وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَرَسُولَهُۥ وَلَا تَنَـٰزَعُوا۟ فَتَفْشَلُوا۟ وَتَذْهَبَ رِيحُكُمْ ۖ وَٱصْبِرُوٓا۟ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ مَعَ ٱلصَّـٰبِرِينَ 46
Translations
And obey Allāh and His Messenger, and do not dispute and [thus] lose courage and [then] your strength would depart; and be patient. Indeed, Allāh is with the patient.
Transliteration
Wa-ati'u Allaha wa rasulahu wa la tanaza'u fatafshalu wa tadhhabu rihukum wa-isbiru inna Allaha ma'a al-sabirin
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah commands obedience to Allah and His Messenger while forbidding discord and disputes among the believers, warning that internal division leads to failure and loss of strength (rih/spirit and momentum). Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Qurtubi emphasize that this verse was revealed in the context of the Battle of Badr, where unity and obedience were crucial to victory, and they note that 'your wind going away' (tadhhabu rihukum) refers to the loss of divine support and morale that results from disunity.
Revelation Context
This ayah was revealed in the Medinan period during the early Islamic state, specifically in the context of Surah Al-Anfal which discusses the Battle of Badr (2 AH). The verse addresses the believers directly before and during military engagement, emphasizing that their success depends not on numbers or equipment but on unity, obedience, and patience in following Allah's command and the Prophet's leadership.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (peace be upon him) said: 'The example of believers in their affection, mercy, and compassion for each other is that of a body; when any limb aches, the whole body aches with sleeplessness and fever' (Sahih Muslim). Additionally, the Prophet emphasized unity by stating: 'Whoever leaves obedience [to the leader] and separates from the community and dies, dies a death of ignorance' (Sahih Muslim).
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches Muslims that external strength and victory are meaningless without internal unity and adherence to divine guidance; divisions within the Muslim community weaken it spiritually and materially, while obedience and patience invite Allah's support and victory. For modern readers, this emphasizes that personal and collective progress depends more on moral cohesion and submission to righteous leadership than on material resources alone.