Surah 4:81
Show Full Scripture Context (4:80-81) — 2 Verses
مَّن يُطِعِ ٱلرَّسُولَ فَقَدۡ أَطَاعَ ٱللَّهَۖ وَمَن تَوَلَّىٰ فَمَآ أَرۡسَلۡنَٰكَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ حَفِيظٗا
Whoever obeys the messenger has obeyed God, but whoever turns away – We have not sent you as a watcher over them.
وَيَقُولُونَ طَاعَةٞ فَإِذَا بَرَزُواْ مِنۡ عِندِكَ بَيَّتَ طَآئِفَةٞ مِّنۡهُمۡ غَيۡرَ ٱلَّذِي تَقُولُۖ وَٱللَّهُ يَكۡتُبُ مَا يُبَيِّتُونَۖ فَأَعۡرِضۡ عَنۡهُمۡ وَتَوَكَّلۡ عَلَى ٱللَّهِۚ وَكَفَىٰ بِٱللَّهِ وَكِيلًا
They say, ‘(We pledge) obedience (to you).’ But when they go forth from your presence, a contingent of them plans by night (to do) other than what you say. God is writing down what they plan. So turn away from them and put your trust in God. God is sufficient as a guardian.
Obeying the Messenger is Obeying Allah
Allah states that whoever obeys His servant and Messenger, Muhammad obeys Allah; and whoever disobeys him, disobeys Allah. Verily, whatever the Messenger utters is not of his own desire, but a revelation inspired to him. Ibn Abi Hatim recorded that Abu Hurayrah said that the Messenger of Allah said,
«Whoever obeys me, obeys Allah; and whoever disobeys me, disobeys Allah. Whoever obeys the Amir (leader, ruler), obeys me; and whoever disobeys the Amir, disobeys me.»
This Hadith was recorded in the Two Sahihs. Allah’s statement.
means, do not worry about him. Your job is only to convey, and whoever obeys you, he will acquire happiness and success and you will gain a similar reward to that he earns. As for the one who turns away from you, he will gain failure and loss and you will not carry a burden because of what he does. A Hadith states,
«Whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, will acquire guidance; and whoever disobeys Allah and His Messenger, will only harm himself.»
The Foolishness of the Hypocrites
Allah said,
{They say: "We are obedient,"}. Allah states that the hypocrites pretend to be loyal and obedient.
{but when they leave you}, meaning, when they depart and are no longer with you,
They plot at night among themselves for other than what they pretend when they are with you. Allah said,
{But Allah records their nightly (plots).} meaning, He has full knowledge of their plots and records it through His command to His scribes, the angels who are responsible for recording the actions of the servants.
This is a threat from Allah, stating that He knows what the hypocrites try to hide, their plotting in the night to defy the Messenger and oppose him, even though they pretend to be loyal and obedient to him. Allah will certainly punish them for this conduct. In a similar Ayah, Allah said,
until the end of the Ayah. Allah’s statement,
{So turn aside from them} means, pardon them, be forbearing with them, do not punish them, do not expose them to the people and do not fear them.
meaning, He is sufficient as Protector, Supporter and Helper for those who rely on Him and return to Him.
— from Tafsir Ibn Kathir (Vol. 2, Page 522-524)