The Quran

150

Preface

وَمِن حَيثُ خَرَجتَ فَوَلِّ وَجهَكَ شَطرَ المَسجِدِ الحَرامِ ۚ وَحَيثُ ما كُنتُم فَوَلّوا وُجوهَكُم شَطرَهُ لِئَلّا يَكونَ لِلنّاسِ عَلَيكُم حُجَّةٌ إِلَّا الَّذينَ ظَلَموا مِنهُم فَلا تَخشَوهُم وَاخشَوني وَلِأُتِمَّ نِعمَتي عَلَيكُم وَلَعَلَّكُم تَهتَدونَ

Ali Quli Qarai

And whencesoever you may go out, turn your face towards the Holy Mosque, and wherever you may be, turn your faces towards it, so that the people may have no argument against you, neither those of them who are wrongdoers.¹ So do not fear them, but fear Me, that I may complete My blessing on you and so that you may be guided.

As suggested by the Tafsīr al-Qummī, illā here stands for wa lā, and does not imply exclusion.