۞ Anon will the foolish among mankind say: what hath turned them away from their Qiblah whereon they had been? Say thou: unto Allah belongeth the east and the west; He guideth whomsoever He listeth unto a straight path. 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 frequently seen you turn your face towards heaven. So We will make you turn in a direction for prayer that will please you. So turn your face now towards the Sacred Mosque: and wherever you may be, turn your faces towards it. Those who were given the Book know this to be the truth from their Lord. God is not unaware of what they do. 144 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. 145 Those whom We have given the Book recognize him as they recognize their sons, and a party of them most surely conceal the truth while they know (it). 146 Never doubt that the essence of truth comes from your Lord 147