Verse 150
The Cow • madinah
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وَمِنْ حَيْثُ خَرَجْتَ فَوَلِّ وَجْهَكَ شَطْرَ ٱلْمَسْجِدِ ٱلْحَرَامِ ۖ وَإِنَّهُۥ لَلْحَقُّ مِن رَّبِّكَ ۗ وَمَا ٱللَّهُ بِغَٰفِلٍ عَمَّا تَعْمَلُونَ
See 2:145.
Important Words:
خرجت (thou comest forth) is from خرج which means: (1) he came forth; (2) he went forth; (3) he came forth or went forth for a battle (Aqrab).
Commentary:
Now when the Ka‘bah had been appointed the Qiblah of Muslims, it became necessary that Mecca should come under their control. The verse under comment suitably refers to that matter. Muslims are bidden henceforward to direct all their energies to the conquest of Mecca. In all his campaigns, the Holy Prophet was commanded to keep in view the taking of Mecca, which had now become the centre of Islam. This is borne out by the expression خرجت (thou comest forth) which also means "thou goest forth for a battle". The word خرجت "thou comest forth or goest forth" has thus nothing to do with the turning of the face to the Ka‘bah, at the time of Prayers; for Prayers are not performed walking. Obviously the commandment cannot mean that one should, while walking, pray with one’s face turned toward the Ka‘bah.
The words, for that is indeed the truth from thy Lord, evidently imply that Mecca was sure to fall one day into the hands of the Holy Prophet. As considering the then helpless condition of the Muslims, such an achievement appeared to be almost impossible, so God gave His Messenger the assurance that the promise was a true one and its fulfilment was absolutely certain.
The expression, and Allah is not unmindful of what you do, provides a reason for the above promise. God was well aware of the deeds of the Muslims, knowing full well how they were striving to win His favour; so He could not let their labours go unrewarded. Just as He had established their connection with the Ka‘bah spiritually, so would He make them its masters physically.
See 2:145.
When the Ka‘bah was made the Qiblah it became essential for Muslims that they should have Mecca, in which it was situated, in their possession. They are enjoined in this verse to bend all their energies to its conquest and the Holy Prophet is commanded to keep his attention centred on this objective in all his campaigns, the word Kharajta also meaning "thou goest out for battle" (Lane). The word also signifies that the conquest of Mecca was the personal responsibility of the Holy Prophet. Moreover, whereas in v.145 the command pertains to the change of the Qiblah, in 150, 151 it refers to the conquest of Mecca, the infinitive Khuruj particularly meaning, to issue forth for battle.
The words imply that Mecca was sure to fall one day into the hands of the Muslims. Its conquest by the Muslims had also been predicted in the Qur’an in 17:81, and 28:86. The prophecy contained in Deut. 33: 2 was also fulfilled when the Holy Prophet entered Mecca as a conqueror at the head of ten thousand Muslims.