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The fools, the ignorant, among the people, that is, the Jews and the idolaters, will say, 'What, matter, has turned them, the Prophet "sallallahu 'alayhi wa sallam" and the believers, from the direction they were facing in their prayers formerly?', this being the Holy House (bayt al-maqdis, sc. Jerusalem); the sīn [of sa-yaqūlu, 'they will say'] denotes the future tense and informs of the Unseen. Say: 'To Allahu ta’ālā belong the East and the West, that is, all directions. Thus He commands that they face whichever direction He wills, and there can be no objection. He guides whomever He will, His guidance being, to a straight path', that is, the religion of Islam, and you are among these [guided ones].