Response to 3:31-32 (and others like it)
“Say: If you love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your faults, and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. Say: Obey Allah and the Messenger; but if they turn back, then surely Allah does not love the unbelievers.”
31-32
There is a distinction between “following Muhammad (SAW)” as a community leader and “obeying Allah and the Messenger”. Muhammad (SAW) is to be obeyed because he is a believer in what is being revealed and he judges by it (see notes for 2:124). Hence we are expected to follow suit. To “obey Allah and the Messenger” is to obey one source. See 8:20:
“O you who believe! obey Allah and His Messenger and do not turn back from Him while you hear.”
The phrase “while you hear” suggests that to obey Allah and His Messenger is to obey the Revelation. See 24:51:
“The response of the believers, when they are invited to Allah and His Messenger that he may judge between them, is only to say: We hear and we obey; and these it is that are the successful.”
If “Allah and His Messenger” means that Muhammad (SAW) is to judge between people, this judgement must certainly be based on the Qur’an since Allah (SWT) does not consult Muhammad (SAW) regarding decision-making. The first ayah of sura 9 declares that an ultimatum is issued from Allah (SWT) and His Messenger. We know that the verses about the ultimatum are entirely from Allah (SWT) because He does not consult Muhammad about the ultimatum. Muhammad’s (SAW) only mission was to deliver Allah’s (SWT) Message (16:35, 24:54). Thus, the reason that Allah (SWT) included the Messenger in 9:1 is because he participated as deliverer of the ultimatum. Similarly, because people received Allah’s (SWT) Message through Messengers, they were ordered to obey the Messengers. This is repeated in 9:3. We also know that the Qur’an is a permanent messenger (65:11), and that the Qur’an is a reminder and deliverer of good news (41:4, 11:2). What Muhammad (SAW) decides as a Messenger of religious teaching is what Allah (SWT) decides (33:36). See (notes for) 4:59 to sufficiently substantiate these claims.
Remember it was clearer at the time (amongst the people) for the Qur’an to say “Obey Allah and His Messenger” than to simply say “Obey Allah” or “Obey what Muhammad follows”. The first is confusing without needing to explain why, and the second is silly because Muhammad (SAW) was divulging the Qur’an and thus he might be following himself! It would be redundant to say “Obey what the Messenger follows” because the Message was being delivered by a person, and therefore we have to obey that person anyway (again he might be following himself). The Qur’an might have said “Obey the Message” but then luckily Muhammad (SAW) is instructed to do only that in 5:43-50 and many other places (e.g. 7:203, 10:15. The Qur’an is the sole guidance (2:63, 2:91, 2:176, 6:19, 6:114-115, 6:157, 7:144-147, 7:169-171, 12:111, 18:27, 21:45, 39:23, 45:6 etc.)). It is after all necessary to know exactly where that Message is coming from (saying “Messenger” instead of “Message” clarifies this). It is especially applicable since the Qur’an records Allah’s (SWT) mandate for His Messenger to pass on orders (e.g. beginning ayat with “Say:”). No-one at the time had a paperback Qur’an, thus of course it was necessary to follow Muhammad (SAW). Ayat such as 7:58 explain that the Qur’an repeats ayat to help us understand it.
Response to 4:13
“These are Allah's limits, and whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, He will cause him to enter gardens beneath which rivers flow, to abide in them; and this is the great achievement.”
13
The previous two ayat detail the rules of inheritance. Therefore 4:13 is re-emphasising the fact that to obey the Qur’anic injunctions is to obey the Messenger and hence Allah (SWT).
The hadith you quoted is ultimate shirk:
“Surely I am Allah, there is no god but I, therefore serve Me and keep up prayer for My remembrance.”
Qur’an 20:14
“Say. Surely my prayer and my sacrifice and my life and my death are [all] for Allah, the Lord of the worlds;”
Qur’an 6:162
(You don’t even submit in your Shahada)
“Say: If you love Allah, then follow me, Allah will love you and forgive you your faults, and Allah is Forgiving, Merciful. Say: Obey Allah and the Messenger; but if they turn back, then surely Allah does not love the unbelievers.”
31-32
There is a distinction between “following Muhammad (SAW)” as a community leader and “obeying Allah and the Messenger”. Muhammad (SAW) is to be obeyed because he is a believer in what is being revealed and he judges by it (see notes for 2:124). Hence we are expected to follow suit. To “obey Allah and the Messenger” is to obey one source. See 8:20:
“O you who believe! obey Allah and His Messenger and do not turn back from Him while you hear.”
The phrase “while you hear” suggests that to obey Allah and His Messenger is to obey the Revelation. See 24:51:
“The response of the believers, when they are invited to Allah and His Messenger that he may judge between them, is only to say: We hear and we obey; and these it is that are the successful.”
If “Allah and His Messenger” means that Muhammad (SAW) is to judge between people, this judgement must certainly be based on the Qur’an since Allah (SWT) does not consult Muhammad (SAW) regarding decision-making. The first ayah of sura 9 declares that an ultimatum is issued from Allah (SWT) and His Messenger. We know that the verses about the ultimatum are entirely from Allah (SWT) because He does not consult Muhammad about the ultimatum. Muhammad’s (SAW) only mission was to deliver Allah’s (SWT) Message (16:35, 24:54). Thus, the reason that Allah (SWT) included the Messenger in 9:1 is because he participated as deliverer of the ultimatum. Similarly, because people received Allah’s (SWT) Message through Messengers, they were ordered to obey the Messengers. This is repeated in 9:3. We also know that the Qur’an is a permanent messenger (65:11), and that the Qur’an is a reminder and deliverer of good news (41:4, 11:2). What Muhammad (SAW) decides as a Messenger of religious teaching is what Allah (SWT) decides (33:36). See (notes for) 4:59 to sufficiently substantiate these claims.
Remember it was clearer at the time (amongst the people) for the Qur’an to say “Obey Allah and His Messenger” than to simply say “Obey Allah” or “Obey what Muhammad follows”. The first is confusing without needing to explain why, and the second is silly because Muhammad (SAW) was divulging the Qur’an and thus he might be following himself! It would be redundant to say “Obey what the Messenger follows” because the Message was being delivered by a person, and therefore we have to obey that person anyway (again he might be following himself). The Qur’an might have said “Obey the Message” but then luckily Muhammad (SAW) is instructed to do only that in 5:43-50 and many other places (e.g. 7:203, 10:15. The Qur’an is the sole guidance (2:63, 2:91, 2:176, 6:19, 6:114-115, 6:157, 7:144-147, 7:169-171, 12:111, 18:27, 21:45, 39:23, 45:6 etc.)). It is after all necessary to know exactly where that Message is coming from (saying “Messenger” instead of “Message” clarifies this). It is especially applicable since the Qur’an records Allah’s (SWT) mandate for His Messenger to pass on orders (e.g. beginning ayat with “Say:”). No-one at the time had a paperback Qur’an, thus of course it was necessary to follow Muhammad (SAW). Ayat such as 7:58 explain that the Qur’an repeats ayat to help us understand it.
Response to 4:13
“These are Allah's limits, and whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger, He will cause him to enter gardens beneath which rivers flow, to abide in them; and this is the great achievement.”
13
The previous two ayat detail the rules of inheritance. Therefore 4:13 is re-emphasising the fact that to obey the Qur’anic injunctions is to obey the Messenger and hence Allah (SWT).
The hadith you quoted is ultimate shirk:
“Surely I am Allah, there is no god but I, therefore serve Me and keep up prayer for My remembrance.”
Qur’an 20:14
“Say. Surely my prayer and my sacrifice and my life and my death are [all] for Allah, the Lord of the worlds;”
Qur’an 6:162
(You don’t even submit in your Shahada)