ٱلَّذِينَ يَتَّبِعُونَ ٱلرَّسُولَ ٱلنَّبِىَّ ٱلْأُمِّىَّ ٱلَّذِى يَجِدُونَهُۥ مَكْتُوبًا عِندَهُمْ فِى ٱلتَّوْرَىٰةِ وَٱلْإِنجِيلِ يَأْمُرُهُم بِٱلْمَعْرُوفِ وَيَنْهَىٰهُمْ عَنِ ٱلْمُنكَرِ وَيُحِلُّ لَهُمُ ٱلطَّيِّبَـٰتِ وَيُحَرِّمُ عَلَيْهِمُ ٱلْخَبَـٰٓئِثَ وَيَضَعُ عَنْهُمْ إِصْرَهُمْ وَٱلْأَغْلَـٰلَ ٱلَّتِى كَانَتْ عَلَيْهِمْ ۚ فَٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوا۟ بِهِۦ وَعَزَّرُوهُ وَنَصَرُوهُ وَٱتَّبَعُوا۟ ٱلنُّورَ ٱلَّذِىٓ أُنزِلَ مَعَهُۥٓ ۙ أُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْمُفْلِحُونَ 157
Translations
Those who follow the Messenger, the unlettered prophet, whom they find written [i.e., described] in what they have of the Torah and the Gospel, who enjoins upon them what is right and prohibits them from what is wrong and makes lawful for them what is good and forbids them from what is evil and relieves them of their burden and the shackles which were upon them. So they who have believed in him, honored him, supported him and followed the light which was sent down with him - it is those who will be the successful.
Transliteration
Al-ladhīna yattabi'ūna ar-rasūla an-nabiyya al-ummiyya al-ladhī yajidūnahu maktūban 'indahum fī at-tawrāh wa-al-injīl ya'muruhum bi-al-ma'rūf wa-yanhāhum 'an al-munkar wa-yuhillu lahumu at-tayyibāt wa-yuharrimu 'alayhim al-khabi'th wa-yada'u 'anhum israhum wa-al-aghla al-latī kānat 'alayhim. Fa-al-ladhīna āmanū bihi wa-'azzarūhu wa-nasarūhu wa-attabi'ū an-nūr al-ladhī unzila ma'ahu. Ūlā'ika hum al-muflihūn.
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah describes the followers of Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) as those who recognize him in the Torah and Gospel, fulfill the covenant of following him, and believe in the guidance he brings. According to Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, the ayah emphasizes that the Prophet enjoins righteousness and forbids evil, makes permissible the good things previously forbidden to the Jews, and lifts the burdensome restrictions and chains that were upon them—referring to the lighter laws of the Sharī'ah. Those who truly believe in him, honor him, support him, and follow the light sent with him are the successful ones in this life and the Hereafter.
Revelation Context
This ayah is part of a broader Meccan discussion addressing the People of the Book (Christians and Jews) and those who would follow the Prophet. It appears in the context of Surah Al-A'raf's discussion of divine guidance and the descriptions of the final Prophet that were already recorded in previous scriptures, serving as a call to recognize and accept the Prophet's mission.
Related Hadiths
Sahih Bukhari 4480: The Prophet said, 'The parable of guidance and knowledge with which Allah has sent me is like abundant rain falling on the earth.' This reflects the theme of the spiritual transformation and elevation brought by following the Prophet. Additionally, Muslim accounts preserve that the Prophet's message unified believers and removed the burdensome restrictions of previous laws.
Themes
Key Lesson
True success and prosperity lie not merely in intellectual acknowledgment of the Prophet but in actively honoring, supporting, and following the divine guidance he brought, which alleviates human suffering and moral confusion. Modern believers are reminded that faith requires commitment—both internal conviction and external action in supporting truth and opposing falsehood.