it has been repeated by Allah that Muhammad
(Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) should keep his face towards Kaaba. In Arabic when
something is repeated it is called Takeed. So it is the Takeed to Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu
'alayhi wa sallam) once again with clear instructions. Also Allah has described that if
some others think wrong in their hearts or they have doubts in their hearts regarding the
changing of Qiblah, Allah knows it fully. They should not be under the impression that
Allah knows nothing. Nothing can be hidden from the eyes of Allah. Subhan Allah (all
glory to Allah). It is because Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) had to face
much criticism from Jews, Christians and Muslims as well on the changing of the Qiblah.
So in this situation Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) needed a firm support.
And the support was only possible from Allah Subhana-Wa-Ta’aala.
Though there is some difference between first and second verse. In first glance
they look similar. In the first verse mentioned above, Allah is talking to the messenger.
And in the second verse, Allah is talking to the entire Ummah. In other words we can say
that the first verse is solely for the prophet (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) and other is
absolutely for the Ummah. In both verses there is a strong advice. The message and
advice is common. Where Muhammad (Salla 'Llahu 'alayhi wa sallam) and the Muslims
go and come but their face and the direction should be towards Kaaba. Either in the
performance of salat or the performance of the daily affairs of the life. Our sight should
be on Allah and His holy Quranic system – given to us for the welfare and survival of the
Ummah with dignity.
One more important point let me mention for your convenience is the Qiblah, for
any point of reference on the Earth, is the direction towards the Kaaba. Some Muslims
from North America determine this direction using a rhumb line, while most Muslims
worldwide use a great circle. In ancient times, Muslims traveling abroad used an
astrolabe to find the Qiblah.
If you look at the end of the second verse, there is a great emphasize on important
thing. The first important thing is to fight with the wrongdoers. So Allah is telling the
Muslims that they should remain firm and steadfast on the new advice to change the
direction towards Kaaba. Though they would be criticized and suspected, but they
should not pay attention to them. And if needed they should deal them with force.
Because fear is only from Allah.
Allah further says that Muslims should not fear from others. There should only
the fear of Allah in their hearts. And those who fear Allah only, they have no losses.
They have and would have the pleasantries of this world and hereafter. And it has also
been said that we should administer justice at every cost in our societies. Without justice
life can not progress. Without justice food can be delivered and distributed among the
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poor equally. Without justice the resources of the life can not be maintained on equal just
practice.

Imam Sajjad (AS) said Oh

Allah who can say that he has something if he or she does not have you. It means that if
you have the entire world with you, you have nothing unless you have the love of Allah.
We have got the practical lesson that we should be Kaaba oriented in the
performance of our salat and also in our daily affairs of life. It means that our ever move
and practical step should be in accordance with the holy Quran. And we should have fear
of Allah in our hearts. May Allah grant us strength to act upon the holy Quran.

End of the lecture. Your views/comments would be appreciated.