۞ Fools will soon say, "What has made them (Muslims) change the direction to which they had been facing during their prayers (the qibla)?" (Muhammad), tell them, "Both the East and West belong to God and He guides (whomever He wants), to the right direction." 142 We have made you a temperate people that you act as witness over man, and the Prophet as witness over you. We decreed the Qiblah which you faced before that We may know who follow the Apostle and who turn away in haste. And this was a hard (test) except for those who were guided by God. But God will not suffer your faith to go waste, for God is to men full of mercy and grace. 143 We have seen thee turning thy face about in the heaven; now We will surely turn thee to a direction that shall satisfy thee. Turn thy face towards the Holy Mosque; and wherever you are, turn your faces towards it. Those who have been given the Book know it is the truth from their Lord; God is not heedless of the things they do. 144 And if you brought to those who were given the Scripture every sign, they would not follow your qiblah. Nor will you be a follower of their qiblah. Nor would they be followers of one another's qiblah. So if you were to follow their desires after what has come to you of knowledge, indeed, you would then be among the wrongdoers. 145 The people of the Book know this as they know their own sons; but some of them conceal the truth which they themselves know. 146 Never doubt that the essence of truth comes from your Lord 147