And thus We have made you a medium (just) nation that you may be the bearers of witness to the people and (that) the Apostle may be a bearer of witness to you; and We did not make that which you would have to be the qiblah but that We might distinguish him who follows the Apostle from him who turns back upon his heels, and this was surely hard except for those whom Allah has guided aright; and Allah was not going to make your faith to be fruitless; most surely Allah is Affectionate, Merciful to the people.
و اينچنين شما را امتى ميانه ساختيم تا بر مردمان گواه باشيد و پيامبر بر شما گواه باشد. و قبله‌اى را كه بر آن بودى- بيت المقدس- قرار نداديم مگر براى آنكه كسى را كه از پيامبر پيروى مى‌كند از كسى كه بر پاشنه‌هاى خود مى‌گردد- روى مى‌گرداند- معلوم كنيم، و هر آينه اين [قراردادن قبله- مسجد الاقصى-] جز بر آنان كه خدا ايشان را راه نموده است دشوار بود. و خداوند بر آن نيست كه ايمان شما را تباه كند، زيرا كه خداوند به مردم هر آينه رؤوف و مهربان است.