Surah Ali 'Imran, Ayah 150

The Prohibition of Obeying the Disbelievers; the Cause of Defeat at Uhud

Allah warns His believing servants against obeying the disbelievers and hypocrites, because such obedience leads to utter destruction in this life and the Hereafter. This is why Allah said,

إِن تُطِيعُواْ الَّذِينَ كَفَرُواْ يَرُدُّوكُمْ عَلَى أَعْقَـبِكُمْ فَتَنقَلِبُواْ خَـسِرِينَ

(If you obey those who disbelieve, they will send you back on your heels, and you will turn back (from faith) as losers) 3:149.

Allah also commands the believers to obey Him, take Him as their protector, seek His aid and trust in Him. Allah said,

بَلِ اللَّهُ مَوْلَـكُمْ وَهُوَ خَيْرُ النَّـصِرِينَ

(Nay, Allah is your protector, and He is the best of helpers).

When Muslims faced a temporary setback during the battle of Uhud and rumours went around that the Prophet ﷺ has been martyred, the hypocrites found an occasion for mischief under the shadows of a battle nearly lost. They said to Muslims: 'Now, that the Prophet is no more with us, why should we not go back to our old faith and thus get rid of all conflicts between us?' This shows how ugly the conduct of hypocrites was and how avowed an enemy they were to Muslims.

In the verses appearing above, Muslims have been instructed not to listen to such enemies, nor to make them a party to any consultations among themselves, nor follow any advice given by them.

People who realize these truths are the true followers of the path of God. If God wills, they are invested with honour and power in this world as well, and so far as the eternal and superior rewards of the Hereafter are concerned, these too are reserved for them. However, this status is earned only when the believer has passed all the tests, when his eyes are set on God, even when all the apparent supports have crumbled away. His life being at risk fails to depress him. He does not retreat even when he sees the destruction of his worldly position before his very eyes. He regards any loss he incurs as the result of his own shortcomings. He holds himself responsible for it, and seeks forgiveness from God. When he is blessed with some good thing, he knows that it comes from God and he is thankful to Him. Such people become deserving candidates for all kinds of blessings showered upon them by their Creator. They who have thus discovered God are the most precious of souls and have themselves wholeheartedly enrolled in God’s plan. Remaining united at crucial moments and adhering strictly and with patience to the truth are the qualities that make believers deserving of divine succour.