Why does Allah Almighty say, "so that We may know," in the verse: (And We did not make the Qiblah which you used to face except that We might know who follows the Messenger from him who turns on his heels. And indeed, it was a grave matter except for those whom Allah guided. And never would Allah have caused your faith to be lost. Indeed, Allah is, to the people, Kind and Merciful), despite His prior knowledge of the unseen and what is in souls?

Al-Khatib Al-Shirbini answered the problem of how Allah Almighty said: {So that We may know} while He is all-knowing of all things, by explaining that the intended meaning is a knowledge of manifestation, to which reward and punishment are attached, or so that the Messenger of Allah, peace be upon him, and the believers may know, or to distinguish the follower from the one who turns back.

Ibn Uthaymeen clarified that what is meant by {So that We may know} is a knowledge of manifestation or a knowledge upon which recompense is based, and not the eternal knowledge, because recompense is not based except after the servant's trial and the manifestation of his deeds, or that "We know" is included within the meaning of "We distinguish."