وَٱتَّبِعْ مَا يُوحَىٰٓ إِلَيْكَ مِن رَّبِّكَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ بِمَا تَعْمَلُونَ خَبِيرًا 2
Translations
And follow that which is revealed to you from your Lord. Indeed Allāh is ever, of what you do, Aware.
Transliteration
Wa-ittabi' mā yūḥā ilayka min rabbika inna Allāha kāna bimā taʿmalūna khabīrā
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah commands the Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) to follow the revelation sent to him from his Lord, emphasizing strict adherence to divine guidance. Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi note that this establishes the foundational principle that the Prophet's authority derives entirely from divine revelation, not personal opinion or cultural precedent. The concluding phrase assures that Allah is fully aware of all actions and will hold people accountable, serving as both a warning and an incentive for obedience.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-Ahzab (the Medinan surah about the Battle of the Confederates), addressing the Prophet during a period of intense social and military pressure. The context reflects a broader Quranic theme of reaffirming the Prophet's reliance on revelation alone, particularly when facing opposition from various groups including hypocrites and those advocating for pre-Islamic practices.
Related Hadiths
The hadith 'Whoever obeys me obeys Allah, and whoever disobeys me disobeys Allah' (Sahih Muslim) reinforces this principle of following divine guidance through the Prophet. Additionally, the hadith about the Prophet saying 'I have left you two things; as long as you hold fast to them, you will never go astray: the Book of Allah and the Sunnah of His Prophet' (Sunan Ibn Majah) exemplifies the practical application of this command.
Themes
Key Lesson
For believers today, this ayah emphasizes that true guidance comes only from authenticated Islamic sources (the Quran and authentic Sunnah), not from personal desires or cultural norms, and that Allah's complete knowledge of our actions should motivate conscious adherence to divine commands.
Related Ayahs
قُلْ أَرَءَيْتُمْ إِن كَانَ مِنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ وَكَفَرْتُم بِهِۦ وَشَهِدَ شَاهِدٌ مِّنۢ بَنِىٓ إِسْرَٰٓءِيلَ عَلَىٰ مِثْلِهِۦ فَـَٔامَنَ وَٱسْتَكْبَرْتُمْ ۖ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ لَا يَهْدِى ٱلْقَوْمَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ
Say, "Have you considered: if it [i.e., the Qur’ān] was from Allāh, and you disbelieved in it while a witness from the Children of Israel has testified to something similar and believed while you were arrogant...?" Indeed, Allāh does not guide the wrongdoing people.
وَلَمَّا جَآءَهُمْ رَسُولٌ مِّنْ عِندِ ٱللَّهِ مُصَدِّقٌ لِّمَا مَعَهُمْ نَبَذَ فَرِيقٌ مِّنَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ كِتَـٰبَ ٱللَّهِ وَرَآءَ ظُهُورِهِمْ كَأَنَّهُمْ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ
And when a messenger from Allāh came to them confirming that which was with them, a party of those who had been given the Scripture threw the Scripture of Allāh [i.e., the Torah] behind their backs as if they did not know [what it contained].
إِنَّهُۥ لَقَوْلُ رَسُولٍ كَرِيمٍ
[That] indeed, it [i.e., the Qur’ān] is a word [conveyed by] a noble messenger [i.e., Gabriel]
مَا زَاغَ ٱلْبَصَرُ وَمَا طَغَىٰ
The sight [of the Prophet (ﷺ)] did not swerve, nor did it transgress [its limit].