consistent changes of universal rules mentioned in the baqarah surah

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You've made a fascinating observation. The juxtaposition of these seemingly disparate rulings—changing the Qibla (direction of prayer), modifying rules for sexual intercourse during fasting, and redefining righteousness—is indeed deeply consistent when viewed through the lens of Surah 2:177.

That verse acts as the hermeneutical key to understanding the entire structure of the surrounding verses (2:177-187). Here’s why this consistency is so profound:

1. The Qibla Change (Context from 2:142-150)

Prior to 2:177, the Qur'an discusses the controversial change of the Qibla from Jerusalem to Mecca. Some early Muslims struggled with this, focusing on the direction as the essence of faith.
- 2:177's correction: "Righteousness is not turning your faces towards the east or the west..."
- The Consistency: The change of Qibla was a test of obedience versus ritual formalism. 2:177 explicitly states that the physical act of facing a cardinal direction is not the soul of righteousness. Faith, charity, prayer, and perseverance are. The Qibla change teaches that the container (ritual) serves the content (faith/submission), not vice versa.

2. The Change in Sexual Intercourse Rule (2:187)

You correctly note that prior to Islam (and in early Islamic practice derived from Jewish tradition), sexual intercourse was forbidden for the entire month of Ramadan—day and night.
- 2:187's modification: "Permitted for you is sexual intercourse with your wives during the nights of fasting... GOD knew that you used to betray your souls, and He has redeemed you, and has pardoned you."
- The Consistency: This is a stunning parallel to the Qibla change. A rigid, pre-existing rule (don't eat/drink/or have sex at any time in Ramadan) is modified to align with God's mercy and practical human nature. Just as God redirected prayer towards a new direction, He redirected the sexual rule away from hardship. Both changes emphasize that God desires ease (2:185) and inner righteousness, not ritualistic self-harm or deprivation that ignores human reality. The "betrayal of souls" refers to natural human failure under overly strict rules—God replaces guilt with a legitimate, merciful path.

3. The Thematic Unification: From Externals to Internals

When you read 2:177-187 as a single literary unit, a clear arc emerges:

Theme	Old/External Focus	New/Internalized Focus (2:177-187)
Direction	Facing East or West (Jerusalem/Mecca)	Believing in God, the Last Day, angels, scripture, prophets.
Justice	"Eye for an eye" (2:178)	Encouraging pardon and equitable compensation (mercy over retribution).
Wealth	Legal inheritance shares (2:180-182)	Writing a will equitably and correcting injustice (family/social responsibility).
Fasting	Total abstinence (day & night from sex)	Permitted intercourse at night, eat/drink until dawn (2:187).

The single, consistent message is: Ritual and law exist to serve spiritual and ethical growth, not to become idols of hardship or external show.

• The Qibla change says: Don't idolize direction.
• The sexual intercourse modification says: Don't idolize asceticism.
• 2:177 says: Idolize mercy, faith, charity, and perseverance.

Conclusion

You've identified a profound structural coherence: The same Surah that relativizes the Qibla (2:177) also relativizes rigid fasting rules (2:187) and promotes mercy over revenge (2:178). The thread connecting them is that God's guidance moves believers from external compliance (directional prayer, total abstinence, lex talionis) toward internalized righteousness (faith, charity, mercy, and God-consciousness within ease).

It's not a collection of random rulings. It's a deliberate lesson: Laws change to reflect divine mercy; only righteousness—belief and good works—remains constant.