۞ 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 Thus have We made you a Community of the "Golden Mean" so that you may be witnesses in regard to mankind and the Messenger may be a witness in regard to you. We had appointed the former giblah towards which you used to turn your face merely to test who would follow the Messenger and who would turn back. It was indeed a hard test but not for those who had been blessed with Guidance from Allah. Allah will not let go to waste this faith of yours; rest assured that He is full of pity and mercy for mankind. 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 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 They unto whom We have vouchsafed revelation aforetime know it as they know their own children: but, behold, some of them knowingly suppress the truth. 146 The truth is from your Lord, so never be among the doubters. 147