The First Abrogation in the Qur'an was about the Qiblah


`Ali bin Abu Talhah related that Ibn `Abbas narrated: The first abrogated part in the Qur'an was about the Qiblah. When Allah's Messenger migrated to Al-Madinah, the majority of its people were Jews, and Allah commanded him to face Bayt Al-Maqdis. The Jews were delighted then. Allah's Messenger faced it for ten and some months, but he liked to face the Qiblah of Ibrahim (Ka`bah in Makkah). He used to supplicate to Allah and look up to the sky (awaiting Allah's command). Allah then revealed:

﴿ÞóÏú äóÑóì ÊóÞóáøõÈó æóÌúåößó Ýöí ÇáÓøóãóÂÁö﴾

(Verily, We have seen the turning of your (Muhammad's) face towards the heaven), until,

﴿ÝóæóáøõæÇú æõÌõæåóßõãú ÔóØúÑóåõ﴾

(turn your faces (in prayer) in that direction.)

The Jews did not like this ruling and said:

﴿ãóÇ æóáøóÜåõãú Úóä ÞöÈúáóÊöåöãõ ÇáøóÊöì ßóÇäõæÇú ÚóáóíúåóÇ Þõá áøáøóåö ÇáúãóÔúÑöÞõ æóÇáúãóÛúÑöÈõ﴾

("What has turned them (Muslims) from their Qiblah (prayer direction) to which they used to face in prayer.'' Say (O Muhammad), "To Allah belong both, east and the west.'') (2:142)

Allah said:

﴿ÝóÃóíúäóãóÇ ÊõæóáøõæÇú ÝóËóãøó æóÌúåõ Çááøóåö﴾

(. ..so wherever you turn (yourselves or your faces) there is the Face of Allah) (2:115),

and:

﴿æóãóÇ ÌóÚóáúäóÇ ÇáúÞöÈúáóÉó ÇáøóÊöì ßõäÊó Úóáóíúåó ÅöáÇøó áöäóÚúáóãó ãóä íóÊøóÈöÚõ ÇáÑøóÓõæáó ãöãøóä íóäÞóáöÈõ Úóáóì ÚóÞöÈóíúåö﴾

(And We made the Qiblah (prayer direction towards Jerusalem) which you used to face, only to test those who followed the Messenger (Muhammad ) from those who would turn on their heels (i.e., disobey the Messenger).) (2:143)


web hit counter