Q. 1:6 Guide us to the straight path.
After mentioning that worship is due to Allah alone and that He must be asked for help, asking Allah to guide the slaves to the straight path is mentioned. That is because by being guided to the straight path worship is valid. On the other hand, being not guided to the straight path deprives the slaves of achieving their goals.
Our Lord, guide us to the straight path and make us firm on it so that we do not deviate. Following the straight path leads to attaining the happiness of this life and the Hereafter while being deprived of following it leads to loss in this life and the Hereafter.
This invocation indicates the most sublime etiquette. That is because Allah’s slaves humbly ask Allah to guide them to the straight path, leading to what pleases Him, after they acknowledge that He alone deserves worship and all praise and that He is the Lord of all created things, who has authority over them in this life and the Hereafter. Furthermore, this invocation comes after confirming and acknowledging that Allah deserves worship, which is the most refined manner when asking for help and assistance.
The scholars elaborate on talking about the intended meaning by the straight path. Their opinions can be summarized as follows: 1) It is the Quran. 2) It is Islam. 3) It is the path leading to Islam. 4) It is the path leading to Paradise. Someone may say, ‘Why do Muslims ask Allah to guide them to the straight path while they follow it? 1) They ask Allah to follow the straight path. 2) They ask Allah to make them firm on the straight path. 3) They ask Allah to increase them in guidance [Zad al-Masyr fi Ilm at-Tafsir].
An-Nawas bin Sama’n, may Allah be pleased with him, reported that Messenger Muhammad said, ‘Allah has cited an example for the straight path. On the path’s sides, there are open doors that have curtains, hanging down therefrom. At the top of the path, there is a caller saying, ‘O people, go over the path and do not deviate. There is another caller over the path, saying to whoever wants to open a door, ‘Woe to you! Do not open the door. If you open it, you will go over it.’ The path is Islam. The two walls on the sides of the path are Allah’s limits that He has commanded to observe. The open doors are Allah’s prohibitions. The caller on top of the path is the Quran and the caller over the path is fear of Allah in every Muslim’s heart [Musand Imam Ahmad].’
Q.1:7 The path of those You have blessed, not of those who have incurred wrath, nor of those who have gone astray.
This ayah defines what the straight path is. The ayah does not say the path of the prophets or the righteous; rather it says, ‘the path of those You have blessed.’ It says so to indicate that following the straight path is a great blessing. Verily, following the path that pleases Allah is the greatest blessing.
The ayah mentions the path of those You have blessed, but it uses the passive when referring to those who follow the path of misguidance. It says, ‘… not of those who have incurred wrath…’ This implies a good manner. When one refers to acts of blessings and bounty, he should attribute them to Allah. On the other hand, he should refrain from doing so when referring to acts of punishment and affliction though Allah is the One, who punishes and afflicts.
The straight path is the path of those whom Allah blessed by guiding them to worship Him alone, obey His commands, and avoid His prohibitions. They are the prophets, the truthful, righteous, and the martyrs. Allah says, [Whoever obeys Allah and the Messenger - they will be with those whom Allah has blessed, of the Prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous. What excellent companions they are!] [Q 4:69]
[…not of those who have incurred wrath, nor of those who have gone astray.]
Those who have incurred wrath are the corrupt, who know the truth but reject it out of stubbornness and denial, and those who have gone astray are the ignorant, who fail to know the right path.
Those who have incurred wrath are the Jews, and those who have gone astray are the Christians. Adi bin Hatim, may Allah be pleased with him, said, I asked Prophet Muhammad about those who have incurred wrath. He said, ‘They are the Jews.’ And I asked him about those who have gone astray, he said, ‘They are the Christians [Jama al-Bayan, Tafsir al-Tabaru].’
It is recommended to say ‘amen’ after finishing reciting surah al-Fatihah. It means: our Lord accept our invocation.
Learned Lessons from Surah al-Fatihah
• Confirming that absolute praise is due to Allah alone.
• Allah, Exalted be He, deserves all praise for His countless blessings.
• Allah is the Creator of all that exist.
• Confirming that Allah is the Master and the Owner of this universe. He is the Master of the Day of Judgment, on which no one can claim any ownership.
• Confirming that Allah will resurrect people on the Day of Judgment for reckoning.
• Man must obey Allah and avoid disobeying Him since there will come the Day of Judgment, on which he will be recompensed for all his deeds, good or evil.
• It is obligatory to worship Allah alone and seek help from Allah alone.
• After asking Allah for help to worship Him, the believer should ask Allah to guide him to the straight path. To worship Allah sincerely, the slave needs help from Allah and to guide him to follow the straight path, which is Islam.
• There are two kinds of paths. The straight path, which is following the truth that pleases Allah, and a cooked path, which is following the path of misguidance.
• It is beneficial to give details after giving a summary. First, the ayat mention the straight path. Then, the straight path is defined, i.e. the path of those whom Allah blessed among the Prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous. This type of style makes the listener long to know the details after he knows the summary of something.
• Allah is the Giver of all blessings.
• People are divided into three categories: those whom Allah has blessed, those who have incurred the wrath, and those who have gone astray.
• Ignorance and stubbornness are causes of deviation from the straight path.
• The path of happiness is to obey Allah and the path of misery is to disobey Allah.
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