سُوْرَةُ النِّسَآءِ
Surah An-Nisaa (4) — Ayah 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 ﴿59﴾
Translation by Dr. Muhammad Muhsin Khan & Dr. Taqi-ud-Din al-Hilali
O you who believe! Obey Allâh and obey the Messenger (Muhammad صلى الله عليه وسلم), and those of you (Muslims) who are in authority. (And) if you differ in anything amongst yourselves, refer it to Allâh and His Messenger (صلى الله عليه وسلم), if you believe in Allâh and in the Last Day. That is better and more suitable for final determination.
Word by Word — Arabic, Transliteration & Meaning
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا
yāayyuhā
O you
ٱلَّذِينَ
alladhīna
who
ءَامَنُوٓا۟
āmanū
believe[d]
أَطِيعُوا۟
aṭīʿū
Obey
ٱللَّهَ
l-laha
Allah
وَأَطِيعُوا۟
wa-aṭīʿū
and obey
ٱلرَّسُولَ
l-rasūla
the Messenger
وَأُو۟لِى
wa-ulī
and those
ٱلْأَمْرِ
l-amri
(having) authority
مِنكُمْ ۖ
minkum
among you
فَإِن
fa-in
Then if
تَنَـٰزَعْتُمْ
tanāzaʿtum
you disagree
فِى
fī
in
شَىْءٍۢ
shayin
anything
فَرُدُّوهُ
faruddūhu
refer it
إِلَى
ilā
to
ٱللَّهِ
l-lahi
Allah
وَٱلرَّسُولِ
wal-rasūli
and the Messenger
إِن
in
if
كُنتُمْ
kuntum
you
تُؤْمِنُونَ
tu'minūna
believe
بِٱللَّهِ
bil-lahi
in Allah
وَٱلْيَوْمِ
wal-yawmi
and the Day
ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ ۚ
l-ākhiri
[the] Last
ذَٰلِكَ
dhālika
That
خَيْرٌۭ
khayrun
(is) best
وَأَحْسَنُ
wa-aḥsanu
and more suitable
تَأْوِيلًا
tawīlan
(for final) determination
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim — Hafiz Abdus Salam Bin Muhammad Bhutvi
Tafsir al-Quran al-Karim is a 4-volume Quran commentary by Hafiz Abdus Salam bin Muhammad Bhutvi, a renowned Salafi (Ahl al-Hadith) scholar and Sheikh ul-Hadith from Pakistan. Based on over 45 years of teaching and research, this tafsir follows the methodology of Tafsir bil-Ma'thur — interpreting the Quran through authentic Hadith, statements of the Companions, and the understanding of the early generations (Salaf). It is distinguished by its complete avoidance of Israeliyyat (Judeo-Christian narratives) and unverified reports. The tafsir is originally written in Urdu, translated to English by tohed.com.
(Ayah 59) ➊ {اَطِيْعُوا اللّٰهَ وَ اَطِيْعُوا الرَّسُوْلَ …:} In this verse, Allah Almighty has commanded the subjects, whether they are members of the army or common people, to obey Him, His Messenger (peace be upon him), and the rulers and leaders, except when the rulers command disobedience to Allah; in that case, their command should not be followed. Shah Abdul Qadir (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: "It is necessary to follow the command of those in authority—kings, judges, and anyone appointed to a task—as long as they do not command against the order of Allah and His Messenger. If they clearly command against it, then do not obey that command." (Mawduh) The Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: [ إِنَّمَا الطَّاعَةُ فِي الْمَعْرُوْفِ ] "Obedience is only in matters of goodness." [ بخاری، الأحکام، باب السمع والطاعۃ للإمام… : ۷۱۴۵، عن علی رضی اللہ عنہ ]
Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "It is obligatory upon every Muslim to listen and obey in every matter, whether he likes it or dislikes it, provided he is not commanded to commit a sin. If he is commanded to commit a sin, then there is no listening and obedience in that." [ بخاری، الفتن، باب السمع والطاعۃ للإمام : ۷۱۴۴ ]
➋ { فَاِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِيْ شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوْهُ … :} In this verse, a very important command has been given: in case of mutual dispute and conflict, referring to Allah and His Messenger is a condition of faith. Obedience to Allah means obedience to the Quran, and obedience to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) after his life means obedience to his Sunnah, and these obediences are original and independent. This proves that, like the Quran, the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is also an independent source of Islamic law. Nawab Siddiq Hasan Khan (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: "The followers of taqlid use this verse as evidence for the obligation of taqlid, but this cannot be evidence, because 'ulil amr' refers to kings and rulers. (See Fawaid Mawduh) If, according to some scholars, it refers to religious scholars, then firstly, there is no specification of any particular scholar, and secondly, even if we accept that the command is to follow a scholar, it is only as long as his command is in accordance with the Quran and Hadith (although this is not taqlid but acting upon the Quran and Hadith). Furthermore, all four Imams themselves forbade following them blindly, and the Noble Quran has commanded that if there is a dispute in following the Imams, then one should refer to Allah and His Messenger." (Tarjuman) From this, it is also known that if there is a dispute among the Companions, the Followers, or the Imams on any issue, then no one's statement is a proof; rather, only the Quran and Hadith will be acted upon there.
➌ { ذٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَّ اَحْسَنُ تَاْوِيْلًا:} If two Muslims quarrel and one says, "Let us refer to the Shariah," and the other says, "I do not understand the Shariah," or "I have nothing to do with the Shariah," then surely he has become a disbeliever. (Mawduh)
Abdullah bin Umar (may Allah be pleased with them both) narrates that the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) said: "It is obligatory upon every Muslim to listen and obey in every matter, whether he likes it or dislikes it, provided he is not commanded to commit a sin. If he is commanded to commit a sin, then there is no listening and obedience in that." [ بخاری، الفتن، باب السمع والطاعۃ للإمام : ۷۱۴۴ ]
➋ { فَاِنْ تَنَازَعْتُمْ فِيْ شَيْءٍ فَرُدُّوْهُ … :} In this verse, a very important command has been given: in case of mutual dispute and conflict, referring to Allah and His Messenger is a condition of faith. Obedience to Allah means obedience to the Quran, and obedience to the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) after his life means obedience to his Sunnah, and these obediences are original and independent. This proves that, like the Quran, the Hadith of the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is also an independent source of Islamic law. Nawab Siddiq Hasan Khan (may Allah have mercy on him) writes: "The followers of taqlid use this verse as evidence for the obligation of taqlid, but this cannot be evidence, because 'ulil amr' refers to kings and rulers. (See Fawaid Mawduh) If, according to some scholars, it refers to religious scholars, then firstly, there is no specification of any particular scholar, and secondly, even if we accept that the command is to follow a scholar, it is only as long as his command is in accordance with the Quran and Hadith (although this is not taqlid but acting upon the Quran and Hadith). Furthermore, all four Imams themselves forbade following them blindly, and the Noble Quran has commanded that if there is a dispute in following the Imams, then one should refer to Allah and His Messenger." (Tarjuman) From this, it is also known that if there is a dispute among the Companions, the Followers, or the Imams on any issue, then no one's statement is a proof; rather, only the Quran and Hadith will be acted upon there.
➌ { ذٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَّ اَحْسَنُ تَاْوِيْلًا:} If two Muslims quarrel and one says, "Let us refer to the Shariah," and the other says, "I do not understand the Shariah," or "I have nothing to do with the Shariah," then surely he has become a disbeliever. (Mawduh)
