This honorable Ayah judges against those who claim to love Allah, yet do not follow
the way of Muhammad . Such people are not true in their claim until they follow
the Shari`ah (Law) of Muhammad and his religion in all his statements, actions and
conditions. It is recorded in the Sahih that the Messenger of Allah said,
«مَنْ عَمِلَ عَمَلًا لَيْسَ عَلَيْهِ
أَمْرُنَا فَهُوَ رَد»
(Whoever commits an act that does not conform with our matter (religion), then it
will be rejected of him.)
This is why Allah said here,
﴿قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ
فَاتَّبِعُونِى يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ﴾
(Say (O Muhammad to mankind): "If you (really) love Allah, then follow me, Allah
will love you...'') meaning, what you will earn is much more than what you sought
in loving Him, for Allah will love you. Al-Hasan Al-Basri and several scholars among
the Salaf commented, "Some people claimed that they love Allah. So Allah tested
them with this Ayah;
﴿قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللَّهَ
فَاتَّبِعُونِى يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللَّهُ﴾
(Say (O Muhammad to mankind): "If you (really) love Allah, then follow me, Allah
will love you...''). ''
Allah then said,
﴿وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَاللَّهُ
غَفُورٌ رَّحِيمٌ﴾
("And forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful.'') meaning,
by your following the Messenger , you will earn all this with the blessing of his
mission. Allah next commands everyone,
﴿قُلْ أَطِيعُواْ اللَّهَ وَالرَّسُولَ
فإِن تَوَلَّوْاْ﴾
(Say: "Obey Allah and the Messenger.'' But if they turn away) by defying the Prophet)
﴿فَإِنَّ اللَّهَ لاَ يُحِبُّ الْكَـفِرِينَ﴾
(then Allah does not like the disbelievers.) thus, testifying that defiance of the
Messenger's way constitutes Kufr. Indeed, Allah does not like whoever does this,
even if he claims that he loves Allah and seeks a means of approach to Him, unless,
and until, he follows the unlettered Prophet, the Final Messenger from Allah to
the two creations: mankind and the Jinn. This is the Prophet who, if the previous
Prophets and mighty Messengers were to have been alive during his time, they would
have no choice but to follow, obey him, and to abide by his Law. We will mention
this fact when we explain the Ayah,
﴿وَإِذْ أَخَذَ اللَّهُ مِيثَـقَ النَّبِيِّيْنَ﴾
(And (remember) when Allah took the Covenant of the Prophets) ﴿3:81﴾, Allah willing.
﴿إِنَّ اللَّهَ اصْطَفَى
آدَمَ وَنُوحًا وَءَالَ إِبْرَهِيمَ وَءَالَ عِمْرَنَ عَلَى الْعَـلَمِينَ - ذُرِّيَّةً
بَعْضُهَا مِن بَعْضٍ وَاللَّهُ سَمِيعٌ عَلِيمٌ ﴾
(33. Allah chose Adam, Nuh (Noah), the family of Ibrahim and the family of `Imran
above the nations.) (34. Offspring, one of the other, and Allah is All-Hearer, All-Knower.)
ICTruth.info