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2:177 GOODNESS / VIRTUE (AL-BIRR)
2:177 “ It is absolutely not the (total) goodness / virtue (Al-Birr) that you face the East or West (in prayers), but instead this goodness pertains to those who:
i) believe in Allah, the Last Day, the Angels, the Book (Al-Quran),and (all) the Prophets,
ii) spend money, in spite of their love for it, on relatives, orphans,
needy, travelers, beggars, and in liberating the slaves/prisoners,
iii) establish prayers and pay zakat,
iv) fulfil their promise on committing it,
v) show perseverance in calamities, hardships, and while fighting
(in the Way of Allah).
These are the people, who are truthful (in their faith) and who really fear Allah much.”
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The Virtue /Truth (Al-Birr):
1. The above Verse 2:177 quite logically and beautifully rejects the faith of the Jews, who criticized the Muslims when they changed their Qiblah.
2. The above Verse states that these are the elements of faith and deeds which are more important than to simply face the East or West.
3. The elements of faith, as mentioned in the above Verse are to believe in Allah, the Last Day, the Angels, the revealed Books, and the Prophets. The Jews did not believe in all such elements, for example:
a) They did not believe in all the Angels, as they were the enemy of Angel Gibraeel (Gabriel) (the Chief of Angels), just because he revealed Al-Quran to our Holy Prophet
(2:97,98).
b) They did not believe in all the revealed Books. They even threw away their own Book (the Torah), as it stated the qualities of our Holy Prophet (2:101)]. (See also 2:75)
c) They did not believe in all the Messengers of Allah, as they believed in some of them and refuted the others, according to their liking. (4:150)
d) They tried to kill the Prophets (2:61,87,91;3:181;5:70)
