What does « To follow / To obey » mean in the Quran?

Discover the meaning of the word To follow / To obey (تبع) in the Quran, with 13 verses in which it appears, and a detailed explanation from Al-Raghib al-Asfahani's Mufradat fi gharib al-Qur'an.

تبع

To follow / To obey

Root: ت - ب - ع

Quranic language 13 verses

Updated on 29 May 2026 at 7:00 AM

📖 2 min read

Definition of To follow / To obey

At-tibâ' (following): walking behind someone.

Tabi'a: he followed.

Allah says: 'Then We made you successors (tâbi'în) on earth' (Yûnus: 14).

Tâbi': follower.

Atba'a: he made follow.

At-tabâ'a: consequences.

To follow / To obey in the Quran (13)

Meccan: 9 Medinan: 4

Distribution of verses by surah

Al-Baqara 3

Ibrahim 2

Âl 'Imrân 1

Al-A'raf 1

Al-Isra 1

Sad 1

Ghafir 1

Ad-Dukhan 1

Qaf 1

An-Nazi'at 1

Surah Al-Baqara : 38 Medinan

﴿قُلْنَا ٱهْبِطُوا۟ مِنْهَا جَمِيعًۭا ۖ فَإِمَّا يَأْتِيَنَّكُم مِّنِّى هُدًۭى فَمَن تَبِعَ هُدَاىَ فَلَا خَوْفٌ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا هُمْ يَحْزَنُونَ﴾

We said, "Go down from it, all of you. And when guidance comes to you from Me, whoever follows My guidance - there will be no fear concerning them, nor will they grieve.

Surah Al-Baqara : 145 Medinan

﴿وَلَئِنْ أَتَيْتَ ٱلَّذِينَ أُوتُوا۟ ٱلْكِتَـٰبَ بِكُلِّ ءَايَةٍۢ مَّا تَبِعُوا۟ قِبْلَتَكَ ۚ وَمَآ أَنتَ بِتَابِعٍۢ قِبْلَتَهُمْ ۚ وَمَا بَعْضُهُم بِتَابِعٍۢ قِبْلَةَ بَعْضٍۢ ۚ وَلَئِنِ ٱتَّبَعْتَ أَهْوَآءَهُم مِّنۢ بَعْدِ مَا جَآءَكَ مِنَ ٱلْعِلْمِ ۙ إِنَّكَ إِذًۭا لَّمِنَ ٱلظَّـٰلِمِينَ﴾

And if you brought to those who were given the Scripture every sign, they would not follow your qiblah. Nor will you be a follower of their qiblah. Nor would they be followers of one another's qiblah. So if you were to follow their desires after what has come to you of knowledge, indeed, you would then be among the wrongdoers.

Surah Al-Baqara : 263 Medinan

﴿۞ قَوْلٌۭ مَّعْرُوفٌۭ وَمَغْفِرَةٌ خَيْرٌۭ مِّن صَدَقَةٍۢ يَتْبَعُهَآ أَذًۭى ۗ وَٱللَّهُ غَنِىٌّ حَلِيمٌۭ﴾

Kind speech and forgiveness are better than charity followed by injury. And Allah is Free of need and Forbearing.

Surah Âl 'Imrân : 73 Medinan

﴿وَلَا تُؤْمِنُوٓا۟ إِلَّا لِمَن تَبِعَ دِينَكُمْ قُلْ إِنَّ ٱلْهُدَىٰ هُدَى ٱللَّهِ أَن يُؤْتَىٰٓ أَحَدٌۭ مِّثْلَ مَآ أُوتِيتُمْ أَوْ يُحَآجُّوكُمْ عِندَ رَبِّكُمْ ۗ قُلْ إِنَّ ٱلْفَضْلَ بِيَدِ ٱللَّهِ يُؤْتِيهِ مَن يَشَآءُ ۗ وَٱللَّهُ وَٰسِعٌ عَلِيمٌۭ﴾

And do not trust except those who follow your religion." Say, "Indeed, the [true] guidance is the guidance of Allah. [Do you fear] lest someone be given [knowledge] like you were given or that they would [thereby] argue with you before your Lord?" Say, "Indeed, [all] bounty is in the hand of Allah - He grants it to whom He wills. And Allah is all-Encompassing and Wise."

Surah Al-A'raf : 18 Meccan

﴿قَالَ ٱخْرُجْ مِنْهَا مَذْءُومًۭا مَّدْحُورًۭا ۖ لَّمَن تَبِعَكَ مِنْهُمْ لَأَمْلَأَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ﴾

[Allah] said, "Get out of Paradise, reproached and expelled. Whoever follows you among them - I will surely fill Hell with you, all together."

Surah Ibrahim : 21 Meccan

﴿وَبَرَزُوا۟ لِلَّهِ جَمِيعًۭا فَقَالَ ٱلضُّعَفَـٰٓؤُا۟ لِلَّذِينَ ٱسْتَكْبَرُوٓا۟ إِنَّا كُنَّا لَكُمْ تَبَعًۭا فَهَلْ أَنتُم مُّغْنُونَ عَنَّا مِنْ عَذَابِ ٱللَّهِ مِن شَىْءٍۢ ۚ قَالُوا۟ لَوْ هَدَىٰنَا ٱللَّهُ لَهَدَيْنَـٰكُمْ ۖ سَوَآءٌ عَلَيْنَآ أَجَزِعْنَآ أَمْ صَبَرْنَا مَا لَنَا مِن مَّحِيصٍۢ﴾

And they will come out [for judgement] before Allah all together, and the weak will say to those who were arrogant, "Indeed, we were your followers, so can you avail us anything against the punishment of Allah?" They will say, "If Allah had guided us, we would have guided you. It is all the same for us whether we show intolerance or are patient: there is for us no place of escape."

Surah Ibrahim : 36 Meccan

﴿رَبِّ إِنَّهُنَّ أَضْلَلْنَ كَثِيرًۭا مِّنَ ٱلنَّاسِ ۖ فَمَن تَبِعَنِى فَإِنَّهُۥ مِنِّى ۖ وَمَنْ عَصَانِى فَإِنَّكَ غَفُورٌۭ رَّحِيمٌۭ﴾

My Lord, indeed they have led astray many among the people. So whoever follows me - then he is of me; and whoever disobeys me - indeed, You are [yet] Forgiving and Merciful.

Surah Al-Isra : 63 Meccan

﴿قَالَ ٱذْهَبْ فَمَن تَبِعَكَ مِنْهُمْ فَإِنَّ جَهَنَّمَ جَزَآؤُكُمْ جَزَآءًۭ مَّوْفُورًۭا﴾

[Allah] said, "Go, for whoever of them follows you, indeed Hell will be the recompense of you - an ample recompense.

Surah Sad : 85 Meccan

﴿لَأَمْلَأَنَّ جَهَنَّمَ مِنكَ وَمِمَّن تَبِعَكَ مِنْهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ﴾

[That] I will surely fill Hell with you and those of them that follow you all together."

Surah Ghafir : 47 Meccan

﴿وَإِذْ يَتَحَآجُّونَ فِى ٱلنَّارِ فَيَقُولُ ٱلضُّعَفَـٰٓؤُا۟ لِلَّذِينَ ٱسْتَكْبَرُوٓا۟ إِنَّا كُنَّا لَكُمْ تَبَعًۭا فَهَلْ أَنتُم مُّغْنُونَ عَنَّا نَصِيبًۭا مِّنَ ٱلنَّارِ﴾

And [mention] when they will argue within the Fire, and the weak will say to those who had been arrogant, "Indeed, we were [only] your followers, so will you relieve us of a share of the Fire?"

Surah Ad-Dukhan : 37 Meccan

﴿أَهُمْ خَيْرٌ أَمْ قَوْمُ تُبَّعٍۢ وَٱلَّذِينَ مِن قَبْلِهِمْ ۚ أَهْلَكْنَـٰهُمْ ۖ إِنَّهُمْ كَانُوا۟ مُجْرِمِينَ﴾

Are they better or the people of Tubba' and those before them? We destroyed them, [for] indeed, they were criminals.

Surah Qaf : 14 Meccan

﴿وَأَصْحَـٰبُ ٱلْأَيْكَةِ وَقَوْمُ تُبَّعٍۢ ۚ كُلٌّۭ كَذَّبَ ٱلرُّسُلَ فَحَقَّ وَعِيدِ﴾

And the companions of the thicket and the people of Tubba'. All denied the messengers, so My threat was justly fulfilled.

Surah An-Nazi'at : 7 Meccan

﴿تَتْبَعُهَا ٱلرَّادِفَةُ﴾

There will follow it the subsequent [one].