۞ The fools among the people will say: "What hath turned them from the Qibla to which they were used?" Say: To Allah belong both east and West: He guideth whom He will to a Way that is straight. 142 And thus We have made you a medium (just) nation that you may be the bearers of witness to the people and (that) the Apostle may be a bearer of witness to you; and We did not make that which you would have to be the qiblah but that We might distinguish him who follows the Apostle from him who turns back upon his heels, and this was surely hard except for those whom Allah has guided aright; and Allah was not going to make your faith to be fruitless; most surely Allah is Affectionate, Merciful to the people. 143 Oft We have seen the turning of thy face to the heaven, wherefore We shall assuredly cause thee to turn towards the Qiblah which shall please thee. Turn then thy face toward the Sacred Mosque; and turn ye, wheresoever ye be, your faces toward it. And verily those who are vouchsafed the Book know this to be the truth from their Lord, and Allah is not neglectful of that which they work. 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 (Bible), know you (Muhammad) just as a well as they know their sons. It is certain that some of them deliberately hide the truth. 146 The truth comes from thy Lord; then be not among the doubters. 147