The Madinan Period, Part 12: The Battle of Uḥud, Part Four
Section 8 of 14 · The Life of the Prophet Muhammad: The Madinan Period
Obey Those Placed in Authority
The next matter is the evil of disobedience — the consequences of disobedience. Disobeying the Messenger of Allah (peace be upon him) is very dangerous; that is why the Battle of Uḥud was lost, because of disobeying him. Allah (swt) says:
يَـٰٓأَيُّهَا ٱلَّذِينَ ءَامَنُوٓا۟ أَطِيعُوا۟ ٱللَّهَ وَأَطِيعُوا۟ ٱلرَّسُولَ وَأُو۟لِى ٱلْأَمْرِ مِنكُمْ ۖ فَإِن تَنَـٰزَعْتُمْ فِى شَىْءٍ فَرُدُّوهُ إِلَى ٱللَّهِ وَٱلرَّسُولِ إِن كُنتُمْ تُؤْمِنُونَ بِٱللَّهِ وَٱلْيَوْمِ ٱلْـَٔاخِرِ ۚ ذَٰلِكَ خَيْرٌ وَأَحْسَنُ تَأْوِيلًا
“O you who believe, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority among you. Then, if you quarrel about something, revert it back to Allah and the Messenger, if you believe in Allah and the Last Day. That is good, and the best at the end.” (4:59)
O you who have believed, obey Allah and obey the Messenger and those in authority. After the Messenger of Allah, obedience is given to those placed in authority; and if there is a dispute over anything, it is referred to Allah and the Messenger — if there is belief in Allah and the Last Day, that is the best way and the best result. If there is a dispute over any affair, it is taken back to the Qur'an and the Sunnah; that is the reference.