"O you who have believed, if you obey those who disbelieve, they will turn you back on your heels, and you will [then] become losers."
[Aal-e-Imran 3:149]
This verse is a mix of advice and the result of not following the advice. Out of the other techniques Allah has used in Qur'an, one is imagery.
When someone says apple, an instant image of apple pops in our brain. This is the power of imagery. Even a blind person can form images in their mind. So Allah has used imagery at various points in Qur'an especially regarding the result of disbelievers on the Last Hour and the result of believers on the Last Hour.
For example;
"Is Paradise a better accommodation or the tree of zaqqum?
Indeed, We have made it a torment for the wrongdoers.
Indeed, it is a tree issuing from the bottom of the Hellfire.
Its emerging fruit as if it was heads of the devils.
And indeed, they will eat from it and fill with it their bellies.
Then indeed, they will have after it a mixture of scalding water.
Then indeed, their return will be to Hellfire."
[As-Saffat 37:62-68]
In the same way, Allah has used imagery or rather, He (SWT) has made a concept in our mind by this verse.
Allah warns His believing servants against obeying the disbelievers and hypocrites, because such obedience leads to utter destruction in this life and the Hereafter.
Allah also uses the techniques of future references to knock sense in humans. Allah (SWT) has given us a perfect advice to lead a successful life and build a successful Hereafter through this verse.
The advice is to refrain from obeying the disbelievers. Obeying means following their trends, moving on their path, sitting in their gatherings and further more. This verse does not prohibit us from befriending them but we should be careful in protecting our faith from them.
Because if we let them reach our faith, the very reason of our existence, then they will turn us on our heels and we will become losers. This means we will start to follow their path and trends. The world we live in today is blindly following the path that the disbelievers decorate with red carpets for us. Today's world is under the control of disbelievers hence it is noticable how each trend drifts us away from our religion and Allah. We must make our own path, no matter how painful or endurance-requiring it is.
There is a hadith of our beloved Prophet (salAllahu alayhi wasallam) which salutes to those who hold on to Islam in tough times.
"Islam began as something strange and it will return to being strange so blessed are the strangers."
Anas ibn Malik (R.A) reported: The Messenger of Allah (salAllahu alayhi wasallam), said, "A time of patience will come to people in which adhering to one's religion is like grasping a hot coal."
These are the times we are in. Religion is the last thing on any person's mind. In these tough times when Islam is discouraged, labelled and critisized, we must remain patient in our good deeds and remember Allah alot.
Things we learnt:
> The advice of Allah (SWT) is; to refrain from obeying the disbelievers.
> The results of crossing this advice or not following it is; the disbelievers will turn us into disbelievers; losers.
May Allah guide us to the right path.
Ameen.
Wama alayna illal balaghul mubeen.