Shafaqna English- Commentary on on the Quran (Chapter 1:6) by Mohammad Sobhanie.
1:6 The Straight Path
اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ ﴿٦﴾
1:6 Guide us on the straight path.
Commentary: After a believer declares their servitude to Allah (SWT) and asks for help in His worship, he invokes Allah (SWT) to guide him to the “straight path” (اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ). The straight path is the path of those whom He has bestowed grace (صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ), not the path of those who earn His wrath (غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ), nor of those who are astray (وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ). What exactly constitutes the straight path?
The term “straight path” (الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ) is mentioned in discourse between Allah (SWT) and Iblees (إِبْلِيسُ). Iblees swore that he would make acts of disobedience to Allah (SWT) appealing to humankind, except to Allah’s genuine servants (إِلَّا عِبَادَكَ مِنْهُمُ الْمُخْلَصِينَ). Allah (SWT)’s response was that His pure servants are on the “straight path of return to Him[1]” (قَالَ هَـٰذَا صِرَاطٌ عَلَيَّ مُسْتَقِيمٌ), and Iblees would have no authority over them[2]. Hence, the “straight path” (الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ) is the path upon which pure servants tread towards Allah (SWT). Verses are cited in Appendix-1.
The Qur’an[3] mentions that engaging in genuine obedience and real servitude of Allah (SWT) with all of one’s heart and soul constitutes the straight path to Him:
… وَأَنِ اعْبُدُونِي هَـذَا صِرَاطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ ﴿٦١﴾
36:61 And that you should worship Me. That is the straight path.
إِنَّ اللَّـهَ رَبِّي وَرَبُّكُمْ فَاعْبُدُوهُ هَـذَا صِرَاطٌ مُّسْتَقِيمٌ ﴿٥١﴾
3:51 Indeed, Allah is my Lord and your Lord, so worship Him. That is the straight path.
Other verses mention that holding firm to Allah (SWT)[4], the divine religion[5], the Qur’an[6], and the Prophet’s traditions[7] are actions that are taken on the straight path towards God. Verses are cited in Appendix-2.
Chapter Al-An’am (6:151-153) points to certain religious beliefs and practices such as:
- Not associating anything with God
- Showing kindness to parents
- Not slaying the children out of the fear of poverty
- Not approaching any sorts of indecencies
- Not killing the soul that Allah has forbidden except for the requirements of justice
- Not approaching the property of an orphan except in the best manner until the orphan attains maturity
- Giving full measure and weight accurately
- Speaking the truth, even though it is against a relative
- Fulfilling Allah’s covenant
The verse continues to say that these are examples that constitute “My straight path” (وَأَنَّ هَـذَا صِرَاطِي مُسْتَقِيمًا). Hence, follow them earnestly (فَاتَّبِعُوهُ) and refrain from pursuing other paths (وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا السُّبُلَ), since different paths will lead away from the path of Allah (SWT) (فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَن سَبِيلِهِ). Verses of chapter Al-An’am (6:151-153) are cited in the Appendix-3.
In summary, the above discussion implies that the straight path (صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ) is the divine religion of Allah (SWT) (دِينًا قِيَمًا مِّلَّةَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفًا), as echoed in chapter Al-An’am (6:161):
قُلْ إِنَّنِي هَدَانِي رَبِّي إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ دِينًا قِيَمًا[8] مِّلَّةَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ ﴿١٦١﴾
6:161 Say: “Truly, my Lord has guided me to a straight path, a right religion, the religion of Ibrahim, Hanifan (monotheism), and he was not of the Mushrikin.”
On the Day of Judgment, Allah (SWT) will bestow His grace and favor on those who practice the divine religion earnestly with all their hearts and souls. According to chapter al-Nisa (4:69), these individuals consist of divine messengers (النَّبِيِّينَ), those who are steadfast in honesty (الصِّدِّيقِينَ), the martyrs (الشُّهَدَاءِ), and the righteous (الصَّالِحِينَ). The Qur’an states that the true and honest believers (وَمَن يُطِعِ اللَّـهَ وَالرَّسُولَ) will be in the company of these elite and chosen servants of Allah (SWT) (مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّـهُ عَلَيْهِم) on the Day of Judgment:
وَمَن يُطِعِ اللَّـهَ وَالرَّسُولَ فَأُولَـئِكَ مَعَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمَ اللَّـهُ عَلَيْهِم مِّنَ النَّبِيِّينَ وَالصِّدِّيقِينَ وَالشُّهَدَاءِ وَالصَّالِحِينَ وَحَسُنَ أُولَـئِكَ رَفِيقًا ﴿٦٩﴾
4:69 And whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger, then they will be in the company of those on whom Allah has bestowed His grace: the Prophets, those steadfast in truthfulness, the martyrs, and the righteous. And how excellent these companions are!
Let us conclude with the saying of the Prophet (SAWA) on the day of Ghadir, who said:
مَعاشِرَ النّاسِ، انَا صِراطُ اللَّهِ الْمُسْتَقيمُ الَّذى امَرَكُمْ بِاتِّباعِهِ، ثُمَّ عَلِىٌّ مِنْ بَعْدى، ثُمَّ وُلْدى مِنْ صُلْبِهِ ائِمَّةُ الْهُدى، يَهْدُونَ الَى الْحَقِّ وَ بِهِ يَعْدِلُونَ.
O People, I am the straight path of Allah (AWT) that He has commanded you to follow. After me is Ali, followed by my offspring from his generation, leaders who guide towards the truth and act justly.
Appendix-1: The Definition of the Straight Path in the Qur’an in chapter Al-Hijr (15:40-42):
قَالَ رَبِّ بِمَا أَغْوَيْتَنِي لَأُزَيِّنَنَّ لَهُمْ فِي الْأَرْضِ وَلَأُغْوِيَنَّهُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ ﴿٣٩﴾ إِلَّا عِبَادَكَ مِنْهُمُ الْمُخْلَصِينَ ﴿٤٠﴾ قَالَ هَـذَا صِرَاطٌ عَلَيَّ مُسْتَقِيمٌ ﴿٤١﴾ إِنَّ عِبَادِي لَيْسَ لَكَ عَلَيْهِمْ سُلْطَانٌ إِلَّا مَنِ اتَّبَعَكَ مِنَ الْغَاوِينَ ﴿٤٢﴾
15:39 [Iblees] said, “My Lord, because You have put me in error, I will surely make [disobedience] attractive to them on earth, and I will mislead them all”
15:40 “Except, among them, Your chosen servants.”
15:41 [Allah] said, “This is a path [of return] to Me [that is] straight.”
15:42 Indeed, My servants – no authority will you have over them, except those who follow you of the deviators.
Appendix-2: The Definition of the Straight Path in chapters Al-i-Imran (3:101), Al-An’am (6:161), Az-Zukhurf (43:43), and Ya-Seen (36:1-4)
وَكَيْفَ تَكْفُرُونَ وَأَنتُمْ تُتْلَىٰ عَلَيْكُمْ آيَاتُ اللَّـهِ وَفِيكُمْ رَسُولُهُ وَمَن يَعْتَصِم بِاللَّـهِ فَقَدْ هُدِيَ إِلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ ﴿١٠١﴾
3:101 And how could you disbelieve while to you are being recited the verses of Allah and among you is His Messenger? And whoever holds firmly to Allah has [indeed] been guided to a straight path.
قُلْ إِنَّنِي هَدَانِي رَبِّي إِلَى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ دِينًا قِيَمًا مِّلَّةَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ حَنِيفًا وَمَا كَانَ مِنَ الْمُشْرِكِينَ ﴿١٦١﴾
6:161 Say: “Truly, my Lord has guided me to a straight path, a right religion, the religion of Ibrahim, Hanifan (monotheism), and he was not of the Mushrikin.”
فَاسْتَمْسِكْ بِالَّذِي أُوحِيَ إِلَيْكَ إِنَّكَ عَلَى صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ ﴿٤٣﴾
43:43 So hold you fast to that which is revealed to you. Verily, you are on the straight path.
يس﴿١﴾ وَالْقُرْآنِ الْحَكِيمِ﴿٢﴾ إِنَّكَ لَمِنَ الْمُرْسَلِينَ﴿٣﴾ عَلَىٰ صِرَاطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ﴿٤﴾
36:1-4 Ya, Seen. By the wise Qur’an. Indeed you, [O Muhammad], are from among the messengers, On a straight path.
Appendix-3
قُلْ تَعَالَوْا أَتْلُ مَا حَرَّمَ رَبُّكُمْ عَلَيْكُمْ أَلَّا تُشْرِكُوا بِهِ شَيْئًا وَبِالْوَالِدَيْنِ إِحْسَانًا وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا أَوْلَادَكُم مِّنْ إِمْلَاقٍ نَّحْنُ نَرْزُقُكُمْ وَإِيَّاهُمْ وَلَا تَقْرَبُوا الْفَوَاحِشَ مَا ظَهَرَ مِنْهَا وَمَا بَطَنَ وَلَا تَقْتُلُوا النَّفْسَ الَّتِي حَرَّمَ اللَّـهُ إِلَّا بِالْحَقِّ ذَلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُم بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَعْقِلُونَ ﴿١٥١﴾ وَلَا تَقْرَبُوا مَالَ الْيَتِيمِ إِلَّا بِالَّتِي هِيَ أَحْسَنُ حَتَّى يَبْلُغَ أَشُدَّهُ وَأَوْفُوا الْكَيْلَ وَالْمِيزَانَ بِالْقِسْطِ لَا نُكَلِّفُ نَفْسًا إِلَّا وُسْعَهَا وَإِذَا قُلْتُمْ فَاعْدِلُوا وَلَوْ كَانَ ذَا قُرْبَى وَبِعَهْدِ اللَّـهِ أَوْفُوا ذَلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُم بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَذَكَّرُونَ ﴿١٥٢﴾ وَأَنَّ هَـذَا صِرَاطِي مُسْتَقِيمًا فَاتَّبِعُوهُ وَلَا تَتَّبِعُوا السُّبُلَ فَتَفَرَّقَ بِكُمْ عَن سَبِيلِهِ ذَلِكُمْ وَصَّاكُم بِهِ لَعَلَّكُمْ تَتَّقُونَ ﴿١٥٣﴾
Word-for-Word Translation:
1:6 [اهْدِنَا] Guide us [الصِّرَاطَ] to the path [الْمُسْتَقِيمَ] the straight
Note:
[1]. [قَالَ] Allah said [هَـٰذَا] this (way of My sincere servants) [صِرَاطٌ] is the way [عَلَيَّ] to me [مُسْتَقِيم] straight.
[2]. Al-Hijr 15:40-42.
[3]. Ya-Sin 36:61, Al-i-Imran 3:51.
[4]. Al-i-Imran 3:101.
[5]. Al-An’am 6:161.
[6]. Az-Zukhurf 43:43.
[7]. Ya-Sin 36:4.
[8]. (دِينًا قِيَمًا) is translated to an upright religion, well established religion.
- Part of a Series: Commentary on the Quran (Chapter 1) by Mohammad Sobhanie
Banning Usury: Commentary on the Quran (Chapter 3:130-132)