(80, 81) “Whoever obeys the Messenger has indeed obeyed Allah; and whoever turns away—We have not sent you as a guardian over them. * They say, ‘Obedience!’ But when they leave your presence, a group of them secretly plots by night something other than what you say. Allah records whatever they plot by night. So turn away from them, place your trust in Allah, and Allah suffices as a Trustee.”
That is, whoever obeys Allah’s Messenger in his commands and prohibitions “has indeed obeyed Allah” Most High, because he commands and prohibits only in accordance with Allah’s command, law, revelation, and what He has sent down. This establishes the Messenger’s infallibility, for Allah commanded that he be obeyed without qualification. Had he not been protected from error in everything he conveyed from Allah, He would not have commanded unconditional obedience to him and commended it.
This is one of the rights held in common, for rights are of three kinds:
A right belonging exclusively to Allah Most High and to none of His creation: worshipping Allah, directing one’s hopes and desires to Him, and all that follows from this.
A right belonging specifically to the Messenger: supporting, honoring, and assisting him.
And a right held in common: believing in Allah and His Messenger, loving them, and obeying them. Allah combined these rights in His words: “So that you may believe in Allah and His Messenger, support and honor him, and glorify Him morning and evening.” Thus, whoever obeys the Messenger has obeyed Allah and will receive the reward and goodness promised for obedience to Allah. “And whoever turns away” from obedience to Allah and His Messenger harms only himself and cannot harm Allah in the least. “We have not sent you as a guardian over them”—that is, to watch over their deeds and circumstances. Rather, We sent you to convey the message, explain it, and offer sincere counsel. You have fulfilled your duty, and your reward from Allah is assured, whether they accept guidance or not. As the Exalted says: “So remind them; you are only one who reminds. You have no power to compel them”—and the following verses.
Obedience to Allah and His Messenger must be both outward and inward, whether in their presence or absence. As for one who outwardly displays obedience and commitment when in their presence, but when alone or among his peers abandons obedience and turns to its opposite, the obedience he displayed is neither beneficial nor of any avail. He resembles those of whom Allah says: “They say, ‘Obedience!’”—that is, they display obedience when they are with you. “But when they leave your presence”—that is, when they depart and are alone where no one can observe them—“a group of them secretly plots by night something other than what you say.” In other words, they secretly plan and arrange something other than obedience to you—and there is nothing other than obedience except disobedience.
His words, “A group of them secretly plots by night something other than what you say,” indicate that what they resolved upon was not obedience, for plotting by night means devising a matter during the night until their decision concerning it is settled. He then threatened them for what they had done, saying: “Allah records whatever they plot by night.” That is, He preserves a record of it against them and will repay them for it in full. This is a threat directed at them.
He then commanded His Messenger to deal with them by turning away from them and refraining from reproaching them, for they could not harm him in the least so long as he placed his trust in Allah and sought His aid in granting victory to His religion and establishing His law. He therefore said: “So turn away from them, place your trust in Allah, and Allah suffices as a Trustee.”