the verb is directed to the addressees; its original form is tatawallaw, but one of the two tā’s has been omitted for lightness. The meaning is that he has been charged with delivering the message and conveying it, whereas you have been charged with obeying him, submitting to him, and yielding to his command—just as al-Bukhari relates in his Ṣaḥīḥ (1) from al-Zuhri who said: “Clarification comes from Allah; conveying it rests upon His Messenger (2); and submission rests upon us.”

So if you abandon what you have been assigned of faith and obedience, the burden falls upon you, not upon him; for he has not been tasked with securing your obedience (3) and your faith. He has only been tasked with conveying the message to you and delivering it. If you obey him, that is your share, your happiness, and your guidance; and if you do not obey him, he has already fulfilled what he was charged with (4). “The Messenger’s duty is only to convey plainly”; your guidance and divine enablement are not upon him (5).

The Exalted One also says: “O you who believe, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. If you differ about anything, refer it to Allah and the Messenger, if you truly believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is better and produces the best result.” (6) Thus Allah commands obedience to Himself and to His Messenger, and He opens the verse by addressing them (7) with the name of faith, hinting that what is being required of them belongs to the necessary consequences