Tafsir al-Sadi - Abd al-Rahman al-Sadi’ - (128)

(32) “Say, ‘Obey Allah and the Messenger.’ But if they turn away, then indeed Allah does not love the disbelievers.”

This is a command from Allah Most High to His servants encompassing all commands: to obey Him and His Messenger. This includes faith and monotheism, as well as all the outward and inward deeds and words that stem from them. Indeed, obedience to Allah and His Messenger also includes refraining from what He has forbidden, for abstaining from it in compliance with Allah’s command is itself an act of obedience to Him. Those who obey Allah and His Messenger are the ones who will prosper.

“But if they turn away”—that is, if they reject obedience to Allah and His Messenger—then nothing remains for them to turn to except disbelief and obedience to every rebellious devil: “It has been decreed for him that whoever takes him as an ally, he will lead him astray and guide him to the punishment of the Blaze.” Hence He says, “But if they turn away, then indeed Allah does not love the disbelievers.” Rather, He hates and abhors them and will punish them with the severest punishment.

This noble verse is, as it were, an explanation and clarification of what it means to follow His Messenger: it consists of obeying Allah and obeying His Messenger. This is true following. Then He, Most High, said:

﴿٣٢﴾ ﴿قُلْ أَطِيعُوا اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَإِنْ تَوَلَّوْا فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لا يُحِبُّ الْكَافِرِينَ﴾ . وهذا أمر من الله تعالى لعباده بأعم الأوامر، وهو طاعته وطاعة رسوله التي يدخل بها الإيمان والتوحيد، وما هو من فروع ذلك من الأعمال والأقوال الظاهرة والباطنة، بل يدخل في طاعته وطاعة رسوله اجتناب ما نهى عنه، لأن اجتنابه امتثالا لأمر الله هو من طاعته، فمن أطاع الله ورسوله، فأولئك هم المفلحون ﴿فإن تولوا﴾ أي: أعرضوا عن طاعة الله ورسوله فليس ثم أمر يرجعون إليه إلا الكفر وطاعة كل شيطان مريد ﴿كتب عليه أنه من تولاه فأنه يضله ويهديه إلى عذاب السعير﴾ فلهذا قال: ﴿فإن تولوا فإن الله لا يحب الكافرين﴾ بل يبغضهم ويمقتهم ويعاقبهم أشد العقوبة، وكأن في هذه الآية الكريمة بيانا وتفسيرا لاتباع رسوله، وأن ذلك بطاعة الله وطاعة رسوله، هذا هو الاتباع الحقيقي، ثم قال تعالى: