۞ 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 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 We have seen you (O Muhammad), turning your face over and over again towards Heaven. Now, therefore, We turn you towards the giblah that you like best: so turn your face towards the Masjid Haram. Henceforth, wheresoever you may be, turn your face at prayer towards it. The people who were given the Book know it well that the commandment (about the change of giblah) is in fact from their Lord, and is based on the Truth, but Allah is not unaware of what they are doing (in spite of this) 144 Even if you were to bring all kinds of authoritative proof to the People of the Book, they still would not accept your qibla, nor would you accept theirs, nor would they accept each others. Were you to follow their desires after all the knowledge that has come to you, you would certainly have been one of the unjust. 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 The Truth is from thy Lord; so be not at all in doubt. 147