قُلْ أَطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱلرَّسُولَ ۖ فَإِن تَوَلَّوْا۟ فَإِنَّمَا عَلَيْهِ مَا حُمِّلَ وَعَلَيْكُم مَّا حُمِّلْتُمْ ۖ وَإِن تُطِيعُوهُ تَهْتَدُوا۟ ۚ وَمَا عَلَى ٱلرَّسُولِ إِلَّا ٱلْبَلَـٰغُ ٱلْمُبِينُ 54
Translations
Say, "Obey Allāh and obey the Messenger; but if you turn away - then upon him is only that [duty] with which he has been charged, and upon you is that with which you have been charged. And if you obey him, you will be [rightly] guided. And there is not upon the Messenger except the [responsibility for] clear notification."
Transliteration
Qul atee'u Allaha wa atee'u ar-Rasul fa-in tawallaw fa-innama alayhi ma humila wa alaykum ma humiltum wa in tutee'uh tahtadu wa ma ala ar-Rasuli illa al-balagh al-mubin
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah clarifies the dual obligation to obey Allah and His Messenger, while absolving the Prophet (peace be upon him) of responsibility if people turn away—his duty is only to convey the message clearly. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari emphasize that obedience to the Messenger is inseparable from obedience to Allah, as the Messenger conveys divine guidance, and guidance is achieved through following him. The verse establishes that each party bears the consequences of their choice: the Messenger bears the burden of truthful conveyance, while people bear the burden of acceptance or rejection.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah An-Nur (Chapter 24), a Medinan surah revealed after the Prophet's migration to Medina. The broader context of this surah addresses social regulations and personal conduct within the Muslim community. This particular ayah serves as a foundational statement of the Prophet's role and the people's responsibility, emphasizing that divine guidance has been made clear through the Messenger's teachings.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet said: 'Whoever obeys me obeys Allah, and whoever disobeys me disobeys Allah' (Sahih Bukhari, Book of Tawheed). Additionally, 'The best guidance is the guidance of Muhammad' (Jami' at-Tirmidhi) emphasizes the centrality of following the Messenger's example.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that true guidance requires accepting both Allah's commands and the Messenger's teachings, while reminding us that each individual is responsible for their choices—the burden of clear communication rests with the Prophet, but the burden of heeding that message rests with us. It offers comfort to believers that guidance is available and clear, placing the path to success firmly within our control through obedience.