۞ The fools among the people will say: 'What has made them turn away from the direction they were facing' Say: 'The east and the west belong to Allah. He guides whom He will to the Straight Path' 142 And thus have We willed you to be a community of the middle way, so that [with your lives] you might bear witness to the truth before all mankind, and that the Apostle might bear witness to it before you. And it is only to the end that We might make a clear distinction between those who follow the Apostle and those who turn about on their heels that We have appointed [for this community] the direction of prayer which thou [O Prophet] hast formerly observed: for this was indeed a hard test for all but those whom God has guided aright. But God will surely not lose sight of your faith - for, behold, God is most compassionate towards man, a dispenser of grace. 143 We have seen the turning of thy face to heaven (for guidance, O Muhammad). And now verily We shall make thee turn (in prayer) toward a qiblah which is dear to thee. So turn thy face toward the Inviolable Place of Worship, and ye (O Muslims), wheresoever ye may be, turn your faces (when ye pray) toward it. Lo! Those who have received the Scripture know that (this revelation) is the Truth from their Lord. And Allah is not unaware of what they do. 144 And shouldst thou bring unto those who are vouchsafed the Book every sign, they would not follow thy Qiblah, neither art thou to be a follower of their Qiblah; nor doth one part of them follow the Qiblah of the other. And shouldst thou follow their desires, after that which hath come unto thee of the knowledge, then verily thou wilt become one of the wrong-doers. 145 Those to whom We have given the Book recognize it just as they recognize their own sons. But, some of them knowingly conceal the truth. 146 Never doubt that the essence of truth comes from your Lord 147