فَاصبِر لِحُكمِ رَبِّكَ وَلا تُطِع مِنهُم آثِمًا أَو كَفورًا

So submit patiently to the judgement of your Lord, and do not obey any sinner or ingrate among them.

EXEGESIS

The prefixed conjuction fa expresses causality. Hence, the verse asserts that since the Quran has been sent down from God as per verse 23, then it is incumbent upon the Messenger of God to be steadfast in upholding its command.^{‎[1]Mizan, 20/140.}

The second half of this verse reasserts the meaning of the first half by stating the same idea in the negative.^{‎[2]Mizan, 20/141.} Āthim comes from ithm, which means sin.^{‎[3]Lisan, 12/5.} In the conjugated form used in the verse it means one who is deep into sin.^{‎[4]Mizan, 20/141.} Kafūr comes from kufr which means to deny, be ungrateful, or disbelieve.^{‎[5]Lisan, 5/144.} In the conjugated form used in the verse, it means one who is a staunchly ungrateful person.^{‎[6]Mizan, 20/141.} The prohibition to follow the sinner and the ungrateful person came after the command to be steadfast because being steadfast in upholding God’s command translates into being diametrically opposed to disbelief and sinfulness (109:1-6).^{‎[7]Mizan, 20/141.}

EXPOSITION

Verses 23-24 strengthen the Prophet as they infuse him with a deeper realisation that God is with him every step of the way, protecting, supporting, and caring for him.^{‎[8]Amthal, 19/274.}

The Quran was the primary means with which the Prophet called to Islam and took the people out of darkness and into light (2:151, 3:101, 3:164, 29:51, 62:2). Verses 23-26 of this surah have two effects. The effect upon the Prophet and the believers was that they infused them with strength and gave them solace in the face of hardship (11:120, 14:27, 16:102, 25:32). However, for the sinners and the ungrateful, they triggered their disapproval and hostility (22:72, 8:31-32, 10:15). Nevertheless, God called upon His Messenger not to obey the disbelievers, but strive against them a mighty striving with the Quran (25:52).

With this in mind, we can see that verse 24 predicts the necessary polarising outcome of the revelation of the Quran and gives the Prophet and the believers the necessary directives in the face of ensuing challenges.

INSIGHTS FROM HADITH

1. Al-Durr al-Manthūr reports from ʿAbd ibn Ḥamīd, Ibn Jarīr, and Ibn Abī Ḥātim, that Qatādah said about and do not obey any sinner or ingrate among them: ‘He [the Messenger of God] told us that it was sent down in condemnation of the enemy of God, Abū’ Tabatabai comments that this narration is mostly giving an application of this verse.^{‎[9]Suyuti, 6/302.}

REVIEW OF TAFSĪR LITERATURE

There are a number of narrations that take āthim and kafūr to refer to specific historic persons, namely ʿUtbah ibn Rabīʿah and al-Walīd ibn al-Mughīrah, respectively.^{‎[10] Tabrisi, 10/625.} ʿUtbah was known for his excessive sinfulness just as al-Walīd was reputed for his fanatical faithlessness.^{‎[11] Razi, 30/759.} Others have related that kafūr is Abū Jahl, who is reported to have said: ‘If I see Muhammad praying, I will trample his neck.’^{‎[12] Tabrisi, 10/625.} While the attributes of āthim and kafūr match these individuals very befittingly, there is little supporting evidence for restricting them to these persons alone or that the verse had been revealed to single them out. Instead, it applies to anyone to the degree that they hold such attributes.

Some exegetes have said verses 23-24 come specifically to call the Messenger of God to patience and to hold back from taking arms against the disbelievers for their persecution of the Muslims.^{‎[13] Razi, 30/758.} This implies that the Holy Prophet wished to be granted permission to move the affairs into armed conflict with the polytheists. However, there is little evidence that the verses carry such meanings. First, there is no evidence that the Messenger of God desired for matters to escalate into the shedding of blood despite the grave trespasses of the Quraysh. Instead, his unwavering and constant call to Islam was in genuine desire for guidance and not the sword, to reach the heart of his people, all people (18:6, 26:3). In reality, verses 23-24 came to call the Messenger of God to be steadfast in upholding the command of God in all its aspects, without emphasis on one aspect over the other.

[1] Mizan, 20/140.
[2] Mizan, 20/141.
[3] Lisan, 12/5.
[4] Mizan, 20/141.
[5] Lisan, 5/144.
[6] Mizan, 20/141.
[7] Mizan, 20/141.
[8] Amthal, 19/274.
[9] Suyuti, 6/302.
[10] Tabrisi, 10/625.
[11] Razi, 30/759.
[12] Tabrisi, 10/625.
[13] Razi, 30/758.