In the Name of Allaah, the Most Gracious, the Ever Merciful…
What exactly are we asking for when we say:
اهْدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِيمَ
“Guide us upon the straight path”
Guidance meaning: Lead or direct us to the straight path of Islaam is not the intended meaning in Soorah al-Faatihah, since the people reciting Soorah al-Faatihah have already been guided to it, and they have already accepted it. So are we asking Allaah to:
a) Direct us towards Islaam?
b) Allow us to accept it (Islaam)?
c) Or keep us firm upon it after having accepted it (Hidaayat ath-thabaat ‘alal-Haqq)?
While all three above meanings can be correct, meaning:
1) Guide us to the Straight Path (Islaam), by giving us knowledge of the Religion (by teaching us, through the scholars, for example).
2) Guide us to the Straight Path, by allowing us to accept the new things we learn from our Deen and implement them, as all correct beliefs and acts of worship are from as-Siraat al-Mustaqeem.
3) Guide us to the Straight Path, by granting us stability upon it, after having accepted it (and all its teachings), since not everyone who accepts the truth stays on it! In the authentic Hadeeth of As-Saadiq al-Masdooq (what means): “…A man can be behaving like the people of the Paradise until he is within a hand-span of it, yet what is written for him overtakes him, so he begins behaving like the people of the Hellfire, and thus (dies and) enters it.”
This third understanding is very strong in light of the context of the Verse, in light of what comes after it, mention of those whom Allaah’s Anger is upon (the Jews) and those who went astray (after knowledge, the Christians). So we are asking Allaah for the stability upon the truth that neither of the mentioned groups attained!
No one goes to Paradise for accepting Islaam and living for many years upon Islaam, yet dying on disbelief. Paradise is for those who accept Islaam, remain steadfast upon it, and die as Muslims. None of us know how we will die. Thus it is very scary – today we are Muslims worshiping Allaah alone, wal-Hamdulillaah, but what kind of trials will tomorrow bring?!
Fitnah will come and people will go to bed Muslims and go out in the morning as disbelievers! People will go out in the morning as Muslims and be disbelievers by nightfall!! None of us are safe from these trials!
In fact, the people who feel safe and do not think they can stray after being guided are often led astray in the most hideous of ways, since they let their guard down.
All of this is part of worshiping Allaah with fear.
This fear used to leave many of the righteous Salaf crying after reading the Hadeeth mentioned above, they used to say, “Where will our souls go?!”
So, with this is mind, it is EXTREMELY IMPORTANT for us to reflect over the meanings of this simple Du’aa that we say so many times, its importance, and how we may have been neglecting the significance of it in our prayers.
May Allaah grant us all steadfastness upon His magnificent Religion! اهدنا الصراط المستقيم
Written by: Moosaa Richardson
ST Archives – Originally Published 09-08-2009
Assalaamu’alaikum,
MashaAllah, an excellent reminder. I’ve also heard the translation of the ayah as Guide us through the straight path (not just guide us to it but through it). Is that also correct?
Jazak Allahu khairan
wa ‘alayk as-salaam wa rahmatullaah. “Guide us along the Straight Path” might be better to portray the intended meaning of stability upon the truth after accepting it. The phrase “Guide us through the straight path” may not be so good, since it seems to indicate passing it or exiting from it (eventually), and Allaah knows best.
Shakran Jazak -ALLAHU-Khaiyran,
Al-Hamdulillah! Indeed that was an excellent reminder & The Messenger of ALLAh {salallahu Alayhi Wasalam} said 2the Companions (Radhiallahu Anhum): “A slave of ALLAh is judged by his/her final actions B4 death reaches them” so ask ALLAh 2protect your Iman that you remain firm upon it & supplicate to HIM to give you righteous deeds or (actions) B4 your death.
Assalamualaykum warahmatullahi wabarakaatuhu.
May Allah bless me and bless you immensely noble brother Moosa.
Could you please mention tafsir for the portions of the following 2 ayaat from works such as ibn jareer etc., rahimahullah, i would be really thankful to you dear brother as this would be assisting me in my try to understand the blessed book al qawaid al arba’ of shaykh ul islam.
“..Say: ‘Do you inform Allah of that which he knows not in the heavens and on the earth? ” (10:18)
“..Truly, Allah guides not him who is a liar, and a disbeliever.” (39:3)
what was the lie of these makkan mushrikeen?
Baarakallahu feek.
How do i apply for a scholarship?
Mustafa Rashid – Kenya
As salaamu alaykum wa rahmatullah Ustādh Moosa
I’m in urgent need of guidance for this matter may Allah reward you Ameen
My daughter have just informed me that she don’t think she want to be Muslim anymore. She is still a child under my care (just turned 17) and born muslim. Her father and I have been divorced for some years now. I always felt that she had some form of resentment towards him due to his abandonment of her and her siblings for many years now.
I don’t know what to do as I am worried and scared for her. She feels that there is misogyny in islam. For example she say she understand why women can’t wear perfume outside but don’t understand or feel that women should have to suffer because of men hunting and preying on them. She say she understand the concept but clearly she doesn’t. She also feels that women are of lower status and men are superior. I tried to explain it to her and how the men are protectors and maintainers and they are held at a higher degree but this don’t mean that woman don’t matter.
I’m very saddened by this and feel that I have failed her as a parent. If she announces that she doesn’t want to be muslim does this take her from the fold of islam? What can I do as her mother to help guide her? Should she take shahada? Also, if she insist on this what do I do as a parent? If I ask her to leave she has no where to go I’m her only support and I feel that she will harm herself if I force her out my home. Do she have the right to tell me that she don’t wanna he muslim anymore? I’m very concerned and this is bothering me deeply. Please help
Wa ‘alaykum as-Salaamu wa rahmatullaah wa barakaatuh. Allah’s aid is sought. May Allah guide her.
A 17-year-old is an adult whose decisions are theirs, and they are fully accountable for them. If she says she does not want to be a Muslim, in a state of sound mind, without coercion, she is not a Muslim. The situation is very serious. Teenagers can be rebellious, to various degrees. You would need to remind her about Paradise and Hellfire being real, and the judgment of Allah being real, and death being a reality coming for all of us. Remind her of the reason she has been created. Remind her that her Lord knows the human condition better than the misguided disbelievers and their guesses at what roles men and women should take in their lives. We are not here to assess the wisdom of Allah and question His verdicts and guidance, we are here to be tested about how we respond to His guidance. May Allah guide her and grant you strength and wisdom in dealing with her. If a teenager states clearly they are not Muslim, and that is a terrible thing, it is important that you leave the door of repentance open for them. Tell them: You are ruining yourself in this life and the Next, but Allah is All-Forgiving and He loves when His worshippers repent, and He accepts repentance, so as soon as you realize how bad of a mistake this is, remember you can fix it and recover, we are here for you to help you get things back together when you are ready. And then remind them often and ask if they are ready to fix their lives, and be patient and supplicate for their guidance continuously, as the du’aa’ of a parent for a child is tremendous! May Allah give you success!