An-Nisa · Madani · ayah 59 of 176

An-Nisa 4:59

يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱلرَّسُولَ وَأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَمْرِ مِنكُمْ ۖ فَإِن تَنَـٰزَعْتُمْ فِى شَىْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَٱلرَّسُولِ إِن كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا

“O you who have believed, obey Allāh and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. And if you disagree over anything, refer it to Allāh and the Messenger, if you should believe in Allāh and the Last Day. That is the best [way] and best in result.”

Saheeh International

Essence

'Obey' is said twice, not three times: Allah and His Messenger are obeyed in their own right, and every other authority only inside that.

A reflection

Three names, but only two verbs

A new driver at a bus depot is told on his first morning: the shift supervisor's word is the rulebook. A week later he reads the agreement pinned by the canteen. It binds the supervisor too, and every grievance goes to the agreement, not to him.

Most people who know this ayah hear it as three equal obediences: Allah, the Messenger, and those in authority. That is how it is usually quoted, and often by whoever holds the authority. Read slowly, the sentence is not built that way.

The verb 'obey' is said twice. 'Obey Allah, and obey the Messenger.' Then comes 'and those in authority among you', with no verb of its own. The commentaries noticed. One explains that the verb is repeated for the Messenger to show he is obeyed in his own right, even where the Quran is silent. It is dropped before those in authority to show they are not. Another puts it plainly: their obedience sits inside obedience to the Messenger. Whoever of them commands what he brought is obeyed. Whoever commands against it is not.

Then the second half removes them altogether. 'If you dispute over anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger.' Those in authority were in the first list. They are missing from the second. When there is a quarrel, including a quarrel with them, they are a party to it, not the court.

The ayah does give authority real weight. Leaders are named, and obedience to them is commanded. But the weight is borrowed. It hangs on a hook higher than the one holding it.

That is the assumption to set down first: this is not a ladder of three. It is two sources of obedience, and one office that answers to both.

The full entry has 6 more reflections, questions to sit with, and "Live it today" - with the words, the roots and the tafsir alongside. Free, no account, works offline.