Surah Araf ayat 3 Tafsir Quran 7:3

﴿اتَّبِعُوا مَا أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا مِن دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَاءَ ۗ قَلِيلًا مَّا تَذَكَّرُونَ﴾
[ الأعراف: 3]

7:3 Follow, [O mankind], what has been revealed to you from your Lord and do not follow other than Him any allies. Little do you remember.

Say to them Follow what has been revealed to you from your Lord namely the Qur’ān and do not follow do not take beside Him namely God in other words other than Him any patrons obeying them in disobedience of Him exalted be He. Little do you remember read tadhakkarūn or yadhakkarūn ‘little are you or they admonished’; the original tā’ of tatadhakkarūn has been assimilated with the dhāl; a variant reading has tadhkurūn; the mā of qalīlan mā ‘little’ is extra merely emphasising the ‘littleness’.

And you people, act, in accordance with all that has been revealed to you from Allah, your Creator, and take not besides Allah tutelary guardians; they will influence you to revert in character to your aboriginal stocks. How little you people keep Allah in mind

Which was revealed in Makkah بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. كِتَـبٌ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ ( (This is the ) Book ( the Qur'an ) sent down unto you ( O Muhammad )), from your Lord, فَلاَ يَكُن فِى صَدْرِكَ حَرَجٌ مِّنْهُ ( so let not your breast be narrow therefrom, ) meaning, having doubt about it according to Mujahid, Qatadah and As-Suddi.
It was also said that the meaning here is: `do not hesitate to convey the Qur'an and warn with it,' فَاصْبِرْ كَمَا صَبَرَ أُوْلُواْ الْعَزْمِ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ ( Therefore be patient as did the Messengers of strong will ) 46:35.
Allah said here, لِتُنذِرَ بِهِ ( that you warn thereby ) meaning, `We sent down the Qur'an so that you may warn the disbelievers with it,' وَذِكْرَى لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ( and a reminder unto the believers ).
Allah then said to the world, اتَّبِعُواْ مَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ ( Follow what has been sent down unto you from your Lord ) meaning, follow and imitate the unlettered Prophet , who brought you a Book that was revealed for you, from the Lord and master of everything. وَلاَ تَتَّبِعُواْ مِن دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَآءَ ( and follow not any Awliya', besides Him (Allah )) meaning, do not disregard what the Messenger brought you and follow something else, for in this case, you will be deviating from Allah's judgment to the decision of someone else.
Allah's statement, قَلِيلاً مَّا تَذَكَّرُونَ ( Little do you remember! ) is similar to, وَمَآ أَكْثَرُ النَّاسِ وَلَوْ حَرَصْتَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ ( And most of mankind will not believe even if you desire it eagerly )12:103, and; وَإِن تُطِعْ أَكْثَرَ مَن فِى الاٌّرْضِ يُضِلُّوكَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ( And if you obey most of those on the earth, they will mislead you far away from Allah's path )6:116, and, وَمَا يُؤْمِنُ أَكْثَرُهُمْ بِاللَّهِ إِلاَّ وَهُمْ مُّشْرِكُونَ ( And most of them believe not in Allah except that they attribute partners unto Him )12:106.

(7:3) [0 men!] Follow what has been revealed to you from your Lord and follow no masters other than Him. *4 Little are you admonished.

Follow, [O mankind], what has been revealed meaning

*4).
The central theme of the whole surah, and of the present discourse, is the guidance which man needs in order to live a wholesome life, the knowledge which he requires in order to understand the reality of the universe and his own being and the purpose of his existence; the principles which he needs to serve as the basis for morality and social life as well as culture and civilization.
In this regard man should look to God alone and follow exclusively, the Guidance which He has communicated to mankind through His Messenger.
To look to anyone other than God is dangerous for it has always spelled disaster in the past, and will always spell disaster in the future.
In this verse the word awliya' ( masters ) refers to those whom one follows, regardless of whether one idolizes or curses them, and whether one acknowledges their patronship or strongly, denies it.
For further explanation see Tafhim al-Qur'an, al-Shurai 42, n.6.

 

Which was revealed in Makkah بِسْمِ اللَّهِ الرَّحْمَـنِ الرَّحِيمِ In the Name of Allah, the Most Gracious, the Most Merciful. كِتَـبٌ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكَ ( (This is the ) Book ( the Qur'an ) sent down unto you ( O Muhammad )), from your Lord, فَلاَ يَكُن فِى صَدْرِكَ حَرَجٌ مِّنْهُ ( so let not your breast be narrow therefrom, ) meaning, having doubt about it according to Mujahid, Qatadah and As-Suddi.
It was also said that the meaning here is: `do not hesitate to convey the Qur'an and warn with it,' فَاصْبِرْ كَمَا صَبَرَ أُوْلُواْ الْعَزْمِ مِنَ الرُّسُلِ ( Therefore be patient as did the Messengers of strong will ) 46:35.
Allah said here, لِتُنذِرَ بِهِ ( that you warn thereby ) meaning, `We sent down the Qur'an so that you may warn the disbelievers with it,' وَذِكْرَى لِلْمُؤْمِنِينَ ( and a reminder unto the believers ).
Allah then said to the world, اتَّبِعُواْ مَآ أُنزِلَ إِلَيْكُم مِّن رَّبِّكُمْ ( Follow what has been sent down unto you from your Lord ) meaning, follow and imitate the unlettered Prophet , who brought you a Book that was revealed for you, from the Lord and master of everything. وَلاَ تَتَّبِعُواْ مِن دُونِهِ أَوْلِيَآءَ ( and follow not any Awliya', besides Him (Allah )) meaning, do not disregard what the Messenger brought you and follow something else, for in this case, you will be deviating from Allah's judgment to the decision of someone else.
Allah's statement, قَلِيلاً مَّا تَذَكَّرُونَ ( Little do you remember! ) is similar to, وَمَآ أَكْثَرُ النَّاسِ وَلَوْ حَرَصْتَ بِمُؤْمِنِينَ ( And most of mankind will not believe even if you desire it eagerly )12:103, and; وَإِن تُطِعْ أَكْثَرَ مَن فِى الاٌّرْضِ يُضِلُّوكَ عَن سَبِيلِ اللَّهِ ( And if you obey most of those on the earth, they will mislead you far away from Allah's path )6:116, and, وَمَا يُؤْمِنُ أَكْثَرُهُمْ بِاللَّهِ إِلاَّ وَهُمْ مُّشْرِكُونَ ( And most of them believe not in Allah except that they attribute partners unto Him )12:106.

( (Saying ): Follow that which is sent down unto you from your Lord) i.e. the Qur’an: uphold as lawful that which it makes lawful and unlawful that which it makes unlawful, ( and follow ) and worship ( no protecting friends ) idols as lords ( beside Him. Little do you recollect ) you do not take admonition neither much nor a little!

[Say (O Muhammad SAW) to these idolaters (pagan Arabs) of your folk:] Follow what has been sent down unto you from your Lord (the Quran and Prophet Muhammad's Sunnah), and follow not any Auliya' (protectors and helpers, etc. who order you to associate partners in worship with Allah), besides Him (Allah). Little do you remember!

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