ٱتَّبِعُوا۟ مَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا۟ مِن دُونِهِۦٓ أَوْلِيَآءَ ۗ قَلِيلًا مَّا تَذَكَّرُونَ 3
Translations
Follow, [O mankind], what has been revealed to you from your Lord and do not follow other than Him any allies. Little do you remember.
Transliteration
Ittabi'u ma unzila ilaykum min rabbikum wa la tattabi'u min dūnihi awliyā'. Qalīlan mā tatadhakkarūn.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah commands believers to follow the revelation sent down by Allah and prohibits them from following other guardians, authorities, or false deities besides Him. Ibn Kathir notes this establishes the principle of exclusive obedience to divine guidance, while Al-Tabari emphasizes that 'awliyā' (guardians/protectors) refers to those who lead people away from Allah's path. The concluding phrase 'how little you remember' expresses regret at human forgetfulness of this fundamental principle despite its clarity.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-A'raf (a Meccan surah), which addresses the fundamental beliefs of monotheism and obedience to Allah. It was revealed during the early Meccan period when polytheists were encouraging followers to abandon the Qur'an and follow their leaders and cultural traditions instead. The broader context emphasizes the contrast between divine guidance and human innovation (bid'ah).
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Whoever obeys me obeys Allah, and whoever disobeys me disobeys Allah' (Sahih Bukhari). Also related: 'The best speech is the Book of Allah and the best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad' (Sahih Muslim), emphasizing adherence to revelation over other sources.
Themes
Key Lesson
Believers must prioritize divine revelation and guidance from Allah over cultural traditions, worldly leaders, and personal desires, recognizing that true protection and success come only from following what Allah has revealed. This ayah calls us to constant vigilance against the subtle pressures of society that lead us away from pure Islamic principles.
Related Ayahs
قَالُوٓا۟ إِنَّآ إِلَىٰ رَبِّنَا مُنقَلِبُونَ
They said, "Indeed, to our Lord we will return.
وَإِلَىٰ مَدْيَنَ أَخَاهُمْ شُعَيْبًا ۗ قَالَ يَـٰقَوْمِ ٱعْبُدُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ مَا لَكُم مِّنْ إِلَـٰهٍ غَيْرُهُۥ ۖ قَدْ جَآءَتْكُم بَيِّنَةٌ مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ ۖ فَأَوْفُوا۟ ٱلْكَيْلَ وَٱلْمِيزَانَ وَلَا تَبْخَسُوا۟ ٱلنَّاسَ أَشْيَآءَهُمْ وَلَا تُفْسِدُوا۟ فِى ٱلْأَرْضِ بَعْدَ إِصْلَـٰحِهَا ۚ ذَٰلِكُمْ خَيْرٌ لَّكُمْ إِن كُنتُم مُّؤْمِنِينَ
And to [the people of] Madyan [We sent] their brother Shuʿayb. He said, "O my people, worship Allāh; you have no deity other than Him. There has come to you clear evidence from your Lord. So fulfill the measure and weight and do not deprive people of their due and cause not corruption upon the earth after its reformation. That is better for you, if you should be believers.
وَٱتْلُ عَلَيْهِمْ نَبَأَ ٱلَّذِىٓ ءَاتَيْنَـٰهُ ءَايَـٰتِنَا فَٱنسَلَخَ مِنْهَا فَأَتْبَعَهُ ٱلشَّيْطَـٰنُ فَكَانَ مِنَ ٱلْغَاوِينَ
And recite to them, [O Muḥammad], the news of him to whom We gave [knowledge of] Our signs, but he detached himself from them; so Satan pursued him, and he became of the deviators.
يَـٰبَنِىٓ ءَادَمَ قَدْ أَنزَلْنَا عَلَيْكُمْ لِبَاسًا يُوَٰرِى سَوْءَٰتِكُمْ وَرِيشًا ۖ وَلِبَاسُ ٱلتَّقْوَىٰ ذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ مِنْ ءَايَـٰتِ ٱللَّهِ لَعَلَّهُمْ يَذَّكَّرُونَ
O children of Adam, We have bestowed upon you clothing to conceal your private parts and as adornment. But the clothing of righteousness - that is best. That is from the signs of Allāh that perhaps they will remember.