Three distinct groups of people: Commentary on Holy Quran (1:7)

Shafaqna English- Commentary on on the Quran (Chapter 1:7) by Mohammad Sobhanie.

1:7 Three Distinct Groups of People

صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ الْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا الضَّالِّينَ ﴿٧﴾

1:7 The path of those whom You have bestowed Your grace; not (path) of those who evoked Your anger nor of those who are astray.

Commentary: This verse puts people into three distinct categories:

• People who walk on the straight path toward Allah (SWT) and are consequently blessed with divine grace in the Hereafter (صِرَاطَ الَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ)
• Those who evoke Allah’s anger upon themselves (الْمَغْضُوبِ)
• People who have gone astray (الضَّالِّينَ).

Earlier, it was stated that the first group includes the distinguished and elite servants of Allah (SWT), such as divine messengers (النَّبِيِّينَ), the truthful (الصِّدِّيقِينَ), the martyrs (الشُّهَدَاءِ), and the righteous (الصَّالِحِينَ). These noble servants will receive divine blessings and grace in the Hereafter, and believers will be in their company [An-Nisa 4:69]:

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, of the Prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous. And how excellent these companions are!

The second group evokes Allah’s (SWT) wrath and anger upon themselves. They are the enemies of Allah (أَعْدَاءِ اللَّـهِ) who reject the divine religion and take antagonistic postures towards it. They have not only gone astray but also persuade others to go astray along with them^[1]:

أَلَمْ تَرَ إِلَى الَّذِينَ أُوتُوا نَصِيبًا مِّنَ الْكِتَابِ يَشْتَرُونَ الضَّلَالَةَ وَيُرِيدُونَ أَن تَضِلُّوا السَّبِيلَ ﴿٤٤﴾ وَاللَّـهُ أَعْلَمُ بِأَعْدَائِكُمْ وَكَفَى بِاللَّـهِ وَلِيًّا وَكَفَى بِاللَّـهِ نَصِيرًا﴿٤٥﴾

4:44-45 Have you not seen those who were given a portion of the Book, purchasing the wrong path, and wishing that you should go astray from the right path. Allah has full knowledge of your enemies, and Allah is sufficient as a Wali (Protector), and Allah is sufficient as a Helper.

The third group consists of those people who have gone astray out of negligence or carelessness. Nevertheless, both the second and third groups are responsible for their acts and must take accountability for their ignorance.

Word-for-Word Translation:

1:7 [صِرَاطَ] The path [الَّذِينَ] of those [ أَنْعَمْتَ] You have bestowed Your Favors [ عَلَيْهِمْ] on them, [غَيْرِ] not of [الْمَغْضُوبِ] those who earned Your wrath [عَلَيْهِمْ] on themselves [وَلَا] and not [الضَّالِّينَ] of those who go astray

Note:

[1]. An-Nisa 4:44-45.

Part of a Series: Commentary on the Quran (Chapter 1) by Mohammad Sobhanie

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