ثُمَّ جَعَلْنَاكَ عَلَى شَرِيعَةٍ مِنَ الْأَمْرِ فَاتَّبِعْهَا وَلَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَاءَ الَّذِينَ لَا يَعْلَمُونَ ﴿۱۸﴾ إِنَّهُمْ لَنْ يُغْنُوا عَنْكَ مِنَ اللَّهِ شَيْئًا وَإِنَّ الظَّالِمِينَ بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ وَاللَّهُ وَلِيُّ الْمُتَّقِينَ ﴿۱۹﴾ هَذَا بَصَائِرُ لِلنَّاسِ وَهُدًى وَرَحْمَةٌ لِقَوْمٍ يُوقِنُونَ ﴿۲۰﴾ أَمْ حَسِبَ الَّذِينَ اجْتَرَحُوا السَّيِّئَاتِ أَنْ نَجْعَلَهُمْ كَالَّذِينَ آمَنُوا وَعَمِلُوا الصَّالِحَاتِ سَوَاءً مَحْيَاهُمْ وَمَمَاتُهُمْ سَاءَ مَا يَحْكُمُونَ ﴿۲۱﴾

﴾18﴿ Summa ja'alnaaka 'alaa sharee'atim minal amri fattabi'haa wa laa tattabi'ahwaaa'al-lazeena laa ya'lamoon
﴾19﴿ Innahum lany yughnoo 'anka minal laahi shai'aa; wa innaz zaalimeena ba'duhum awliyaaa'u ba'dinw wallaahu waliyyul muttaqeen
﴾20﴿ Haazaa basaaa'iru linnaasi wa hudanw wa rahmatul liqawminy yooqinoon
﴾21﴿ Am hasibal lazeenaj tarahus saiyiaati an naj'alahum kallazeena aamanoo wa 'amilu saalihaati sawaaa'am mahyaahum wa mamaatuhum; saaa'a maa yahkumoon

﴾18﴿ So We have set you upon a clear path of religion; therefore, follow it and do not follow the desires of those who do not know
﴾19﴿ Indeed, they cannot avert anything from you against Allah’s (punishment), and surely, the wrongdoers are allies of one another, while Allah is with the righteous
﴾20﴿ This Quran is clear evidence for the hearts of the people, and it is guidance and mercy for those who have certainty
﴾21﴿ Do those who commit evil deeds think that We will make them like those who have believed and done righteous deeds—equal in their life and death? Evil is what they judge

[18] In this verse is the claim of a sūrah (complete guidance), and since it was previously mentioned that the Children of Israel ruined their religion due to envy and disputes—and the condition of their common people and leaders was also mentioned, that they are liars, sinners, etc.—it becomes clear that following either of these two groups is not permissible.
Therefore, a separate and independent sharīʿah (divine law) has been given to you (which is the Qur’an and the Sunnah), and following it is obligatory.
(شَرِيعَةٍ) – In its general linguistic meaning, sharīʿah refers to a path that is broad, straight, easy, and leads to the destination.
In Islamic terminology, it refers to the rulings, commands, prohibitions, boundaries, obligations, and other laws that Allah the Exalted has sent to His servants through a Messenger.
In the word (جَعَلْنَاكَ) (“We have made you”), one benefit is that sharīʿah is established through divine revelation.
A second benefit is that the entire life of the Prophet (May Allah bless him and give him peace) is sharīʿah.
[19] This is the reasoning behind “do not follow their desires” (لَا تَتَّبِعْ أَهْوَاءَهُمْ).
(لَنْ يُغْنُوا عَنْكَ) – There are two points here:
First, if you follow them, that will not save you from the punishment of Allah the Exalted in this world or the Hereafter.
Second, their desires cannot help you in establishing the truth—meaning, their whims and false beliefs cannot serve as proof for the truth.
(بَعْضُهُمْ أَوْلِيَاءُ بَعْضٍ) – Here, “allies” refers to the followers supporting their leaders, and their similarity in polytheism and superstitions, as well as helping one another in falsehood.
[20] This is an encouragement toward the Qur'an and a reason for "so follow it" (فَاتَّبِعْهَا) – meaning, following the sharīʿah is obligatory because it possesses these three lofty qualities: insights (بصائر), guidance (هدىٰ), and mercy (رحمت).
The first refers to the evidences and proofs found in the Qur'an.
The second refers to the supplications and objectives of the Qur'an.
And the third points to the benefit and outcome of following it.
[21] This verse is a rebuke and rejection of the polytheists' view of sharīʿah—they claim that sharīʿah and what is outside of it are the same.
(الَّذِينَ اجْتَرَحُوا السَّيِّئَاتِ) – meaning: they commit shirk, disbelief, innovations, and other sins, and oppose the sharīʿah.
The essence is that the disbelievers assume there is no difference between them and the believers in life and death. This assumption is false.
Rather, the life of the believers is in obedience to Allah the Exalted and His Messenger (May Allah bless him and give him peace), while the life of the polytheists is in sin and disobedience.
In the hearts of the believers there is peace and comfort, while the disbelievers are always in distress.
The death of the believers comes with glad tidings—the angels bring them good news.
The death of the disbelievers is full of humiliation, disgrace, and hardship.