Our Lord! Guide us to the path of those You have blessed - And not of those who earned Your anger or went astray (Al Qur'an)

Surah Al-Fātiḥah (The Opening), the very first Surah / Chapter of Al Qur'an is a unique surah for it is both a praiser and supplication. We have already published a number of posts explaining its meaning and the place it occupies above all other surahs of Al Qur'an. Please refer to our reference post: Overview and selected verses from Surah Al-Fātiḥah - The very first Surah/Chapter of Al Qur'an for it contains reference to exegesis of the Surah and some of the links to verses of this surah.

Since we are sharing the last verse of the surah, it would be worthwhile to know what the earlier six verses are about, for right from verse one, a reader is gradually brought to its culmination while passing through its three stages.

The Verse

صِرَٰطَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ ٱلْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ

"The path of those You have blessed—not of those who earned Your anger, nor of those who went astray." (1:7)

This verse immediately follows the 6th verse, in which a believer supplicates to his Lord to show and guide him to the straight path - Aṣ-Ṣirāṭ al-Mustaqīm - The Straight Path. This verse has often been discussed in both classical and modern Qur'anic interpretation. Understanding it requires looking at its context within Al-Fātiḥah and the Qur'an as a whole.

The context of the verse

Al-Fātiḥah is structured as a prayer:

Verses 1–4: We praise Allah and recognize His mercy and justice.

Verse 5: We declare our commitment: "You alone we worship, and You alone we ask for help."

Verse 6: We ask for guidance: "Guide us to the Straight Path."

Verse 7: Allah teaches us what that Straight Path looks like.

So verse 7 is not primarily about identifying other people. It is about asking Allah to shape our own character and keep us on the path of truth.

Who are "those You have blessed"?

The Qur'an answers this question elsewhere. Surah An-Nisa (4:69), mentions those who were blessed:

Surah An-Nisā' (4:69) gives hope and encouragement to believers by explaining the reward of sincere faith and obedience. It notes that whoever obeys Allah and His Messenger will be in the company of those whom Allah has specially blessed: the prophets, the truthful (ṣiddīqūn), the martyrs (shuhadā'), and the righteous (ṣāliḥūn). The verse teaches that spiritual rank is not determined by wealth, status, ethnicity, or lineage, but by faith, sincerity, and righteous deeds. It also explains the meaning of "those You have blessed" mentioned in Surah Al-Fātiḥah (1:7), showing that the Straight Path is the way of people who lived lives of truth, sacrifice, and devotion to Allah. The verse inspires believers to strive for righteous character with the hope of being united with these noble servants of God in the Hereafter.

The prayer is therefore asking: "O Allah, let me follow the path of the people who lived faithfully and pleased You."

Who are "those who earned Your anger"?

Classical commentators, including Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, explain this as referring to people who knew the truth yet deliberately rejected or acted against it. According to classical Muslim scholars, the two expressions describe spiritual conditions:

1. "Those who earned Your anger" refers to people who recognized the truth but knowingly rejected it or chose to disobey it. The emphasis is on deliberate rejection after knowledge. Their "earning" of anger indicates responsibility for their choices.
2. "Those who went astray" refers to people who departed from the truth through ignorance, misunderstanding, or lack of proper guidance. They may have been sincere, but sincerity alone is not enough if it is not accompanied by sound guidance.

The warning is universal. A Muslim who knowingly ignores Allah's commands after recognizing them should also fear falling into this category.

Who are "those who went astray"?

Classical scholars explain this as describing people who acted without correct guidance or sound knowledge. Anyone who sincerely follows a mistaken path despite lacking proper guidance can fit this description.

Guidance to the right way of life guarantees man’s happiness in this world and in the hereafter. It comes about, in effect, by guiding human nature and man’s instincts, desires and inspirations towards the recognition and comprehension of the divine will, so bringing human activity into rhythm with the natural order and the physical world.

The sūrah reveals the nature of the “straight path” as being one taken by those whom God has favoured, not the way of those who have earned His displeasure by their deviation from the Truth, nor that of the heedless who have no knowledge of the truth. It is the path of happiness and salvation.

Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi notes that the favored people are not those who go astray and incur the wrath of Allah, though apparently they might be enjoying the transitory good things of life. The really favored people are those who receive blessings on account of their righteous living. From this it also becomes clear that by favors are meant those real and permanent rewards, which result from righteous living and from winning the pleasure of Allah, and not those transitory good things of life which have been enjoyed even by the tyrants and worshipers of mammon and which are being enjoyed even today by all sorts of evildoers who have gone astray from the straight way.

What lesson should Muslims take?

• The first lesson is self-reflection. Every day Muslims ask Allah:
• not to become arrogant,
• not to ignore what they know is true,
• not to act without knowledge,
• to remain humble enough to seek guidance continually.
• Many scholars note that Al-Fātiḥah is a prayer against spiritual complacency.

Ibn Kathir emphasizes that Surah Al-Fatihah is ultimately a prayer (du'a) for guidance. By reciting this verse in every unit of the daily prayers, Muslims are continually seeking protection from the arrogance of the first group and the ignorance of the second, asking Allah to keep them firmly on the Straight Path (aṣ-ṣirāṭ al-mustaqīm)

How can Muslims use this verse when inviting non-Muslims to Islam?

This verse should be approached with wisdom and humility.

The Qur'an itself instructs believers: "Invite to the way of your Lord with wisdom and good instruction, and argue with them in the best manner." (16:125)

Rather than saying, "You are among those who went astray," a Muslim can explain the verse like this:

"Every human being is searching for truth. In every prayer, Muslims ask God to guide them to the path of those who lived according to His guidance and to protect them from knowingly rejecting truth or sincerely following error. It is a prayer that begins with ourselves—we ask for guidance before speaking about anyone else."

This approach reflects the Qur'an's emphasis on humility. A Muslim never claims to know another person's final standing before Allah.

The verse can be an invitation in three ways:

• By emphasizing the universal search for guidance. Every person wants truth, purpose, and moral direction. Al-Fātiḥah expresses that longing.
• By highlighting God's mercy. Before asking for guidance, the surah twice describes Allah as "The Most Compassionate, the Most Merciful." The invitation begins with God's mercy, not condemnation.
• By demonstrating the beauty of the prayer. Muslims recite this supplication many times each day, acknowledging that they too need God's guidance constantly. This conveys humility rather than superiority.
• A balanced understanding

It should be noted that Verse 1:7 is not a license to judge or insult others. Its primary purpose is to teach believers to pray: "O Allah, keep me on the path of truth. Do not let me knowingly reject what is right, nor let me drift into error through ignorance."

When Muslims invite others to Islam, the Qur'an encourages them to do so through wisdom, respect, compassion, and good character. In that spirit, Al-Fātiḥah becomes an invitation not by condemning others, but by sharing a universal prayer that every sincere seeker can appreciate: the desire to be guided to the truth by God.

Let us reflect more on this verse rather than merely reciting it as a supplication to shape our character and faith as is so required by the complete Surah for once we understand the essence of this Surah, understanding Al Qur'an will become much easier.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

You may refer to more Selected Verses from Sūrah 1. Al-Fātiḥah - The Opening,   already published

You may also refer to our exclusive reference pages: 

• Selected verses from selected Surahs of Al-Qurʾān for compiled verses from other surahs.
• Selected Verses from Al Qur'an about a Specific Subject (Reference Page) to know more about what Qur'an says about specific subjects
• Selected Verses from the Qur'an. 

You may also refer to our Reference Pages  and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo | Reference: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs and selected verses of Al-Qurʾān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In addition, other sources which have been explored and views of other scholars have been incorporated while explaining meaning of a verse. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites. For expansion of meaning and themes / contextual background help from ChatGPT is also taken.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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A small verse that is Spinal Cord of Al Qur’an

Mankind was created by the Lord of the worlds as a test case to see who among the lot has steered one's life to the Divine path and pledges that alone the Lord of the world is to be worshiped and to Him alone we seek help. This pledge has been drilled deep in the hearts of true believers who have an unflinching faith in one true God, we Muslims call Allah.

Today, we share a small verses from the very first Surah (Chapter) of Al Qur'an: Surah al-Fātiḥah. This verse sits in the center of the Surah and is considered as the Spinal Cord of Al Qur'an for just this small verses embodies in itself the entire meaning of Al Qur'an. Let us share the verse and then present its an in-depth analysis:

The Verse:

إِيَّاكَ نَعْبُدُ وَإِيَّاكَ نَسْتَعِينُ

“You alone do we worship, and You alone do we turn for help.”

This verse is the spinal cord of the Qur’an. Everything before it prepares for it, and everything after it flows from it.

Ibn Kathir describes that the first part is a declaration of innocence from Shirk (polytheism), while the second negates having any power or strength, displaying the recognition that all affairs are controlled by Allah alone. This meaning is reiterated in various instances in the Qur'an. 

For instance, Allah said, (So worship Him (O Muhammad ) and put your trust in Him. And your Lord is not unaware of what you (people) do.) (11:123)

((He alone is) the Lord of the east and the west; La ilaha illa Huwa (none has the right to be worshipped but He). So take Him alone as Wakil (Disposer of your affairs)), (73:9) 

And that this verse as the declaration of ultimate tawhid (oneness of God). It signifies worshipping Allah alone, free from Shirk, while relying solely on Him for aid in all matters. This verse represents the core of Islamic belief, balancing submission with seeking Divine help.

Position in Surah al-Fātiḥah: Why this verse is central

Surah al-Fātiḥah has 7 verses, and 1:5 stands exactly in the middle. Herein under is the breakdown of the seven verses of the Surah:

• Verses 1–4: Who Allah is (Lord, Merciful, Master of the Day of Judgment)
• Verse 5 denotes our response to that knowledge expressed in verses 1-4
• Verses 6–7 Having acknowledged that Allah is and that Allah alone is to be worshiped and is the only source of help for the mankind, verses 6-7 carry our request for guidance and salvation.

The entire Surah sums up our faith resting on correct knowledge of Allah that leads us to worship and depend on Him alone.

Linguistic depth of the verse 5

•  “Iyyāka” (إِيَّاكَ)
• Arabic places “You alone” before the verb for emphasis.
• Normal order: We worship You
• Qur’anic order: You alone we worship
• "You...'', means, we worship You alone and none else, and rely on You alone and none else. This is the perfect form of obedience and the entire religion is implied by these two ideas. Some of the Salaf said, Al-Fatihah is the secret of the Qur'an, while these words are the secret of Al-Fatihah
• Implication: (1) No worship of anyone else—explicit or subtle, (2) No divided loyalty, and (3) No hidden dependence
• “Naʿbudu” (نعبد): 
• The meaning of worship: ʿIbādah in Islam is not ritual alone. It includes: (1) Love, (2) Fear. (3) Hope, (4) Obedience, (5) Submission, and (6) Moral surrender
• Qur’anic echo: “I did not create jinn and mankind except that they worship Me.” (51:56)
• The term ibadah is used in three sense: (i) worship and adoration; (ii) obedience and submission; and (iii) service and subjection. In this particular context the term carries all these meanings simultaneously. In other words, we say to God that we worship and adore Him, that we are obedient to Him and follow His will, and also that we are His servants. Moreover man is so bound to none save God, that none but He, may be the subject of man's worship and total devotion, of man's unreserved obedience, of man's absolute subjection and servitude.
• “Nastaʿīn” (نستعين): The meaning of seeking help. Seeking help here is ultimate reliance, not denial of means.
• Not only do we worship God, but our relationship with Him is such that we turn to Him alone for help and succour. We know that He is the Lord of the whole universe and that He alone is the Master of all blessings and benefactions. Hence, in seeking the fulfilment of our needs we turn to Him alone. It is towards Him alone that we stretch forth our hands when we pray and supplicate. It is in Him that we repose our trust. It is therefore to Him alone that we address our request for true guidance.
• Qur’anic support: “And rely upon Allah if you are believers.” (5:23)

Why worship comes before help

• This order is deliberate. Because Worship is related to purpose, while Help is support for fulfilling purpose
• That is We do not worship Allah because He helps us; but because He helps us because we worship Him.
• This purifies intentions and prevents transactional faith.

Why Plural form is used (“We worship… we seek help”)

We should mention that in this Ayah, the type of speech here changes from the third person to direct speech by using the Kaf in the statement Iyyaka (You). This is because after the servant praised and thanked Allah, he stands before Him, addressing Him directly.

Another viewpoint: The implication of using We instead I is for a reason:

• Islam is communal, not individualistic
• You never stand alone before Allah
• Unity in worship creates moral solidarity
• Even in private prayer, you speak as part of an ummah.

Theological foundation: Tawḥīd

This verse combines two core forms of Tawḥīd:

• Tawḥīd al-Ulūhiyyah: You alone we worship
• Tawḥīd al-Rubūbiyyah: You alone we seek for help
• Together they negate: (1) Shirk in belief, (2) Shirk in practice, and (3) Shirk in reliance.

Connection to guidance (verses 6)

• اِهۡدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الۡمُسۡتَقِيۡمَۙ‏ (1:6) Direct us on to the Straight Way
• Only after declaring: Exclusive worship and Exclusive reliance, that we ask: “Guide us to the straight path.”
• That is Guidance is not given to divided hearts.

In summary, Surah 1:5 is a covenant of exclusive devotion and total dependence—declaring that life’s purpose is worship, and life’s strength comes only from Allah.

This verse expresses another fundamental principle that follows logically from the preceding ones. It is also a decisive and crucial principle that draws a line between the freedom man gains in submitting to God and the abuse and debasement implicit in man’s servitude to man. Once man has submitted himself to God and sought help and guidance from Him alone, he has achieved total liberation from the tyranny of all religious, intellectual, moral and political powers.

May Allah guide our hearts to worship Him without any prejudice and depend upon Him for any help or assistance, rather than banking on the worldly gods, which unfortunately many Muslims do.

May Allāh (سبحانه و تعالى‎) help us understand Qur'ān and follow the Sunnah of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ, which is embodiment of commandments of Allah contained in the Qur'ān. May Allah help us to be like the ones He loves and let our lives be lived helping others and not making others' lives miserable or unlivable. May all our wrong doings, whether intentional or unintentional, be forgiven before the angel of death knocks on our door. 

وَمَا عَلَيۡنَاۤ اِلَّا الۡبَلٰغُ الۡمُبِيۡنُ‏ 

(36:17) and our duty is no more than to clearly convey the Message.”

That is Our duty is only to convey to you the message that Allah has entrusted us with. Then it is for you to accept it or reject it. We have not been made responsible for making you accept it forcibly, and if you do not accept it, we shall not be seized in consequence of your disbelief, you will yourselves be answerable for your actions on Day of Resurrection.

May Allah forgive me if my posts ever imply a piety far greater than I possess. I am most in need of guidance.

Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. It will also help the Muslims to have grasp over social issues and their answers discussed in the Qur'an and other matter related to inter faith so that they are able to discuss issues with non-Muslims with authority based on refences from Qur'an.

Note: When we mention God in our posts, we mean One True God, we call Allah in Islam, with no associates. Allah is the Sole Creator of all things, and that Allah is all-powerful and all-knowing. Allah has no offspring, no race, no gender, no body, and is unaffected by the characteristics of human life.

You may also refer to our exclusive reference page: Selected verses from selected Surahs of Al-Qurʾān for compiled verses from other surahs.

For verses on Selected Subjects, please refer to our reference page: Selected Verses from Al Qur'an about a Specific Subject (Reference Page) to know more about what Qur'an says about specific subjects and our reference page: Selected Verses from the Qur'an. 

You may also refer to our Reference Pages  and Understanding Al Qur'an for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

Photo Credit: Zaffar Bhatti Artist | Reference: | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 |

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs and selected verses of Al-Qurʾān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In addition, other sources which have been explored and views of other scholars have been incorporated while explaining meaning of a verse. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites. For expansion of meaning and themes / contextual background help from ChatGPT is also taken.

Disclaimer: The material for this post has been collected from the references given above. If anyone differs with the material contained in this post, one may consult the references and their authors.  If someone has more material about the subject, he/she is most welcome to share in the comments box to make the post all encompassing.

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook. You may also refer to our Facebook  Group Islam: The Ultimate Truth for more on Islam and Da'wah.

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on social media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More

Our Lord! Guide us on Aṣ-Ṣirāṭ al-Mustaqīm - The Straight Path

Today in our series of posts on Selected Invocations  (Dua / دُعا) from Qur'ān, we share a very short yet very powerful invocation  (Dua / دُعا) from Qur'ān which in fact is the essence of the whole Qur'ān. No other invocation is as strong as the 6th verse of the first Chapter Sürah Al-Fātiḥah. Although the entire chapter is an invocation itself, yet after invoking the very mercy of Allah, a Muslim must beseech his Creator to show him the Aṣ-Ṣirāṭ al-Mustaqīm - " الصراط المستقيم  " The Straight Path. 

Simply going by the translation, the Aṣ-Ṣirāṭ al-Mustaqīm - " الصراط المستقيم  " is just a Straight Path. But that is not what is meant by this invocation, not even in the most plain translation. If a believer truly understands the essence of this invocation and then remains steadfast, his entire life will transform into a life of truth and guidance, duly supervised by none other Allah Himself.

Allah tells the Muslims to be on the middle way, the straight path, and not to go upon the 'other paths', which Mujāhid said, it refers to innovations and doubtful matters. Doubtful, or disliked, matters are Makruh (Arabic: مكروه), and are not considered a sin, but as the grey area between good and evil. It is said that if you do the Makruh things, you will not be punished, but if you avoid them, Allah will reward you. [1]

In one of his lectures, an eminent Muslim scholar compared Sirat al Mustaqim to a motorway. The straight path is just like a major motor way that may have many lanes, yet following the same motorway one reaches its destination. If en route, one accidently takes an exit, it is tantamount of being derailed from one's intended path and for getting back on to it, one has to make a detour of many extra miles and be on the main road again. Likewise, the straight guided path of Allah has not exits. If one gets on to the straight path and remains steadfast he is sure to be guided by Allah and helped to remain on the path despite distractions by the evil machinations of the Satan. The exits are like distractions by evil forces which one must avoid to be on the right path. If one gets distracted and takes an exit, then he has to carryout a whole lot of efforts by cleansing his heart and mind of those distracted ideas and be on the path of Allah once again. 

Thus it can be said that those follow the guidance contained in the Al Qur'an and Sunnah (teachings and way of life of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ) will never get astray. The concluding part of the last sermon of Prophet Muhammad ﷺ stressed on Muslims to never leave the guidance provided by the Al Qur'an:

"I have left among you the Book of Allah, and if you hold fast to it, you would never go astray."

Let us go deeper into its meaning as many eminent Muslim scholars have tried to unfold its meaning and effect on the life of a true believer:

اِهۡدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الۡمُسۡتَقِيۡمَۙ‏ 

(1:6) Direct us on to the Straight Way,

In fact in response to this invocation, And in response, Allah has revealed the whole Quran for our guidance to show us exactly what is the Siraat al Mustaqeem, what are the trials and tribulations, and what honor and reward awaits those who follow the Straight Path.

The very next verse qualifies which is the straight path:

صِرَاطَ الَّذِيۡنَ اَنۡعَمۡتَ عَلَيۡهِمۡ ‏ غَيۡرِ الۡمَغۡضُوۡبِ عَلَيۡهِمۡ وَلَا الضَّآلِّيۡنَ

(1:7) The way of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy Grace Those whose (portion) is not wrath and who go not astray.

That is that the Straight Path is the one on whom Allah bestowed His Grace, and not the path of those who played in hands of the Evil, and upon whom the wrath of Allah would befall on the Day of resurrection.

Every Muslim owes it to his Creator to read and understand the Message that was revealed for his guidance. If anyone deliberately does not want to understand the guidance, then he will be guilty in the Court of Allah. Allah will not accept the excuse that you believed so and so of the holy men and invoked them and did so many ziyaarat to their graves! There is one way and one way only, to understand which is the Path acceptable to Allah; and that is to read the Holy Quran with understanding! Once you have read the Holy Quran with understanding, Allah puts so much courage and wisdom in your hearts, that all the things that look strong and formidable today, are powerless, compared to the strength of Allah. [2]

Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi notes that by this innovation we beseech Allah to show us that way which may lead us aright in every walk of life and keep us absolutely free from errors and evil consequences and bring us success in the end." , This is the request which the servant of Allah makes to Him when he begins the study of the Qur'an. He prays to Him to guide him in every walk of life and save him from the labyrinths of doubt and uncertainty, which result from the lack of true knowledge. The servant also requests the Master to show him the right and the straight way of life from among the many by-paths and crooked ways.

The straight way for which we are praying is the way which has always been followed by the people favored by Thee and which has always brought Thy favors and blessings.

This is to show that the favored people are not those who go astray and incur the wrath of Allah, though apparently they might be enjoying the transitory good things of life. The really favored people are those who receive blessings on account of their righteous living. From this it also becomes clear that by favors are meant those real and permanent rewards, which result from righteous living and from winning the pleasure of Allah, and not those transitory good things of life which have been enjoyed even by the tyrants and worshipers of mammon and which are being enjoyed even today by all sorts of evildoers who have gone astray from the straight way.

Yusuf Ali  Explanation: 

If we translate by the English word "guide," we shall have to say: "Guide us to and in the straight Way." For we many be wandering aimlessly, and the first step is to find the Way; and the second need is to keep in the Way: our own wisdom may fail in either case. The straight Way is often the narrow Way, or the steep Way, which many people shun (xc.11). By the world's perversity the straight Way is sometimes stigmatized and the crooked Way praised. How are we to judge? We must ask for God's guidance. With a little spiritual insight we shall see which are the people who walk in the light of God's grace, and which are those that walk in the darkness of Wrath. This also would help our judgment.

Javed Ahmad Ghamidi Explanation:

The verb اِهْدِنَا occurs here without the preposition اِلٰي. Thus, according to linguistic principles, the expression اِهۡدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الۡمُسۡتَقِيۡمَ now does not simply mean “give us guidance.” More aspects are added to this; ie., “set our hearts on this path; instil in us the desire to tread this path, give us the resolve and determination to stay on this path and guide us in its ups and downs, and forever give us the urge to tread on it in this manner.”

The actual words are: اِهۡدِنَا الصِّرَاطَ الۡمُسۡتَقِهۡمَ. The article ال signifies عهد (definition). That is the straight path which has been explained in the next verse.

Qur'an Wiki:

With these words a believer pleads to be shown the Right Way and to be helped along it, which cannot be achieved without God’s guidance, care and mercy. To acknowledge that is in itself a recognition of God’s sovereignty and dominance over all things and events.

Guidance to the right way of life guarantees man’s happiness in this world and in the hereafter. It comes about, in effect, by guiding human nature and man’s instincts, desires and inspirations towards the recognition and comprehension of the divine will, so bringing human activity into rhythm with the natural order and the physical world.

The sūrah reveals the nature of the “straight path” as being one taken by those whom God has favoured, not the way of those who have earned His displeasure by their deviation from the Truth, nor that of the heedless who have no knowledge of the truth. It is the path of happiness and salvation.

We now share a very informative video on the subject by Abdur Raheem McCarthy, which clearly explains the very meaning of Aṣ-Ṣirāṭ al-Mustaqīm and how we as Muslims can follow it so that we not only please Allah but also being guided to Paradise, In Sha Allah, one day:

May Allah help us understand Qur'ān and help us to act upon the commandments of Allah contained therein. May Allah help us remain steadfast and continue to be on the Aṣ-Ṣirāṭ al-Mustaqīm and let us not be distracted by the evil forces which may try their best to derail from this guided past and let us go astray. Aameen.

For more Selected Verses, please refer to our reference page: Selected Invocations / Dua " دُعا " from the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Qur'ān.

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Reading the Qur'ān should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully.

An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Qur'ān from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. In that the exegesis of the chapters of the Quran is mainly based on the "Tafhim al-Qur'an - The Meaning of the Qur'an" by one of the most enlightened scholars of the Muslim World Sayyid Abul Ala Maududi.  

In order to augment and add more explanation as already provided, additional input has been interjected from following sources: 

• Towards Understanding the Quran
• Tafsir Ibn Khatir
• Muhammad Asad Translation
• Javed Ahmad Ghamidi / Al Mawrid
• Al-Quran, Yusuf Ali Translation
• Verse by Verse Qur'an Study Circle

In addition the references of  other sources which have been explored have also been given above. Those desirous of detailed explanations and tafsir (exegesis), may refer to these sites.

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Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Qur'ān - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

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Introduction to Qur'an and Explanation of Surah Al Fatihah (The first Surah / Chapter) of Qur'an

Qur'an is the last and final Divine Scripture revealed for the guidance of the entire mankind. It is thus incumbent upon every believers to understand it and live life according to the wisdom contained in the Qur'an which is based on the commandments of Allah.

While almost all believers recite the verses from Qur'an every day, we need o under the philosophy of the Qur'an and why acting upon it is essential for all believers. We have been sharing the exegesis / tafsir of the entire Qur'an, base on the explanation by a number of leading scholars of Islam. And we hope that our readers find our effort meaningful and beneficial. 

Today we share a very useful and informative video which is about an overview and introduction of the Qur'an, followed by explanation of Surah Al Fatihah the first Surah of the Qur'an. Muslims in general and reverts in particular are most likely to be benefitted by the video.

In the video below, an eminent Muslim scholar Mufti Ismail Menk explains Surah Fateha:

About Mufti Ismail Menk:

Mufti Ismail Menk of Zimbabwe commenced hifz at the tender age of nine years and completed at the age of twelve. He studied Arabic, Urdu and the Hanafi Mazhab from a young age with his father Maulana Musa Menk who graduated in Mazahirul Uloom Shahjahanpur under Hazrat Shaikh Maulana Zakaria (Rahmatullahi Alaihi) in the late 1950's.

Having studied the Hanafi Mazhab he then went on to study at the Islamic University of Madinah where he completed a degree in Shariah on the four Mazhabs. Thereafter he joined the Iftah (Mufti) department of Darul Uloom Kantaria in Gujarat, India where he graduated under Mufti Ismail Barkodrah at the end of 1999.

Ever since he has been actively engaged in teaching, lecturing country wide, running of Islamic educational institutes for the under privileged as well as the orphans, construction of Masajid and Madaris, relief work and coordinated dawaah country wide.

Please refer to our Reference Page "114 Chapters (Sūrahs) of the Holy Qur'an" for translation, explanation and exegesis of all other chapters of the Qur'an. You may also refer to our Reference Pages for knowing more about Islam and Quran.

Reading the Holy Quran should be a daily obligation of a Muslim - Reading it with translation will make it meaningful. But reading its Exegesis / Tafsir will make you understand it fully. An effort has been made to gather explanation / exegesis of the surahs of the Holy Qur'an from authentic sources and then present a least possible condensed explanation of the surah. 

Photo | 

If you like Islam: My Ultimate Decision, and to keep yourself updated on all our latest posts to know more about Islam, follow us on Facebook

Follow @IslamUltimate

Please share this page to your friends and family members through Facebook, WhatsApp or any means on Social Media so that they can also be benefited by it and better understand Islam and the Holy Qur'an - Insha Allah (Allah Willing) you shall be blessed with the best of both worlds.

Read More