Topic: Prayer For
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ٱهْدِنَا ٱلصِّرَٰطَ ٱلْمُسْتَقِيمَ
19:37; 36:62; 42:53, 54.
这个祈祷文包括人类需要的一切方面--------物质与精神的, 现在与将来的。信者祈祷被引上正道--------最短的。有时安拉向他们指点出正道与短的道, 但他们没有走上此道, 或者他们走上了此道, 但没有坚持下去而沿着此道走到底。祈祷文要求信者不要满足于仅仅被指引一条道路, 或甚至已被引上这条道路, 但要继续沿着这条道路走下去直到他们达到目的地。这就是 هِدَايَة (Hidayah) 的重大意义, 它的意思是:指示正道 (90:11), 带领正道 (29:70), 使人遵循正道 (7:44), (مُفْرَدَات, Mufradat与 بَقَاء, Baqa’)。事实上, 人每时每刻与每一步都需要安拉的帮助; 绝对重要的是, 他们应该不断地向安拉作经文中所体现的祈祷。因此, 必需不断地祈祷。只要我们尚未达到的要求和尚未满足和尚未完成的目标, 我们就需要祈祷。
اِھْدِنَاالصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِیْمَ میں بتایا گیا ہے کہ رؤیت کے بعد انسان کے اندر وصال کی شدید خواہش پیدا ہوتی ہے۔ رؤیت کشفِ حجاب کی متقاضی ہوتی ہے اور وصال قربِ مقامی کا متقاضی ہوتی ہے۔ پس اِیَّاکَ نَعْبُدُ وَ اِیَّاکَ نَسْتَعِیْنُ کے ساتھ ہی لازماً انسان کے دل میں خواہش پیدا ہوتی ہے کہ میں خدا تعالیٰ کے قریب چلا جاؤں۔ پس اس آیت میں اس طرف توجہ دلائی گئی ہے کہ جب مومن اِیَّاکَ نَعْبُدُ کے مقام پر پہنچتا ہے تو بے اختیار ہو کر کہتا ہے کہ مجھے اپنے پاس آنے کا قریب ترین راستہ بتا۔
الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِیْمَ یعنی سیدھا رستہ چھوٹے سے چھوٹا رستہ
19:37; 36:62; 42:53-54.
The prayer covers the entire field of man’s needs—material and spiritual, present and future. The believer prays for being shown the straight path—the shortest path. Sometimes a man is shown the right and straight path but is not led up to it, or, if he is led up to it, he fails to stick to it and follow it to the end. The prayer requires a believer not to be satisfied with only being shown a path, or even with being led up to it, but ever to go on following it till he reaches the destination, this being the significance of Hidayah which means, to show the right path (90:11), to lead to the right path (29:70) and to make one follow the right path (7:44), (Mufradat & Baqa’). In fact, man needs God’s help at every step and at every moment, and it is imperative that he should ever be offering to God the supplication embodied in the verse. Constant praying, therefore, is necessary. As long as we have requirements unfulfilled and needs unsatisfied and goals unattained, we stand in need of p
19:37; 36:62; 42:53, 54.
Important Words:
اھد (guide) is derived from ھدی. ھداه means: he guided him. ھداه الطریق or ھداه الی الطریق or ھداه للطریق means, he showed him the right path and made it known to him. ھدی فلانا means: he led the way for him. The word ھدی is also sometimes used intransitively. They say ھدی الرجل i.e. the man became rightly guided. The infinitive form الھدی is generally used in three different senses:
(1) to show the right path,
(2) to lead to the right path,
(3) to make one follow the right path (Aqrab, Mufradat & Baqa).
In the Quran, the word has been used in all these different senses. Thus, in the Quran we read:
(1) وھدینٰه النجدین i.e. We showed him the two highways of good and evil. (90:11).
(2) والذین جاھدوا فینا لنھدینھم سبلنا i.e. Those who strive in Our cause, We will assuredly lead them to Our ways. (29:70).
(3) الحمد للّٰه الذی ھدٰنا لھذا i.e. All praise belongs to Allah Who has guided us to this (His Paradise), which means: He made us follow the right path till we reached Heaven (7:44).
In another place, the Quran says:
والذین اھتدوا زادھم ھدی meaning: those who accept His guidance, God increases them in guidance and leads them on to higher and higher stages of it, till they reach their destination (47:18).
صراط (path) is also written with س. It means a path which is even and can be trodden without difficulty (Mufradat).
مستقیم (right) is derived from قام i.e. he stood up erect, or he stood still. استقام means: it became straight and even; it had the right direction. مستقیم therefore means: straight, undeviating and without any crookedness; right; rightly directed (Mufradat & Lane).
Commentary:
The prayer taught in this short verse is so perfect and so comprehensive that it has no parallel in any other religion. In the first place, the verse teaches that paths are of two kinds: (1) even and straight, and (2) uneven and crooked, and the attention of a true believer is drawn to the fact that he should always be on the look out to take the straight path and reject the crooked one.
Again, sometimes a man is shown the right path but is not led up to it, or, if he is led up to it, he fails to stick to it and follow it to the end. The prayer embodied in this verse requires us not to be satisfied with being shown a path, or even with being led up to it, but ever to go on following it till we reach the destination.
Another aspect of this wonderful prayer is that it is not confined to things spiritual or to things of this world only, but covers the entire field of human requirements, both spiritual and temporal. This makes the prayer truly comprehensive. A Christian prays only for his "daily bread," but a Muslim is enjoined to make his prayer cover the entire field of his requirements, material or spiritual. Moreover, as hinted above, this prayer is not confined to man’s present requirements but extends to his future requirements also. It is a wonderful prayer, which even a non-Muslim may use without contravening any of his religious views. In fact, many non-Muslims have used this prayer and benefited from its marvellous efficacy.
It has been objected that Muslims offer this prayer in their daily Prayers and their constant prayer for the right path shows that they have not yet found it. This objection springs from sheer ignorance. As already explained, this verse teaches a Muslim to pray not only that God may show him the right path, not merely that He may lead him to it, but that He may enable him to go on praying till he reaches the goal. In fact, man needs God’s help at every step and at every moment, and it is imperative that he should ever be offering to God the supplication embodied in the verse. Constant praying, therefore, is not only unobjectionable, it is absolutely necessary. To say that the repetition of this comprehensive prayer is futile is simply absurd. As long as we have unfulfilled requirements, unsatisfied needs and unattained goals, we stand in need of this prayer; and what prayer can be more comprehensive and pithier than this?
a
19:37; 36:62; 42:53, 54.
13
这个祈祷文包括人类需要的一切方面--------物质与精神的, 现在与将来的。信者祈祷被引上正道--------最短的。有时安拉向他们指点出正道与短的道, 但他们没有走上此道, 或者他们走上了此道, 但没有坚持下去而沿着此道走到底。祈祷文要求信者不要满足于仅仅被指引一条道路, 或甚至已被引上这条道路, 但要继续沿着这条道路走下去直到他们达到目的地。这就是 هِدَايَة (Hidayah) 的重大意义, 它的意思是:指示正道 (90:11), 带领正道 (29:70), 使人遵循正道 (7:44), (مُفْرَدَات, Mufradat与 بَقَاء, Baqa’)。事实上, 人每时每刻与每一步都需要安拉的帮助; 绝对重要的是, 他们应该不断地向安拉作经文中所体现的祈祷。因此, 必需不断地祈祷。只要我们尚未达到的要求和尚未满足和尚未完成的目标, 我们就需要祈祷。
2
اِھْدِنَاالصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِیْمَ میں بتایا گیا ہے کہ رؤیت کے بعد انسان کے اندر وصال کی شدید خواہش پیدا ہوتی ہے۔ رؤیت کشفِ حجاب کی متقاضی ہوتی ہے اور وصال قربِ مقامی کا متقاضی ہوتی ہے۔ پس اِیَّاکَ نَعْبُدُ وَ اِیَّاکَ نَسْتَعِیْنُ کے ساتھ ہی لازماً انسان کے دل میں خواہش پیدا ہوتی ہے کہ میں خدا تعالیٰ کے قریب چلا جاؤں۔ پس اس آیت میں اس طرف توجہ دلائی گئی ہے کہ جب مومن اِیَّاکَ نَعْبُدُ کے مقام پر پہنچتا ہے تو بے اختیار ہو کر کہتا ہے کہ مجھے اپنے پاس آنے کا قریب ترین راستہ بتا۔
الصِّرَاطَ الْمُسْتَقِیْمَ یعنی سیدھا رستہ چھوٹے سے چھوٹا رستہ
a
19:37; 36:62; 42:53, 54.
6
Important Words:
اھد (guide) is derived from ھدی. ھداه means: he guided him. ھداه الطریق or ھداه الی الطریق or ھداه للطریق means, he showed him the right path and made it known to him. ھدی فلانا means: he led the way for him. The word ھدی is also sometimes used intransitively. They say ھدی الرجل i.e. the man became rightly guided. The infinitive form الھدی is generally used in three different senses:
(1) to show the right path,
(2) to lead to the right path,
(3) to make one follow the right path (Aqrab, Mufradat & Baqa).
In the Quran, the word has been used in all these different senses. Thus, in the Quran we read:
(1) وھدینٰه النجدین i.e. We showed him the two highways of good and evil. (90:11).
(2) والذین جاھدوا فینا لنھدینھم سبلنا i.e. Those who strive in Our cause, We will assuredly lead them to Our ways. (29:70).
(3) الحمد للّٰه الذی ھدٰنا لھذا i.e. All praise belongs to Allah Who has guided us to this (His Paradise), which means: He made us follow the right path till we reached Heaven (7:44).
In another place, the Quran says:
والذین اھتدوا زادھم ھدی meaning: those who accept His guidance, God increases them in guidance and leads them on to higher and higher stages of it, till they reach their destination (47:18).
صراط (path) is also written with س. It means a path which is even and can be trodden without difficulty (Mufradat).
مستقیم (right) is derived from قام i.e. he stood up erect, or he stood still. استقام means: it became straight and even; it had the right direction. مستقیم therefore means: straight, undeviating and without any crookedness; right; rightly directed (Mufradat & Lane).
Commentary:
The prayer taught in this short verse is so perfect and so comprehensive that it has no parallel in any other religion. In the first place, the verse teaches that paths are of two kinds: (1) even and straight, and (2) uneven and crooked, and the attention of a true believer is drawn to the fact that he should always be on the look out to take the straight path and reject the crooked one.
Again, sometimes a man is shown the right path but is not led up to it, or, if he is led up to it, he fails to stick to it and follow it to the end. The prayer embodied in this verse requires us not to be satisfied with being shown a path, or even with being led up to it, but ever to go on following it till we reach the destination.
Another aspect of this wonderful prayer is that it is not confined to things spiritual or to things of this world only, but covers the entire field of human requirements, both spiritual and temporal. This makes the prayer truly comprehensive. A Christian prays only for his "daily bread," but a Muslim is enjoined to make his prayer cover the entire field of his requirements, material or spiritual. Moreover, as hinted above, this prayer is not confined to man’s present requirements but extends to his future requirements also. It is a wonderful prayer, which even a non-Muslim may use without contravening any of his religious views. In fact, many non-Muslims have used this prayer and benefited from its marvellous efficacy.
It has been objected that Muslims offer this prayer in their daily Prayers and their constant prayer for the right path shows that they have not yet found it. This objection springs from sheer ignorance. As already explained, this verse teaches a Muslim to pray not only that God may show him the right path, not merely that He may lead him to it, but that He may enable him to go on praying till he reaches the goal. In fact, man needs God’s help at every step and at every moment, and it is imperative that he should ever be offering to God the supplication embodied in the verse. Constant praying, therefore, is not only unobjectionable, it is absolutely necessary. To say that the repetition of this comprehensive prayer is futile is simply absurd. As long as we have unfulfilled requirements, unsatisfied needs and unattained goals, we stand in need of this prayer; and what prayer can be more comprehensive and pithier than this?
a
19:37; 36:62; 42:53-54.
13
The prayer covers the entire field of man’s needs—material and spiritual, present and future. The believer prays for being shown the straight path—the shortest path. Sometimes a man is shown the right and straight path but is not led up to it, or, if he is led up to it, he fails to stick to it and follow it to the end. The prayer requires a believer not to be satisfied with only being shown a path, or even with being led up to it, but ever to go on following it till he reaches the destination, this being the significance of Hidayah which means, to show the right path (90:11), to lead to the right path (29:70) and to make one follow the right path (7:44), (Mufradat & Baqa’). In fact, man needs God’s help at every step and at every moment, and it is imperative that he should ever be offering to God the supplication embodied in the verse. Constant praying, therefore, is necessary. As long as we have requirements unfulfilled and needs unsatisfied and goals unattained, we stand in need of p
رَبَّنَا لَا تُزِغْ قُلُوبَنَا بَعْدَ إِذْ هَدَيْتَنَا وَهَبْ لَنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً ۚ إِنَّكَ أَنتَ ٱلْوَهَّابُ
只有那些心灵纯洁的人才能正确理解 «古兰经» (56:80)。
The right knowledge of the Qur’an is vouchsafed only to those who are pure of heart (56:80).
Important Words:
الوھاب (Bestower) is derived from وھب i.e. he gave or he bestowed. وھب له مالا means, he gave or bestowed property on him. ھبة which is the noun-infinitive from وھب means: (1) the act of giving a person something without receiving anything in return; (2) the thing so given. الوھاب which is the intensive form of واھب (giver) means, one who gives greatly and extensively (Aqrab). The word is used about God because He gives to each and every one of His creatures according to his deserts and none is overlooked (Mufradat).
Commentary:
The verse, which comprises a very important prayer, comes as a fitting sequel to the preceding verse. It points out the great truth that not unoften a people receive a favour or blessing from God, which sometimes later proves a means of stumbling for them. They abuse the favour of God or misinterpret divine guidance and thus bring about their ruin. This is what happened to the Christians; and Muslims are warned to be watchful against this source of error and ever to pray to God to protect them against it. See also 1:7.
The verse also hints that dissension and straying away from the truth would be the lot of Muslims if they subordinated decisive verses to those ambiguous, and fundamentals to matters of secondary importance. This is why the Holy Prophetsaused to recite this prayer constantly, which fact implied an instruction to his followers to do the same. Indeed, there could be no greater tragedy than, having once found the right path, to go astray, and, having once received Divine favour, to become the object of His anger.
The verse also draws attention to the fact that the error of interpreting متشابھات in a manner which is at variance with محکمات (see preceding verse) can only be avoided through the purification of the heart and through prayer. The right knowledge of the Quran is vouchsafed only to those who are pure of heart. In this connection see also 56:80.
229
只有那些心灵纯洁的人才能正确理解 «古兰经» (56:80)。
300
Important Words:
الوھاب (Bestower) is derived from وھب i.e. he gave or he bestowed. وھب له مالا means, he gave or bestowed property on him. ھبة which is the noun-infinitive from وھب means: (1) the act of giving a person something without receiving anything in return; (2) the thing so given. الوھاب which is the intensive form of واھب (giver) means, one who gives greatly and extensively (Aqrab). The word is used about God because He gives to each and every one of His creatures according to his deserts and none is overlooked (Mufradat).
Commentary:
The verse, which comprises a very important prayer, comes as a fitting sequel to the preceding verse. It points out the great truth that not unoften a people receive a favour or blessing from God, which sometimes later proves a means of stumbling for them. They abuse the favour of God or misinterpret divine guidance and thus bring about their ruin. This is what happened to the Christians; and Muslims are warned to be watchful against this source of error and ever to pray to God to protect them against it. See also 1:7.
The verse also hints that dissension and straying away from the truth would be the lot of Muslims if they subordinated decisive verses to those ambiguous, and fundamentals to matters of secondary importance. This is why the Holy Prophetsaused to recite this prayer constantly, which fact implied an instruction to his followers to do the same. Indeed, there could be no greater tragedy than, having once found the right path, to go astray, and, having once received Divine favour, to become the object of His anger.
The verse also draws attention to the fact that the error of interpreting متشابھات in a manner which is at variance with محکمات (see preceding verse) can only be avoided through the purification of the heart and through prayer. The right knowledge of the Quran is vouchsafed only to those who are pure of heart. In this connection see also 56:80.
374
The right knowledge of the Qur’an is vouchsafed only to those who are pure of heart (56:80).