صِبغَةَ اللَّهِ ۖ وَمَن أَحسَنُ مِنَ اللَّهِ صِبغَةً ۖ وَنَحنُ لَهُ عابِدونَ

God’s coloring—what color could be superior to God’s? “We are worshipers of Him.”

قُل أَتُحاجّونَنا فِي اللَّهِ وَهُوَ رَبُّنا وَرَبُّكُم وَلَنا أَعمالُنا وَلَكُم أَعمالُكُم وَنَحنُ لَهُ مُخلِصونَ

Say, “Will you dispute with us about God, when He is our Lord and your Lord, and we have our deeds, and you have yours, and we are sincere to Him?”

أَم تَقولونَ إِنَّ إِبراهيمَ وَإِسماعيلَ وَإِسحاقَ وَيَعقوبَ وَالأَسباطَ كانوا هودًا أَو نَصارىٰ ۗ قُل أَأَنتُم أَعلَمُ أَمِ اللَّهُ ۗ وَمَن أَظلَمُ مِمَّن كَتَمَ شَهادَةً عِندَهُ مِنَ اللَّهِ ۗ وَمَا اللَّهُ بِغافِلٍ عَمّا تَعمَلونَ

Do you assert that Abraham, Ishmael, Isaac, Jacob, and the Tribes were Jews or Christians? Say, “Are you more knowledgeable, or is God?” Who is more unjust than one who conceals a testimony he has from God? God is not unaware of what you do.

تِلكَ أُمَّةٌ قَد خَلَت ۖ لَها ما كَسَبَت وَلَكُم ما كَسَبتُم ۖ وَلا تُسأَلونَ عَمّا كانوا يَعمَلونَ

That was a community that has passed on. They are responsible for their actions, and you are responsible for yours. You won’t be questioned about what they did.

سَيَقولُ السُّفَهاءُ مِنَ النّاسِ ما وَلّاهُم عَن قِبلَتِهِمُ الَّتي كانوا عَلَيها ۚ قُل لِلَّهِ المَشرِقُ وَالمَغرِبُ ۚ يَهدي مَن يَشاءُ إِلىٰ صِراطٍ مُستَقيمٍ

The foolish among the people will say, “Why did they change their prayer direction?” Say: “To God belong the East and the West, He guides whom He wills to a straight path.”

قَد نَرىٰ تَقَلُّبَ وَجهِكَ فِي السَّماءِ ۖ فَلَنُوَلِّيَنَّكَ قِبلَةً تَرضاها ۚ فَوَلِّ وَجهَكَ شَطرَ المَسجِدِ الحَرامِ ۚ وَحَيثُ ما كُنتُم فَوَلّوا وُجوهَكُم شَطرَهُ ۗ وَإِنَّ الَّذينَ أوتُوا الكِتابَ لَيَعلَمونَ أَنَّهُ الحَقُّ مِن رَبِّهِم ۗ وَمَا اللَّهُ بِغافِلٍ عَمّا يَعمَلونَ

We observed you turning your face towards the heavens, so We will guide you to a direction that will please you. Turn your face towards the Sacred Mosque, and wherever you may be, face it. Those given the Scripture know this to be the truth from their Lord. God is not unaware of what they do.

وَلَئِن أَتَيتَ الَّذينَ أوتُوا الكِتابَ بِكُلِّ آيَةٍ ما تَبِعوا قِبلَتَكَ ۚ وَما أَنتَ بِتابِعٍ قِبلَتَهُم ۚ وَما بَعضُهُم بِتابِعٍ قِبلَةَ بَعضٍ ۚ وَلَئِنِ اتَّبَعتَ أَهواءَهُم مِن بَعدِ ما جاءَكَ مِنَ العِلمِ ۙ إِنَّكَ إِذًا لَمِنَ الظّالِمينَ

Even if you were to bring to those who were given the Scripture every verse, they wouldn’t follow your direction, nor should you follow theirs. Nor do they follow one another’s direction. If you followed their desires, after the knowledge that has come to you, you would then be among the unjust.

الَّذينَ آتَيناهُمُ الكِتابَ يَعرِفونَهُ كَما يَعرِفونَ أَبناءَهُم ۖ وَإِنَّ فَريقًا مِنهُم لَيَكتُمونَ الحَقَّ وَهُم يَعلَمونَ

Those to whom We gave the Scripture recognize it as they recognize their own children. But some of them knowingly conceal the truth.

الحَقُّ مِن رَبِّكَ ۖ فَلا تَكونَنَّ مِنَ المُمتَرينَ

The truth is from your Lord, so don’t be among the doubters.

وَلِكُلٍّ وِجهَةٌ هُوَ مُوَلّيها ۖ فَاستَبِقُوا الخَيراتِ ۚ أَينَ ما تَكونوا يَأتِ بِكُمُ اللَّهُ جَميعًا ۚ إِنَّ اللَّهَ عَلىٰ كُلِّ شَيءٍ قَديرٌ

For each, there is a direction they turn to, so compete in doing good deeds. Wherever you may be, God will bring you all together. God has power over all things.