Al-Qur'an Surah Ali 'Imran Verse 31

Mufti Taqi Usmani

Say (O Prophet): “If you really love Allah, then follow me, and Allah shall love you and forgive you your sins. Allah is Most-Forgiving, Very-Merciful.”

Dr. Mustafa Khattab, the Clear Quran

Say, ˹O Prophet,˺ “If you ˹sincerely˺ love Allah, then follow me; Allah will love you and forgive your sins. For Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

Ruwwad Translation Center

Say, “If you love Allah then follow me; Allah will love you and forgive you your sins: for Allah is All-Forgiving, Most Merciful.”

A. J. Arberry

Say: 'If you love God, follow me, and God will love you, and forgive you your sins; God is All-forgiving, All-compassionate.'

Abdul Haleem

Say, ‘If you love God, follow me, and God will love you and forgive you your sins; God is most forgiving, most merciful.’

Abdul Majid Daryabadi

Say thou: if ye, are wont to love Allah, then follow me, and Allah shall rove you and forgive you your sins; and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

Abdullah Yusuf Ali

Say; "If ye do love Allah, Follow me; Allah will love you and forgive you your sins; For Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

Abul Ala Maududi

(O Messenger!) Tell people: 'If you indeed love Allah, follow me, and Allah will love you and will forgive you your sins. Allah is All-Forgiving, All-Compassionate.'

Ahmed Ali

Say: "If you love God then follow me that God may love you and forgive your faults; for God is forgiving and kind."

Ahmed Raza Khan

Proclaim, (O dear Prophet Mohammed – peace and blessings be upon him), “O mankind! If you love Allah, follow me – Allah will love you and forgive you your sins”; and Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Ali Quli Qarai

Say, ‘If you love Allah, then follow me; Allah will love you and forgive you your sins, and Allah is all-forgiving, all-merciful.’

Ali Ünal

Say (to them, O Messenger): "If you indeed love God, then follow me, so that God will love you and forgive you your sins." God is All-Forgiving, All-Compassionate.

Amatul Rahman Omar

Say, `Follow me if you love Allâh, (if you do so) Allâh will love you and grant you protection from your sins. Allâh is Great Protector, Ever Merciful.´

English Literal

Say: "If you were/are loving/liking God, so follow me, God (then) loves/likes you, and forgives for you your crimes, and God (is) forgiving, most merciful ."

Faridul Haque

Proclaim, (O dear Prophet Mohammed - peace and blessings be upon him), “O mankind! If you love Allah, follow me - Allah will love you and forgive you your sins”; and Allah is Oft Forgiving, Most Merciful.

Hamid S. Aziz

Say, "If you love Allah then follow me, and Allah will love you and forgive you your sins, for Allah is Forgiving and Merciful."

Hilali & Khan

Say (O Muhammad SAW to mankind): "If you (really) love Allah then follow me (i.e. accept Islamic Monotheism, follow the Quran and the Sunnah), Allah will love you and forgive you of your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

Maulana Mohammad Ali

On the day when every soul will find present that which it has done of good; and that which it has done of evil -- it will wish that between it and that (evil) there were a long distance. And Allah cautions you against His retribution. And Allah is Compassionate to the servants.

Mohammad Habib Shakir

Say: If you love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your faults, and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

Mohammed Marmaduke William Pickthall

Say, (O Muhammad, to mankind): If ye love Allah, follow me; Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. Allah is Forgiving, Merciful.

Muhammad Sarwar

(Muhammad), tell them, "If you love God, follow me. God will love you and forgive your sins. God is All-forgiving and All-merciful."

Qaribullah & Darwish

Say (Prophet Muhammad): 'If you love Allah, follow me and Allah will love you, and forgive your sins. Allah is Forgiving and Merciful'

Safi-ur-Rahman al-Mubarakpuri

Say (O Muhammad to mankind): "If you (really) love Allah, then follow me (i.e. Muhammad), Allah will love you and forgive you your sins. And Allah is Oft-Forgiving, Most Merciful."

Wahiduddin Khan

Say, "If you love God, follow me and God will love you and forgive you your sins. God is most forgiving, and most merciful."

Talal Itani

Say, “If you love God, then follow me, and God will love you, and will forgive you your sins.” God is Forgiving and Merciful.

Tafsir jalalayn

When they said, `We only worship idols out of our love for God, that they might bring us close to Him', the following was revealed; Say, O Muhammad (s), `If you love God, follow me, and God will love you, meaning that He will reward you, and forgive you your sins; God is Forgiving, as regards the sins, committed previously, by one who [now] follows me; Merciful, to him.

Tafseer Ibn Kathir

Allah's Love is Attained by Following the Messenger

Allah says;

قُلْ إِن كُنتُمْ تُحِبُّونَ اللّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللّهُ

Say (O Muhammad to mankind);"If you (really) love Allah, then follow me (i.e. Muhammad), Allah will love you,

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 Shariah (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 عَمَلً 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 اللّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللّهُ

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 اللّهَ فَاتَّبِعُونِي يُحْبِبْكُمُ اللّهُ
(Say (O Muhammad to mankind);"If you (really) love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you...")."

Allah then said,

وَيَغْفِرْ لَكُمْ ذُنُوبَكُمْ وَاللّهُ 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