Verse 148 of Surah Al-Baqarah, as a brilliant gem within the Quranic guidance system, portrays profound concepts regarding the existential aspect, hastening towards good deeds, and divine omnipotence. This verse, composed of a tripartite structure, not only addresses the issue of the Qibla change but also directs humanity towards truth and substance, liberating it from traditional clichs and superficiality. This treatise, adopting a scientific and systematic perspective, presents the entire lecture content and exegetical analyses in a lofty and academic format. The aim is to provide an exact and comprehensive elucidation of this verse for educated audiences and researchers in the fields of Quranic sciences, Islamic theology, and philosophy of religion, so that knowledge flows to inquisitive minds like a pure spring.
وَلِكُلٍّ وِجْهَةٌ هُوَ مُوَلِّيهَا ۖ فَاسْتَبِقُوا الْخَيْرَاتِ ۚ أَيْنَ مَا تَكُونُوا يَأْتِ بِكُمُ اللَّهُ جَمِيعًا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ(Al-Baqarah: 148)
And for each is a direction towards which he turns himself; so compete in good deeds. Wherever you may be, Allah will bring you all together. Indeed, Allah is over all things competent.
Verse 148 of Surah Al-Baqarah was revealed in response to the issue of the Qibla change mentioned in verse 142 of the same Surah (سَيَقُولُ السُّفَهَاءُ مِنَ النَّاسِ مَا وَلَّاهُمْ عَنْ قِبْلَتِهِمُ الَّتِي كَانُوا عَلَيْهَا ۚ قُلْ لِلَّهِ الْمَشْرِقُ وَالْمَغْرِبُ). This verse, emphasising divine ownership over the east and the west, introduces the Qibla as a non-inherent matter contingent upon temporal and spatial circumstances. Thus, the Noble Quran transcends attachment to a particular Qibla and directs humanity towards the content and reality of worship.
From the standpoint of the philosophy of Shariah, the non-inherent nature of the Qibla signifies divine wisdom in legislating rulings appropriate to varying conditions. This negates ethnic and geographical prejudices and guides humanity towards the reality of servitude, as if the Qibla is not a fixed place but a mirror reflecting the believers heart towards the Lord.
This section, by elucidating the non-inherent nature of the Qibla, emphasised the flexibility of the Shariah and the focus on the reality of worship. Verse 148, by responding to the Qibla change, paves the way for a deeper understanding of the Quranic guidance system.
Verse 148, like a three-storey edifice, contains three segments:
وَلِكُلٍّ وِجْهَةٌ هُوَ مُوَلِّيهَا, which refers to the existential orientation of each individual or entity.فَاسْتَبِقُوا الْخَيْرَاتِ, which calls humans to hasten in good deeds.أَيْنَ مَا تَكُونُوا يَأْتِ بِكُمُ اللَّهُ جَمِيعًا, which heralds the ultimate unity of humans before the Divine Presence.The concluding segment (إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلَىٰ كُلِّ شَيْءٍ قَدِيرٌ), like a crown atop this spiritual edifice, affirms divine omnipotence.
The phrase وَلِكُلٍّ وِجْهَةٌ refers to every entity, from humans to non-human beings. Wajhah (direction/face) signifies identity, determination, or existential orientation, which may be an external Qibla (such as the Kaaba or Al-Quds) or an intrinsic determination (such as belief, character, or methodology). This concept aligns with the Quranic principle فَأَيْنَمَا تُوَلُّوا فَثَمَّ وَجْهُ اللَّهِ (Al-Baqarah: 115), which acknowledges every orientation as ultimately directed towards God.
Wajhah, like a flowing stream, is not static and changes moment by moment. No entity possesses an identical identity at two distinct moments because existence continuously undergoes transformation and renewal. This dynamism corresponds with the theory of substantial motion in Islamic philosophy, which regards the universe as a flowing river ever-renewing.
The term لِكُلٍّ applies to all entitiesfrom individuals and nations to breaths and particles. Each entity possesses a distinct wajhah dictated by its existential requisites, akin to various birds flying towards their respective nests.
هُوَ مُوَلِّيهَاSome exegeses, such as Majma al-Bayan and Al-Mizan, attribute هُوَ to God, maintaining that He directs entities toward their wajhah. However, this verse assigns هُوَ to the entity itself (كُلٍّ), implying that each being, according to its intrinsic nature, moves toward its wajhah. This interpretation highlights entities responsibility.
هُوَ to the entity rather than God confirms the contingent nature of entities movement and emphasises their accountability in determining their path.
Each entity moves based on its intrinsic nature (such as temperament, belief, or character). This movement is not fixed and may change, similar to a river whose course can alter due to obstacles or guidance.
Deterministic views like The unfortunate is unfortunate in his mothers womb or The fortunate is fortunate in his mothers womb, which regard happiness or misery as inherent, are dismissed as superstitions. Even the offspring of religious scholars may choose diverse paths, as history attests.
إِنَّا هَدَيْنَاهُ السَّبِيلَ إِمَّا شَاكِرًا وَإِمَّا كَفُورًا (Al-Insan: 3).
Many traditions ascribed to religious scholars were fabricated by states and nations to justify determinism and superstitions. These traditions lack authentic foundations and require meticulous documentary examination.
Nothing in the universe is intrinsic or fixed, and entities can transform into one anothersuch as one fruit becoming another or an animal morphing into a different species. Such transformations will be limitless in the future of the universe.
Traditional philosophies that assume essence as fixed and existence is poured into it are likened to a yoghurt-making philosophy. In contrast, the world of creation is dynamic and does not require an essence container, like a spring that overflows spontaneously.
Outdated ideas within religious sciences obstruct alignment with scientific progress and require reconstruction. This antiquity restricts the epistemological capacities of religion.
This section, by elucidating the existential wajhah and the dynamism of being, emphasised the contingency of entities movement and repudiated determinism. The universe, like a divine painters canvas, is renewed every moment and invites humanity toward transformation and perfection.
The second segment of the verse (فَاسْتَبِقُوا الْخَيْرَاتِ) invites humanity to compete in good deeds. Goodness, unlike profit in capitalist systems, is Islams ultimate objective and may involve loss or gain, like a flower that blooms even in salty soil.
The absence of scientific competition within religious sciences has led to backwardness and misery. Whereas other fields, such as universities and sports, thrive on competition, religious knowledge lacks this dynamism.
The prevailing evaluation system in religious sciences, starting from seminary students, results in the suppression of talents and is un-Islamic. Assessment must commence from higher echelons to ascertain scholars competence.
Religious sciences require the identification and classification of elites (such as jurists, philosophers, and exegetes) to prevent chaos and unfounded claims. This process, akin to separating gems from stones, clarifies the scientific system.
Suppressing the weak contradicts the spirit of religion; scholars should act as horn-breakers (challengers), not as ear-cutters. The weak must be guided, but the arrogant restrained, like a lion calm within divine mercys bond.
Existential contingencies result from the interaction of numerous factors (such as family, society, and environment). No action is solely individual, akin to a tree bearing fruit through soil, water, and light.
Determinism has been a tool of exploitation by rulers, used to justify domination and silence the people. This view hinders social and individual responsibility.
Superstitions such as black patch or knots on