فَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُونِ 150
Translations
So fear Allāh and obey me.
Transliteration
Fattaqū Allāha wa-aṭīʿūn
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah is part of the exhortation of the Prophet Shu'ayb (Shoaib) to his people, urging them to fear Allah and obey his message. Classical scholars like Al-Tabari and Ibn Kathir note that this represents the essential call of every messenger: first establishing taqwa (God-consciousness) in the hearts, then obedience to the divine guidance. The command encompasses both inward piety and outward submission to the messenger's teachings.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears within the narrative of Shu'ayb's preaching to the people of Madyan (Midian), who were known for cheating in commerce and trade. The broader surah presents various prophetic narratives, and this particular verse reflects the universal pattern of prophetic invitation: calling people to Allah-consciousness while demanding adherence to the messenger's guidance, a theme central to Meccan revelation.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet Muhammad (peace be upon him) said: 'Whoever obeys me has obeyed Allah, and whoever disobeys me has disobeyed Allah' (Sahih Bukhari 7137). Additionally, the hadith: 'The best of you are those who learn the Quran and teach it' (Sahih Bukhari 5027) relates to obedience to divine guidance as conveyed through messengers.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah teaches that true faith requires a dual commitment: cultivating inner piety through taqwa while demonstrating outward obedience to divine guidance through the messengers. For modern believers, it emphasizes that fear of Allah must be accompanied by concrete action and adherence to Islamic teachings, making faith a lived reality rather than mere sentiment.
Related Ayahs
إِذْ قَالَ لَهُمْ أَخُوهُمْ هُودٌ أَلَا تَتَّقُونَ
When their brother Hūd said to them, "Will you not fear Allāh?
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلنَّاسُ ٱتَّقُوا۟ رَبَّكُمُ ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَكُم مِّن نَّفْسٍ وَٰحِدَةٍ وَخَلَقَ مِنْهَا زَوْجَهَا وَبَثَّ مِنْهُمَا رِجَالًا كَثِيرًا وَنِسَآءً ۚ وَٱتَّقُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ ٱلَّذِى تَسَآءَلُونَ بِهِۦ وَٱلْأَرْحَامَ ۚ إِنَّ ٱللَّهَ كَانَ عَلَيْكُمْ رَقِيبًا
O mankind, fear your Lord, who created you from one soul and created from it its mate and dispersed from both of them many men and women. And fear Allāh, through whom you ask one another, and the wombs. Indeed Allāh is ever, over you, an Observer.
وَأَمَّا مَنْ خَافَ مَقَامَ رَبِّهِۦ وَنَهَى ٱلنَّفْسَ عَنِ ٱلْهَوَىٰ
But as for he who feared the position of his Lord and prevented the soul from [unlawful] inclination,
ٱلَّذِينَ يَظُنُّونَ أَنَّهُم مُّلَـٰقُوا۟ رَبِّهِمْ وَأَنَّهُمْ إِلَيْهِ رَٰجِعُونَ
Who are certain that they will meet their Lord and that they will return to Him.