A simple straight forward ayah not needing any level of explanation yet depicting some basic and fundamental demands of Islam.

The index ayah, after commanding to obey Allah and HIS Messenger adds وَاحۡذَرُوۡا meaning “beware or be cautious”. What you have to be cautious about? I guess it has several options. Mere lip service to this command is not acceptable. One must mean it and show it in his life on the ground. It is not a single or several commands that you have to accept. Every moment and action of one’s life should be a result of this obedience. No if’s or but’s allowed. One must look for and dig out the demands and directions of God Almighty and the Messenger at every stage through out one’s life.

The long passage in the Quran around the index ayah provides a long list of legislation in different areas of life and emphasises that God alone has the authority to decipher the permissible and the forbidden in all matters, big or small, important or trivial. Anyone who claims this authority to legislate, by word or deed, is actually claiming Godhead, which obviously belongs only to God alone. As a matter of fact this  amounts to challenging God Himself. Any legislation enacted on the basis of social traditions or people’s view in defiance of what God has revealed to His Messenger amounts to a departure from Faith itself.

Thus, this ayah requires reiteration from time to time. The ayah clarifies in very simple terms the issue at hand. It is crystal clear that Allah Ta’aala Subhaanahoo is completely oblivious and entirely unaffected by any human action. But the ayah stresses that even the person of the Holy Prophet is not bothered if folks around him refuse to follow him. His job is to inform, teach and warn of the consequences of denial and refusal. His mission has been already fulfilled. Forgiveness and punishment are the sole prerogative of God. He will forgive and punish accordingly. Yes, the negative attitude of the Quraish did trouble the holy Prophet a lot and actually hurt him because he was a very kind and sensitive person and felt sorry at the fate of the disbelievers. But he had the satisfaction of conveying and completing his mission. That’s what matters. After all to obey Allah and HIS Messenger is in one’s own interest.

“To obey God and obey the Messenger” is a very common combination of commands in the Quran (see 3:32, 132; 4:59; 8:1, 20, 46; 24:54; 33:33; 47:33; 58:13; 64:12; see also 7:156–57; 59:7). In the present context, point out Nasr Sayyed Husein et al in their modern tafseer “The Study Quran” that “it is likely meant to encourage obedience specifically to the prohibitions listed in vv 90–91” ie the preceding two verses which are:

يٰۤاَيُّهَا الَّذِيۡنَ اٰمَنُوۡۤا اِنَّمَا الۡخَمۡرُ وَالۡمَيۡسِرُ وَالۡاَنۡصَابُ وَالۡاَزۡلَامُ رِجۡسٌ مِّنۡ عَمَلِ الشَّيۡطٰنِ فَاجۡتَنِبُوۡهُ لَعَلَّكُمۡ تُفۡلِحُوۡنَ 

“Believers! Intoxicants, games of chance, idolatrous sacrifices at altars, and divining arrows108 are all abominations, the handiwork of Satan. So turn wholly away from it that you may attain to true success.”

اِنَّمَا يُرِيۡدُ الشَّيۡطٰنُ اَنۡ يُّوۡقِعَ بَيۡنَكُمُ الۡعَدَاوَةَ وَالۡبَغۡضَآءَ فِى الۡخَمۡرِ وَالۡمَيۡسِرِ وَيَصُدَّكُمۡ عَنۡ ذِكۡرِ اللّٰهِ وَعَنِ الصَّلٰوةِ ۚ فَهَلۡ اَنۡـتُمۡ مُّنۡتَهُوۡنَ

“By intoxicants and games of chance Satan only desires to create enmity and hatred between you, and to turn you away from the remembrance of Allah and from Prayer. Will you, then, desist?”

This ayah is one of several places where the Prophet is reminded that his only duty is to clearly declare and announce his mission. He is once again reminded that he cannot judge or predict the response of the people to his communications. As a corollary therefore, he is not responsible for the action of those who ditch and reject his proclamation.

As I have stated earlier, this ayah does not need an elaborate explanation. It is self explanatory.

……..and Allah knows best.

May Allah Ta’aala bless us with true understanding–“fahm”–of our Deen, Aameen.

Dr. Khalid Mitha