Topic: For Guidance
View Aspects
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
صِرَٰطَ ٱلَّذِينَ أَنْعَمْتَ عَلَيْهِمْ غَيْرِ ٱلْمَغْضُوبِ عَلَيْهِمْ وَلَا ٱلضَّآلِّينَ
4:70; 5:21; 19:59.
2:62, 91; 3:113; 5:61, 79.
3:91; 5:78; 18:105.
一个真正的信者并不满足于仅仅被引上正道或做了某些正义的行动。他把自己的目标定得高得多并试图达到安拉开始赐与其仆人他的特别恩惠的境地。他希望获得安拉恩惠的选民的那些榜样并从他们那里得到鼓舞。他甚至不停留在这种地位, 而竭力争取并祈祷成为安拉 “所赐恩惠的那些人” 中的一员。那些安拉 “所帮助的人” 在4:70中已提及。这一经文是一般的并不求任何个别的恩惠。信者祈求安拉给他精神上以最高的恩惠, 但由安拉来决定授与他以安拉认为是适当的以及信者应得的恩惠。
اَلْفَاتِحَة 这一章在词句的安排上呈现出一种优美的顺序。它被分为两半。前半部分与安拉有关, 后半部分与人有关, 而且每一部分中不同文句以非凡的形式相互对应。相对于前半部分中代表拥有一切高贵的常德之主的名字安拉而言, 我们在后半部分中有 “我们只崇拜你” 这句话。信者一想及安拉是超脱一切缺点而拥有一切真善美的常德时, 自然地从他们心灵深处发出: “我们只崇拜你” 的呼声。相对于 “所有世界的养主” 这种常德而言, 后半部分中就有 “我们只向你求助” 这句话。当一个穆斯林知道, 安拉是所有世界的创造者, 立他者, 也是一切发展的泉源时, 他立即祈求安拉的保护, 他说: “我们只向你求助”。然后, 相对于 اَلرَّحْمٰن (无限博爱者) 这一常德, 即无数幸福的赐予者以及我们所有需要事物的慷慨提供者而言, 后半部分就有 “求你带领我们走上正道” 这句话; 因为提供给人的最大幸福是安拉通过他的使者用下降启示的方法向人提供的引导。相对于第一部分中 اَلرَّحِيْم (永久仁慈者), 即赐予人们各种行动以最高报酬之安拉所恩惠的仆人以各种应得的幸福的安拉就是 اَلرَّحِيْم (永久仁慈者)。再者, 相对于 “赏罚日的主” 而言, 我们说 “不是遭恼怒者的道, 也不是迷误者的道”。当人们思及表现向安拉交待他们的行为时, 他们害怕失败; 这样, 想到 “赏罚的主” 这一常德时, 他们开始向安拉祈祷从安拉的恼怒中解救出来以及从迷误者的路中解救出来。
这一祈祷文的另一特点是, 它非常自然地诉诸人们内在的天性。人类天性中引起服从的基本动机有两个, 热爱和惧怕。爱可以使有些人受到感动, 惧可以使另一些人受到感动。爱的动机当然更高尚, 但可能有人--------确实有人--------爱对他们没有感染力。他们只是为了畏惧而服从。在 «开端» 一章中, 对以上这两种人的动机都具有感染力。先是安拉的唤起爱的那些常德: “所有世界的创造主”与“立他者”、“无限博爱的主” 与 “永久仁慈的主”。然后, 像经文中那样, 随之而来的是 “赏罚日的主” 这一常德, 它提醒人们假如不迁善改过和不对爱作出反应, 他们就得准备在安拉的面前汇报他们的行为。这样, 爱的动机与惧怕的动机一起发挥作用。可是由于安拉的仁慈远远超过安拉的恼怒, 即使在这惟一能引起畏惧的基本常德中也还留有仁慈性。事实上, 这里安拉的仁慈也还是超过安拉的恼怒, 因为这一常德含蓄着: 我们不是在一个法官前面站着而是来到安拉的面前, 安拉有权宽恕, 安拉将在惩罚是绝对必需时才惩罚。
简言之, «开端章» 是一座奇妙的精神知识宝库。它是具有七节简明经文的一个短章, 但它却是一座真正的知识与智慧的宝库。它是 «古兰经» 真正的精华, 堪称 “«古兰经»之母”。以一切幸福的泉源--------安拉的名字开始, 这一章又叙述了安拉的四种基本常德: (1) 所有世界的创造主与立他者; (2) 无限博爱的主, 即使在人们出生以前而且并未为他们需要的事物出过力的情况下就提供人们他们所需的一切事物的主; (3) 永久仁慈的主, 决定给人们可能做到的最好劳动成果以最慷慨的酬报的主; 以及 (4) 赏罚日的主, 在他面前所有的人将得汇报他们的行为的主, 主将惩罚那些邪恶者但不是仅以一个法官的身份而是以一个恩威并施主宰的身份来对待那些人, 而且在认为宽恕会产生良好效果时, 他就热诚地给与宽恕。这就是 «古兰经» 在一开始就给伊斯兰教的安拉所描绘的写照--------一位有无限能力和主权的主与无限博爱与永久仁慈的主。然后是人的宣言: 他们的安拉是如此高贵常德的拥有者, 他们乐于甚至渴望崇拜安拉并且以无限恭敬的心情拜倒在安拉的脚下; 但安拉知道人是软弱而常犯错误的, 因此慈悲地告诫他的仆人在他前进的每一步以及每次他遇到困难时, 求安拉的帮助。最后是一段包罗丰富、意义深远的祈祷词。在这一祈祷祷词中人祈求创造主在精神或物质的以及与他们现在或将来的需要有关的一切事物中引他们走上正路。他们向主祈祷, 他们不仅会成功地经受所有考验而且像安拉的 “选民” 那样光荣地经受住考验并成为主的最丰富的恩惠领受者; 他们会像以前许多人做过的那样永远沿着正路一步步走下去, 不会走上迷路, 越走越向他们的造化和养育的主宰靠近。这就是 «古兰经» 的 «开端章» 的主题, 以各种形式在这本神圣经典中不断地重复出现。
صِرَاطَ الَّذِیْنَ اَنْعَمْتَ عَلَیْھِمْ۔ منعم علیہ گروہ کا رستہ مجھے دکھا یعنی رستہ چھوٹا بھی ہو اور تجھ تک پہنچنے کا رستہ ہو اور تجھ سے دور لے جانے والا رستہ نہ ہو۔
غَیْرِ الْمَغْضُوْبِ عَلَیْھِمْ وَ لَا الضَّآلِّیْنَ۔ اَنْعَمْتَ عَلَیْھِمْ کا بدل ہے۔ پس اس کے معنے یہ ہوئے کہ ان منعم علیہم لوگوں کا رستہ بتا جو مغضوب نہیں ہو گئے اور جو ضال نہیں بن گئے، منعم علیہم تو مغضوب اور ضال ہو اہی نہیں کرتے پھر اس دعا کے معنے کیا ہوئے؟ پس یاد رکھنا چاہیئے کہ جیسا کہ پچھلی آیات کے ترجمہ سے ظاہر ہے یہ دعا اجتماعی اور قومی دعا ہے اور ہر قوم ایک زمانہ تک منعم علیہ ہونے کے بعد مغضوب علیہم یا ضالّ یا دونوں بن جاتی ہے۔ پس اس دعا کا یہی مطلب ہے کہ ہماری ابتدا بھی منعم علیہ کی ہو اور ہماری انتہا بھی منعم علیہ کی ہو۔ ایسا نہ ہو کہ ہماری قوم آ
3:91; 5:78; 18:105.
4:70; 5:21; 19:59.
2:62, 91; 3:113; 5:61, 79.
A true believer is not satisfied with only being guided to the right path or with doing certain acts of righteousness. He sets his goal much higher and tries to attain a position in which God begins to bestow His special favours upon His servants. He looks up to the examples of Divine favours bestowed upon God’s Elect and receives encouragement from them. He does not stop even there, but strives hard and prays to be included among God’s "Favoured Ones" and to become one of them. These "Favoured Ones" have been mentioned in (4:70). The prayer is general and not for any particular favour. The believer implores God to bestow the highest spiritual favour upon him and it rests with God to confer upon him the favour which He deems fit and which the believer deserves.
Suratul-Fatihah reveals a beautiful order in the arrangement of its words and sentences. It is divided into two halves. The first half pertains to God, the second to man, and the different parts of each portion correspond to one another in a remarkable manner. Corresponding to the name "Allah" which stands for the Being possessing all noble attributes in the first half, we have the words, Thee alone do we worship, in the second half. As soon as the devotee thinks of God as being free from all defects and possessing all perfect attributes, the cry, Thee alone do we worship, spontaneously rises from the depths of his heart. And corresponding to the attribute "Lord of all the worlds" are the words, Thee alone do we implore for help, in the second part. When a Muslim knows God to be the Creator and Sustainer of all the worlds and the Source of all development, he at once takes shelter in Him, saying, Thee alone do we implore for help. Then, corresponding to the attribu
4:70; 5:21; 19:59.
2:62, 91; 3:113; 5:61, 79.
3:91; 5:78; 18:105.
Important Words:
انعمت (Thou hast bestowed blessings) is derived from نعم which means, he became well off. نعم عیشه means: his life became happy and full of comfort and ease. انعم فلانا or انعم علی فلان means: he made his life comfortable; he bestowed favour on him. نعمة means: favour, blessing; anything which affords happiness (Aqrab). The word انعام is used with reference to rational beings only. For instance, we would say انعم علی عبدہ i.e. he bestowed a favour on his slave or servant, and not انعم علی فرسه i.e. he bestowed a favour on his horse (Mufradat).
المغضوب (those who have incurred displeasure) is derived from غضب which means: he was angry, he showed anger. غضب علیه means: he was angry with him, he was wrathful against him, his anger and wrath being combined with the intention of punishing or retaliating (Aqrab & Mufradat).
الضالین (those gone astray) is derived from ضل which means: he went astray, he lost his way, he deviated from the right path. ضل سعیه means: his effort was lost, being unsuccessful. ضل الرجل means: the man perished and his body became converted into dust (Aqrab). The word ضلالة is also used to indicate the state of being engrossed or lost in some effort or pursuit. Says the Quran:
الذین ضل سعیھم فی الحیوة الدنیا
i.e. those whose labour is all lost in search after things pertaining to the life of this world (18:105).
Again: ووجدک ضالا فھدی i.e. and He (God) found thee engrossed in search (after Him), so He showed thee the way (93:8).
Commentary:
In the last verse, God taught us to pray for guidance to the right path. In the present verse the idea has been further advanced by adding the words, the path of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy blessings. This has been done with a twofold purpose:
1. That a true believer should not be satisfied with only being guided to the right path or with performing certain acts of righteousness. He should set his goal higher, and try to attain to a position in which God begins to bestow His special favours on His servants. He should not merely pass the test but excel in it.
2. That a true believer should look up to the historical examples of divine favours and receive en-couragement from them. But he is not to stop at that particular point. He should try to join the favoured company and become one of them. And as the topmost in a class is still one of the class, the goal set before a believer is very high indeed.
For a description of الذین انعمت علیھم i.e. the favoured ones, we read elsewhere in the Quran: فاولئك مع الذین انعم اللّٰه علیھم من النبیین والصدیقین والشھداء والصالحین i.e. those who believe in God and follow the Prophet are among the favoured ones—the Prophets, the truthful, the martyrs and the righteous (4:70).
Here the favoured ones have been divided into four classes, the topmost being the Prophets and the lowermost the righteous. Thus a Muslim has been enjoined to pray to God for the bestowal of such spiritual favours upon him as may enable him to belong to one of these favoured classes. Even the highest favours, pertaining to prophethood are not denied to Muslims. This indeed is a lofty goal!
The point needs further elaboration. The verse, as hinted above, beautifully points out that a Muslim should not only desire mere virtue but should aim at inclusion in the class of men who have won the special favours of God. One who loves God does not remain content with an inferior state. Love of the Supreme Being engenders in the heart of man such a burning aspiration that he is not satisfied with an ordinary stage of progress. Indeed, one who understands God cannot look upon any stage of progress as final. Not only is the desire for unending progress found in the heart of the true believer, but God Himself wishes man not to remain content with a low stage, but to pray for ever-increasing righteousness; the righteousness of those who have won special prizes.
As already pointed out, the word انعام (favour) is not confined to any particular gift but includes everything which is given to a person as a token of pleasure, be it worldly or spiritual.
Again, though every favour is a divine blessing, it cannot be denied that there are certain favours which particularly deserve to be so called, for they rank among the topmost favours. The Quran says, And remember when Moses said to his people, O my people, call to mind Allah’s favour upon you when He appointed Prophets among you and made you kings and gave you what He gave not to any other among the peoples (5:21). This verse pointedly refers to the things which can be held to be special favours for man; and the Israelites are told that they have been given a goodly portion of all these favours.
Human excellences are of three kinds: (1) worldly and personal, (2) spiritual and personal, and (3) worldly or spiritual excellences in relation to others, i.e. excellences that are of a relative nature and pertain to the superiority of an individual or a people relative to others. A man naturally likes to attain this last kind of excellence also, which confers upon him a superiority over his rivals and compatriots. In the verse quoted above (i.e. 5:21) Moses ascribes all these three kinds of favours to the Israelites:
(1) They received worldly favours, so much so that they remained rulers of a land for a long time. All worldly excellences require kingship or government administration for their right growth and development, and a people who become rulers get this important means of development, irrespective of whether they benefit by it or not. The very fact that kingship is granted to a people means that all avenues of worldly progress are thrown open and made secure for them.
(2) They also received high spiritual favours. Just as kingship is a means of attaining worldly greatness and constitutes its culminating point, prophethood is the means of attaining spiritual greatness and constitutes the culminating point of spiritual progress. This is why Moses tells his people that prophethood, the greatest spiritual favour, has also been conferred upon them. Indeed they were granted this favour through a long series of Prophets.
(3) The third class of favours being relative, Moses most fittingly tells his people that God gave you what He had not given to any other among the peoples. In the above expression, though the idea is that of Moses, the words are Quranic and, as usual, the Quran has combined brevity of words with vastness of meaning in a manner which cannot fail to impress a thoughtful person.
The words: the path of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy blessings, coming after the words: Guide us in the right path, greatly enhance the significance of the former. The words indicate that the objective of a Muslim is not to merely pray that God show him the right way. They direct him to pray for loftier objects and to implore God that He may not only show him the ways of guidance but that He may lead him to those special paths of spiritual knowledge which had been revealed to the favoured ones before him. By raising such high aspirations in the minds of the believers, God has indeed conferred a great boon on Muslims.
Although in the presence of this clear and plain teaching it is not necessary to give any further evidence to show that the doors to every kind of progress have been thrown open to the believers, yet, as the latter-day Muslims have generally given way to despair, it is necessary to turn to the Quran to see what it means by prayer for the grant of favours, and whether it holds out any promise of the acceptance of this prayer. As partly quoted above, we read in 4:67-70: And if they had done what they are exhorted to do, it would surely have been better for them, and conducive to greater strength, and then We would have surely given them a great reward from Ourself, and We would have surely guided them in the right path. And whoso obeys Allah and this Messenger (of His), shall be among those on whom Allah has bestowed His blessings, namely, the Prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous, and excellent companions are these.
The above-quoted verse clearly speaks of the favours that are in store for the true Muslims and uses the very words which occur in the verse under comment, viz. the path of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy blessings. As already noted, the recipients of blessings have been explained to mean the Prophets, the truthful, the martyrs and the righteous. This shows that the divine gifts which Muslims are asked to pray for embody the highest stages of spiritual progress, and the Quran informs us that all these stages are attainable, and indeed will be attained, by Muslims.
The objection is sometimes raised that while prophethood is a موھبة i.e. a free gift and not a کسب i.e. something to be earned, it is meaningless to offer any prayer for its attainment. The answer to this objection is that a Muslim does not pray particularly for the gift of prophethood. He only prays in a general way and implores God to bestow the highest spiritual favours on Muslims, and it rests with God to confer His favours on whomsoever He pleases. The Quran says, Allah knows best where to place His message (6:125), i.e. He alone knows whom to make His Messenger. This is why God has taught this prayer in the plural number, saying Guide us, and not "Guide me"—to point out that prayer for such spiritual blessings should be general and not particular. Moreover, though it is true that prophethood is a free gift, yet it is not wholly so, for there is undoubtedly some element of "earning" in it, otherwise why was this gift conferred on Muhammad (on whom be peace) and not on Abu Jahl?
Another objection in this connection is that when the Holy Prophet has been declared to be خاتم النبیین (Seal of Prophets), there is no possibility of any Prophet appearing after him. This objection has also been clearly answered in the verses quoted above (4:67-70); for there the words used are whoso obeys Allah and this Messenger (of His) which definitely means that the spiritual boons, including that of prophethood, promised to Muslims will be given only to such as will obey God and His Messenger—the Holy Prophet; and it is evident that the work of one who is subordinate to the Prophet cannot be considered as separate from the work of the Prophet, nor can such a one bring a new Law. Hence the appearance of a Prophet from among the followers of the Holy Prophet is not inconsistent with the latter’s being the Seal of Prophets. On the contrary, such a Prophet will only complete the significance of خاتم النبیین. But of this we will speak later at its proper place. In short, the verse clearly tells us that the door of the highest spiritual blessings—even that of prophethood—is open to Muslims.
It should, however, be noted that "a favour" or "a blessing" spoken of in the verse is not to be understood in the spiritual sense only. It covers the entire field of human activity, and in its wider significance, the prayer includes the seeking of what may be called earthly eminence. Knowledge, honour, power, wealth are all among the favours of God and a true believer may pray for the attainment of these along with the spiritual blessings.
The latter portion of the verse contains a dreadful warning. Man receives favours from God and then begins to abuse them. Or he loses the right path, encounters a fall, and becomes rejected by God. It is to guard against this danger that the latter portion of the verse contains a warning for mankind in general and for Muslims in particular. God enjoins us to pray that after becoming His favoured ones, we should not incur His displeasure nor stray from the right path, so that our progress, be it spiritual or temporal, may be continuous with no falling back.
The words المغضوب علیھم and الضالین have been used to denote two kinds of dangers. One is that one should outwardly stick to the right path but lose the inner spirit, retaining the shell without the kernel. The other is that one should lose the path itself and wander away into the wilderness. It is to these two kinds of dangers that the words المغضوب علیھم and الضالین refer. The Holy Prophet said:
إن المغضوب علیھم الیھود والضالین ھم النصاری i.e. by المغضوب علیھم are meant Jews, and by الضالین Christians (Tirmidhi & Musnad). These words of the Prophet are full of meaning. Not only do they describe the nature of the two dangers but also warn Muslims that if they are not watchful, they may fall a prey to them. They may either lose the spirit of faith just as the Jews did, who stuck to the letter of the Law but lost its spirit; or they may lose the path itself just as the Christians did, who strayed from the true teachings of Jesus and began to tread a different path altogether. The Quran speaks of the wrath of God falling on the Jews time after time (2:62; 2:91; 3:113; 5:61). It also refers to the drifting away of the Christians from the real teaching of Jesus (5:78).
The words المغضوب علیھم and الضالین also refer to another set of dangers. As is well known, the Holy Prophet had prophesied the second coming of Jesus Christ which meant the coming of a Reformer and a Messiah among Muslims in the spirit and power of Jesus. By using the words المغضوب علیھم, which the Holy Prophet said refer-red to the Jews, the Quran warns Muslims against meeting the fate of the Jews by rejecting the Promised Messiah when he appears among them. This prophecy of the second advent of Jesus has been fulfilled in the person of Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, the Holy Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement.
The other danger is alluded to in الضالین which, according to the Holy Prophet, refers to Christians. The verse foretells a time when Christian nations would dominate the world, and it warns Muslims to be on their guard against the false beliefs and evil culture of these nations. A most dreadful warning, but most deplorably neglected!
This, the last verse of Al-Fatihah, embodies yet another great prophecy. As we have seen, this chapter was revealed early in Mecca when the Holy Prophet was surrounded by idolaters and Islam had not yet come in contact with either Jews or Christians. Yet the prayer in this verse refers to the danger of Jews and Christians and not to the danger of idolatry. This unexpected omission in the case of idol-worshippers and this unexpected reference to the People of the Book is not without significance. Idol-worship was to be swept out of Arabia and was no longer to be a danger to Islam, but dangers far more formidable were to confront it in the Latter Days—the internal danger of Muslims becoming like Jews, and the external danger of their becoming like Christians. The prophecy in this verse therefore has a threefold significance: (1) it refers to the early extinction of idolatry from Arabia; (2) it speaks of the danger of Muslims drifting into a state like that of Jews, and (3) it alludes to the universal ascendance of Christian nations in the Latter Days, and warns Muslims against adopting their faith and imbibing their culture. All these prophecies have been literally fulfilled.
The Holy Prophet says that when a Muslim comes to the end of the prayer contained in Al-Fatihah, he should say آمین (Amen), i.e. ‘Accept our prayer, o Lord!’ It is therefore customary with Muslims to say 'Amen' after reciting Al-Fatihah.
A General Note on the Chapter Al-Fatihah
Al-Fatihah, the opening Surah of the Quran, reveals a beautiful order in the arrangement of its words and sentences. It is divided, as the Holy Prophet has said, into two halves. The first half pertains to God, the second to man, and the different parts of each portion correspond to one another in a most remarkable manner. Corresponding to the name اللّٰه (Allah), which stands for the Being possessing all noble attributes, in the first half, we have the words, Thee alone do we worship. In the second half, as soon as the devotee thinks of God as being free from all defects and possessing all perfect attributes, the cry of Thee alone do we worship spontaneously rises from the depths of his heart.
Again, corresponding to the attribute رب العالمین (Lord of all the worlds) in the first part, we have the words Thee alone do we implore for help in the second part. When a Muslim knows God to be the Lord, i.e. the Creator and Sustainer of the worlds and the Source of all development, he at once takes shelter in Him, saying: Thee alone do we implore for help.
Again, corresponding to the attribute الرحمن (the Gracious, i.e. the Giver of innumerable blessings, and the Liberal Provider of our needs) in the first part, we have the words Guide us in the right path in the second; for the greatest of the blessings provided for man is guidance which God provides for him by sending revelation through His Messengers.
Again, corresponding to the attribute الرحیم (the Merciful, i.e. the Giver of the best rewards for man’s works) in the first part, we have the words The path of those on whom Thou had bestowed Thy blessings in the second, for it is Ar-Rahim Who bestows merited blessings on His favoured servants.
Yet again, corresponding to مالك یوم الدین (Master of the Day of Judgement) in the first half, we have the concluding part of the last verse in the second, viz. those who have not incurred Thy displeasure, and those who have not gone astray. When man thinks of giving an account of his deeds, he dreads failure; so, pondering over the attribute of Master of the Day of Judgement, he begins to pray to God to be saved from His displeasure and from straying from the right path.
Another special feature of the prayer contained in this chapter is that it appeals to the inner instincts of man in a perfectly natural manner. There are two fundamental motives in human nature which prompt submission, viz. love and fear. Some people are touched by love, while others are moved by fear. The motive of love is certainly nobler but there may be, indeed there are, men to whom love makes no appeal. They will only submit through fear. In Al-Fatihah an appeal has been made to both of these human motives.
First come those attributes of God which inspire love, i.e. الرب (the Creator and Sustainer of the world), الرحمن (the Gracious) and الرحیم (the Merciful). Then in their wake, as it were, comes the attribute of مالك یوم الدین (Master of the Day of Judgement) which reminds man that if he does not mend his ways and does not respond to love, he should prepare to give an account of his deeds before God. Thus the motive of fear is brought into play side by side with that of love. But as God’s mercy far excels His anger, even the fourth attribute, i.e. that of مالك یوم الدین (Master of the Day of Judgement), which is the only fundamental attribute designed to evoke fear, has not been left without a reference to mercy. In fact, here too God’s mercy transcends His anger, for we are told that we are not appearing before a Judge but before a Master Who has the power to forgive and Who will punish only where punishment is absolutely necessary.
Similarly, at the end of the prayer, the motives of hope and fear have been brought into play. First God appeals through the motive of love by putting into the mouth of the supplicant the words: Guide us in the right path, the path of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy blessings; and then He follows it up with the words: Those who have not incurred Thy displeasure and those who have not gone astray. Thus both the motives of hope and fear have been brought into action. But here too the first appeal is to the motive of love.
In short, Al-Fatihah, the Opening Chapter of the Quran, is a wonderful storehouse of spiritual knowledge. It is a short chapter of seven brief verses, but it is a mine of knowledge and wisdom. Aptly called the "Mother of the Book," it is the very essence of the Quran.
Beginning with the name of Allah, the Fountainhead of all blessings, the chapter goes on to narrate the four fundamental attributes of God, i.e. (1) the Creator and Sustainer of the world; (2) the Gracious, Who provides for all the requirements of man even before he is born and without any effort on his part for them; (3) the Merciful, Who determines the best possible results of man’s labour, and Who rewards him most liberally; and (4) Master of the Day of Judgement, before Whom all will have to stand to give an account of their actions, Who will punish the wicked but will not treat His creatures as a mere Judge but as a Master, tempering justice with mercy and Who is eager to forgive whenever forgiveness is calculated to bring about good results. This is the portrait of the God of Islam given in the very beginning of the Quran––a God Whose power and dominion know no bounds and Whose mercy and beneficence have no limitations.
Then comes the declaration by man that, his God being the possessor of such lofty attributes, he is ready, nay eager, to worship Him and throw himself at His feet in complete submission; however, God knows that man is weak and liable to err, so He mercifully exhorts His servant to seek His help at every step in his onward march and for every need that may confront him.
Finally comes a prayer—comprehensive and far-reaching––a prayer in which man supplicates his Maker to lead him to the right path in all matters, spiritual or temporal, whether relating to his present or future needs. He prays to God that he may not only withstand all trials but, like the chosen ones of God, do so with credit and become the recipient of His most bounteous favours; that he may forever go on treading the right path, pressing on nearer and yet nearer to his Lord and Master without stumbling on the way, as did many of those who have gone before. This is the theme of the Opening Chapter of the Quran which is constantly repeated, in one form or another, in the main body of the Book which we are now approaching.
b
4:70; 5:21; 19:59.
c
2:62, 91; 3:113; 5:61, 79.
d
3:91; 5:78; 18:105.
14
一个真正的信者并不满足于仅仅被引上正道或做了某些正义的行动。他把自己的目标定得高得多并试图达到安拉开始赐与其仆人他的特别恩惠的境地。他希望获得安拉恩惠的选民的那些榜样并从他们那里得到鼓舞。他甚至不停留在这种地位, 而竭力争取并祈祷成为安拉 “所赐恩惠的那些人” 中的一员。那些安拉 “所帮助的人” 在4:70中已提及。这一经文是一般的并不求任何个别的恩惠。信者祈求安拉给他精神上以最高的恩惠, 但由安拉来决定授与他以安拉认为是适当的以及信者应得的恩惠。
15
اَلْفَاتِحَة 这一章在词句的安排上呈现出一种优美的顺序。它被分为两半。前半部分与安拉有关, 后半部分与人有关, 而且每一部分中不同文句以非凡的形式相互对应。相对于前半部分中代表拥有一切高贵的常德之主的名字安拉而言, 我们在后半部分中有 “我们只崇拜你” 这句话。信者一想及安拉是超脱一切缺点而拥有一切真善美的常德时, 自然地从他们心灵深处发出: “我们只崇拜你” 的呼声。相对于 “所有世界的养主” 这种常德而言, 后半部分中就有 “我们只向你求助” 这句话。当一个穆斯林知道, 安拉是所有世界的创造者, 立他者, 也是一切发展的泉源时, 他立即祈求安拉的保护, 他说: “我们只向你求助”。然后, 相对于 اَلرَّحْمٰن (无限博爱者) 这一常德, 即无数幸福的赐予者以及我们所有需要事物的慷慨提供者而言, 后半部分就有 “求你带领我们走上正道” 这句话; 因为提供给人的最大幸福是安拉通过他的使者用下降启示的方法向人提供的引导。相对于第一部分中 اَلرَّحِيْم (永久仁慈者), 即赐予人们各种行动以最高报酬之安拉所恩惠的仆人以各种应得的幸福的安拉就是 اَلرَّحِيْم (永久仁慈者)。再者, 相对于 “赏罚日的主” 而言, 我们说 “不是遭恼怒者的道, 也不是迷误者的道”。当人们思及表现向安拉交待他们的行为时, 他们害怕失败; 这样, 想到 “赏罚的主” 这一常德时, 他们开始向安拉祈祷从安拉的恼怒中解救出来以及从迷误者的路中解救出来。
这一祈祷文的另一特点是, 它非常自然地诉诸人们内在的天性。人类天性中引起服从的基本动机有两个, 热爱和惧怕。爱可以使有些人受到感动, 惧可以使另一些人受到感动。爱的动机当然更高尚, 但可能有人--------确实有人--------爱对他们没有感染力。他们只是为了畏惧而服从。在 «开端» 一章中, 对以上这两种人的动机都具有感染力。先是安拉的唤起爱的那些常德: “所有世界的创造主”与“立他者”、“无限博爱的主” 与 “永久仁慈的主”。然后, 像经文中那样, 随之而来的是 “赏罚日的主” 这一常德, 它提醒人们假如不迁善改过和不对爱作出反应, 他们就得准备在安拉的面前汇报他们的行为。这样, 爱的动机与惧怕的动机一起发挥作用。可是由于安拉的仁慈远远超过安拉的恼怒, 即使在这惟一能引起畏惧的基本常德中也还留有仁慈性。事实上, 这里安拉的仁慈也还是超过安拉的恼怒, 因为这一常德含蓄着: 我们不是在一个法官前面站着而是来到安拉的面前, 安拉有权宽恕, 安拉将在惩罚是绝对必需时才惩罚。
简言之, «开端章» 是一座奇妙的精神知识宝库。它是具有七节简明经文的一个短章, 但它却是一座真正的知识与智慧的宝库。它是 «古兰经» 真正的精华, 堪称 “«古兰经»之母”。以一切幸福的泉源--------安拉的名字开始, 这一章又叙述了安拉的四种基本常德: (1) 所有世界的创造主与立他者; (2) 无限博爱的主, 即使在人们出生以前而且并未为他们需要的事物出过力的情况下就提供人们他们所需的一切事物的主; (3) 永久仁慈的主, 决定给人们可能做到的最好劳动成果以最慷慨的酬报的主; 以及 (4) 赏罚日的主, 在他面前所有的人将得汇报他们的行为的主, 主将惩罚那些邪恶者但不是仅以一个法官的身份而是以一个恩威并施主宰的身份来对待那些人, 而且在认为宽恕会产生良好效果时, 他就热诚地给与宽恕。这就是 «古兰经» 在一开始就给伊斯兰教的安拉所描绘的写照--------一位有无限能力和主权的主与无限博爱与永久仁慈的主。然后是人的宣言: 他们的安拉是如此高贵常德的拥有者, 他们乐于甚至渴望崇拜安拉并且以无限恭敬的心情拜倒在安拉的脚下; 但安拉知道人是软弱而常犯错误的, 因此慈悲地告诫他的仆人在他前进的每一步以及每次他遇到困难时, 求安拉的帮助。最后是一段包罗丰富、意义深远的祈祷词。在这一祈祷祷词中人祈求创造主在精神或物质的以及与他们现在或将来的需要有关的一切事物中引他们走上正路。他们向主祈祷, 他们不仅会成功地经受所有考验而且像安拉的 “选民” 那样光荣地经受住考验并成为主的最丰富的恩惠领受者; 他们会像以前许多人做过的那样永远沿着正路一步步走下去, 不会走上迷路, 越走越向他们的造化和养育的主宰靠近。这就是 «古兰经» 的 «开端章» 的主题, 以各种形式在这本神圣经典中不断地重复出现。
1
صِرَاطَ الَّذِیْنَ اَنْعَمْتَ عَلَیْھِمْ۔ منعم علیہ گروہ کا رستہ مجھے دکھا یعنی رستہ چھوٹا بھی ہو اور تجھ تک پہنچنے کا رستہ ہو اور تجھ سے دور لے جانے والا رستہ نہ ہو۔
2
غَیْرِ الْمَغْضُوْبِ عَلَیْھِمْ وَ لَا الضَّآلِّیْنَ۔ اَنْعَمْتَ عَلَیْھِمْ کا بدل ہے۔ پس اس کے معنے یہ ہوئے کہ ان منعم علیہم لوگوں کا رستہ بتا جو مغضوب نہیں ہو گئے اور جو ضال نہیں بن گئے، منعم علیہم تو مغضوب اور ضال ہو اہی نہیں کرتے پھر اس دعا کے معنے کیا ہوئے؟ پس یاد رکھنا چاہیئے کہ جیسا کہ پچھلی آیات کے ترجمہ سے ظاہر ہے یہ دعا اجتماعی اور قومی دعا ہے اور ہر قوم ایک زمانہ تک منعم علیہ ہونے کے بعد مغضوب علیہم یا ضالّ یا دونوں بن جاتی ہے۔ پس اس دعا کا یہی مطلب ہے کہ ہماری ابتدا بھی منعم علیہ کی ہو اور ہماری انتہا بھی منعم علیہ کی ہو۔ ایسا نہ ہو کہ ہماری قوم آ
a
4:70; 5:21; 19:59.
b
2:62, 91; 3:113; 5:61, 79.
c
3:91; 5:78; 18:105.
7
Important Words:
انعمت (Thou hast bestowed blessings) is derived from نعم which means, he became well off. نعم عیشه means: his life became happy and full of comfort and ease. انعم فلانا or انعم علی فلان means: he made his life comfortable; he bestowed favour on him. نعمة means: favour, blessing; anything which affords happiness (Aqrab). The word انعام is used with reference to rational beings only. For instance, we would say انعم علی عبدہ i.e. he bestowed a favour on his slave or servant, and not انعم علی فرسه i.e. he bestowed a favour on his horse (Mufradat).
المغضوب (those who have incurred displeasure) is derived from غضب which means: he was angry, he showed anger. غضب علیه means: he was angry with him, he was wrathful against him, his anger and wrath being combined with the intention of punishing or retaliating (Aqrab & Mufradat).
الضالین (those gone astray) is derived from ضل which means: he went astray, he lost his way, he deviated from the right path. ضل سعیه means: his effort was lost, being unsuccessful. ضل الرجل means: the man perished and his body became converted into dust (Aqrab). The word ضلالة is also used to indicate the state of being engrossed or lost in some effort or pursuit. Says the Quran:
الذین ضل سعیھم فی الحیوة الدنیا
i.e. those whose labour is all lost in search after things pertaining to the life of this world (18:105).
Again: ووجدک ضالا فھدی i.e. and He (God) found thee engrossed in search (after Him), so He showed thee the way (93:8).
Commentary:
In the last verse, God taught us to pray for guidance to the right path. In the present verse the idea has been further advanced by adding the words, the path of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy blessings. This has been done with a twofold purpose:
1. That a true believer should not be satisfied with only being guided to the right path or with performing certain acts of righteousness. He should set his goal higher, and try to attain to a position in which God begins to bestow His special favours on His servants. He should not merely pass the test but excel in it.
2. That a true believer should look up to the historical examples of divine favours and receive en-couragement from them. But he is not to stop at that particular point. He should try to join the favoured company and become one of them. And as the topmost in a class is still one of the class, the goal set before a believer is very high indeed.
For a description of الذین انعمت علیھم i.e. the favoured ones, we read elsewhere in the Quran: فاولئك مع الذین انعم اللّٰه علیھم من النبیین والصدیقین والشھداء والصالحین i.e. those who believe in God and follow the Prophet are among the favoured ones—the Prophets, the truthful, the martyrs and the righteous (4:70).
Here the favoured ones have been divided into four classes, the topmost being the Prophets and the lowermost the righteous. Thus a Muslim has been enjoined to pray to God for the bestowal of such spiritual favours upon him as may enable him to belong to one of these favoured classes. Even the highest favours, pertaining to prophethood are not denied to Muslims. This indeed is a lofty goal!
The point needs further elaboration. The verse, as hinted above, beautifully points out that a Muslim should not only desire mere virtue but should aim at inclusion in the class of men who have won the special favours of God. One who loves God does not remain content with an inferior state. Love of the Supreme Being engenders in the heart of man such a burning aspiration that he is not satisfied with an ordinary stage of progress. Indeed, one who understands God cannot look upon any stage of progress as final. Not only is the desire for unending progress found in the heart of the true believer, but God Himself wishes man not to remain content with a low stage, but to pray for ever-increasing righteousness; the righteousness of those who have won special prizes.
As already pointed out, the word انعام (favour) is not confined to any particular gift but includes everything which is given to a person as a token of pleasure, be it worldly or spiritual.
Again, though every favour is a divine blessing, it cannot be denied that there are certain favours which particularly deserve to be so called, for they rank among the topmost favours. The Quran says, And remember when Moses said to his people, O my people, call to mind Allah’s favour upon you when He appointed Prophets among you and made you kings and gave you what He gave not to any other among the peoples (5:21). This verse pointedly refers to the things which can be held to be special favours for man; and the Israelites are told that they have been given a goodly portion of all these favours.
Human excellences are of three kinds: (1) worldly and personal, (2) spiritual and personal, and (3) worldly or spiritual excellences in relation to others, i.e. excellences that are of a relative nature and pertain to the superiority of an individual or a people relative to others. A man naturally likes to attain this last kind of excellence also, which confers upon him a superiority over his rivals and compatriots. In the verse quoted above (i.e. 5:21) Moses ascribes all these three kinds of favours to the Israelites:
(1) They received worldly favours, so much so that they remained rulers of a land for a long time. All worldly excellences require kingship or government administration for their right growth and development, and a people who become rulers get this important means of development, irrespective of whether they benefit by it or not. The very fact that kingship is granted to a people means that all avenues of worldly progress are thrown open and made secure for them.
(2) They also received high spiritual favours. Just as kingship is a means of attaining worldly greatness and constitutes its culminating point, prophethood is the means of attaining spiritual greatness and constitutes the culminating point of spiritual progress. This is why Moses tells his people that prophethood, the greatest spiritual favour, has also been conferred upon them. Indeed they were granted this favour through a long series of Prophets.
(3) The third class of favours being relative, Moses most fittingly tells his people that God gave you what He had not given to any other among the peoples. In the above expression, though the idea is that of Moses, the words are Quranic and, as usual, the Quran has combined brevity of words with vastness of meaning in a manner which cannot fail to impress a thoughtful person.
The words: the path of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy blessings, coming after the words: Guide us in the right path, greatly enhance the significance of the former. The words indicate that the objective of a Muslim is not to merely pray that God show him the right way. They direct him to pray for loftier objects and to implore God that He may not only show him the ways of guidance but that He may lead him to those special paths of spiritual knowledge which had been revealed to the favoured ones before him. By raising such high aspirations in the minds of the believers, God has indeed conferred a great boon on Muslims.
Although in the presence of this clear and plain teaching it is not necessary to give any further evidence to show that the doors to every kind of progress have been thrown open to the believers, yet, as the latter-day Muslims have generally given way to despair, it is necessary to turn to the Quran to see what it means by prayer for the grant of favours, and whether it holds out any promise of the acceptance of this prayer. As partly quoted above, we read in 4:67-70: And if they had done what they are exhorted to do, it would surely have been better for them, and conducive to greater strength, and then We would have surely given them a great reward from Ourself, and We would have surely guided them in the right path. And whoso obeys Allah and this Messenger (of His), shall be among those on whom Allah has bestowed His blessings, namely, the Prophets, the truthful, the martyrs, and the righteous, and excellent companions are these.
The above-quoted verse clearly speaks of the favours that are in store for the true Muslims and uses the very words which occur in the verse under comment, viz. the path of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy blessings. As already noted, the recipients of blessings have been explained to mean the Prophets, the truthful, the martyrs and the righteous. This shows that the divine gifts which Muslims are asked to pray for embody the highest stages of spiritual progress, and the Quran informs us that all these stages are attainable, and indeed will be attained, by Muslims.
The objection is sometimes raised that while prophethood is a موھبة i.e. a free gift and not a کسب i.e. something to be earned, it is meaningless to offer any prayer for its attainment. The answer to this objection is that a Muslim does not pray particularly for the gift of prophethood. He only prays in a general way and implores God to bestow the highest spiritual favours on Muslims, and it rests with God to confer His favours on whomsoever He pleases. The Quran says, Allah knows best where to place His message (6:125), i.e. He alone knows whom to make His Messenger. This is why God has taught this prayer in the plural number, saying Guide us, and not "Guide me"—to point out that prayer for such spiritual blessings should be general and not particular. Moreover, though it is true that prophethood is a free gift, yet it is not wholly so, for there is undoubtedly some element of "earning" in it, otherwise why was this gift conferred on Muhammad (on whom be peace) and not on Abu Jahl?
Another objection in this connection is that when the Holy Prophet has been declared to be خاتم النبیین (Seal of Prophets), there is no possibility of any Prophet appearing after him. This objection has also been clearly answered in the verses quoted above (4:67-70); for there the words used are whoso obeys Allah and this Messenger (of His) which definitely means that the spiritual boons, including that of prophethood, promised to Muslims will be given only to such as will obey God and His Messenger—the Holy Prophet; and it is evident that the work of one who is subordinate to the Prophet cannot be considered as separate from the work of the Prophet, nor can such a one bring a new Law. Hence the appearance of a Prophet from among the followers of the Holy Prophet is not inconsistent with the latter’s being the Seal of Prophets. On the contrary, such a Prophet will only complete the significance of خاتم النبیین. But of this we will speak later at its proper place. In short, the verse clearly tells us that the door of the highest spiritual blessings—even that of prophethood—is open to Muslims.
It should, however, be noted that "a favour" or "a blessing" spoken of in the verse is not to be understood in the spiritual sense only. It covers the entire field of human activity, and in its wider significance, the prayer includes the seeking of what may be called earthly eminence. Knowledge, honour, power, wealth are all among the favours of God and a true believer may pray for the attainment of these along with the spiritual blessings.
The latter portion of the verse contains a dreadful warning. Man receives favours from God and then begins to abuse them. Or he loses the right path, encounters a fall, and becomes rejected by God. It is to guard against this danger that the latter portion of the verse contains a warning for mankind in general and for Muslims in particular. God enjoins us to pray that after becoming His favoured ones, we should not incur His displeasure nor stray from the right path, so that our progress, be it spiritual or temporal, may be continuous with no falling back.
The words المغضوب علیھم and الضالین have been used to denote two kinds of dangers. One is that one should outwardly stick to the right path but lose the inner spirit, retaining the shell without the kernel. The other is that one should lose the path itself and wander away into the wilderness. It is to these two kinds of dangers that the words المغضوب علیھم and الضالین refer. The Holy Prophet said:
إن المغضوب علیھم الیھود والضالین ھم النصاری i.e. by المغضوب علیھم are meant Jews, and by الضالین Christians (Tirmidhi & Musnad). These words of the Prophet are full of meaning. Not only do they describe the nature of the two dangers but also warn Muslims that if they are not watchful, they may fall a prey to them. They may either lose the spirit of faith just as the Jews did, who stuck to the letter of the Law but lost its spirit; or they may lose the path itself just as the Christians did, who strayed from the true teachings of Jesus and began to tread a different path altogether. The Quran speaks of the wrath of God falling on the Jews time after time (2:62; 2:91; 3:113; 5:61). It also refers to the drifting away of the Christians from the real teaching of Jesus (5:78).
The words المغضوب علیھم and الضالین also refer to another set of dangers. As is well known, the Holy Prophet had prophesied the second coming of Jesus Christ which meant the coming of a Reformer and a Messiah among Muslims in the spirit and power of Jesus. By using the words المغضوب علیھم, which the Holy Prophet said refer-red to the Jews, the Quran warns Muslims against meeting the fate of the Jews by rejecting the Promised Messiah when he appears among them. This prophecy of the second advent of Jesus has been fulfilled in the person of Hadrat Mirza Ghulam Ahmad of Qadian, the Holy Founder of the Ahmadiyya Movement.
The other danger is alluded to in الضالین which, according to the Holy Prophet, refers to Christians. The verse foretells a time when Christian nations would dominate the world, and it warns Muslims to be on their guard against the false beliefs and evil culture of these nations. A most dreadful warning, but most deplorably neglected!
This, the last verse of Al-Fatihah, embodies yet another great prophecy. As we have seen, this chapter was revealed early in Mecca when the Holy Prophet was surrounded by idolaters and Islam had not yet come in contact with either Jews or Christians. Yet the prayer in this verse refers to the danger of Jews and Christians and not to the danger of idolatry. This unexpected omission in the case of idol-worshippers and this unexpected reference to the People of the Book is not without significance. Idol-worship was to be swept out of Arabia and was no longer to be a danger to Islam, but dangers far more formidable were to confront it in the Latter Days—the internal danger of Muslims becoming like Jews, and the external danger of their becoming like Christians. The prophecy in this verse therefore has a threefold significance: (1) it refers to the early extinction of idolatry from Arabia; (2) it speaks of the danger of Muslims drifting into a state like that of Jews, and (3) it alludes to the universal ascendance of Christian nations in the Latter Days, and warns Muslims against adopting their faith and imbibing their culture. All these prophecies have been literally fulfilled.
The Holy Prophet says that when a Muslim comes to the end of the prayer contained in Al-Fatihah, he should say آمین (Amen), i.e. ‘Accept our prayer, o Lord!’ It is therefore customary with Muslims to say 'Amen' after reciting Al-Fatihah.
A General Note on the Chapter Al-Fatihah
Al-Fatihah, the opening Surah of the Quran, reveals a beautiful order in the arrangement of its words and sentences. It is divided, as the Holy Prophet has said, into two halves. The first half pertains to God, the second to man, and the different parts of each portion correspond to one another in a most remarkable manner. Corresponding to the name اللّٰه (Allah), which stands for the Being possessing all noble attributes, in the first half, we have the words, Thee alone do we worship. In the second half, as soon as the devotee thinks of God as being free from all defects and possessing all perfect attributes, the cry of Thee alone do we worship spontaneously rises from the depths of his heart.
Again, corresponding to the attribute رب العالمین (Lord of all the worlds) in the first part, we have the words Thee alone do we implore for help in the second part. When a Muslim knows God to be the Lord, i.e. the Creator and Sustainer of the worlds and the Source of all development, he at once takes shelter in Him, saying: Thee alone do we implore for help.
Again, corresponding to the attribute الرحمن (the Gracious, i.e. the Giver of innumerable blessings, and the Liberal Provider of our needs) in the first part, we have the words Guide us in the right path in the second; for the greatest of the blessings provided for man is guidance which God provides for him by sending revelation through His Messengers.
Again, corresponding to the attribute الرحیم (the Merciful, i.e. the Giver of the best rewards for man’s works) in the first part, we have the words The path of those on whom Thou had bestowed Thy blessings in the second, for it is Ar-Rahim Who bestows merited blessings on His favoured servants.
Yet again, corresponding to مالك یوم الدین (Master of the Day of Judgement) in the first half, we have the concluding part of the last verse in the second, viz. those who have not incurred Thy displeasure, and those who have not gone astray. When man thinks of giving an account of his deeds, he dreads failure; so, pondering over the attribute of Master of the Day of Judgement, he begins to pray to God to be saved from His displeasure and from straying from the right path.
Another special feature of the prayer contained in this chapter is that it appeals to the inner instincts of man in a perfectly natural manner. There are two fundamental motives in human nature which prompt submission, viz. love and fear. Some people are touched by love, while others are moved by fear. The motive of love is certainly nobler but there may be, indeed there are, men to whom love makes no appeal. They will only submit through fear. In Al-Fatihah an appeal has been made to both of these human motives.
First come those attributes of God which inspire love, i.e. الرب (the Creator and Sustainer of the world), الرحمن (the Gracious) and الرحیم (the Merciful). Then in their wake, as it were, comes the attribute of مالك یوم الدین (Master of the Day of Judgement) which reminds man that if he does not mend his ways and does not respond to love, he should prepare to give an account of his deeds before God. Thus the motive of fear is brought into play side by side with that of love. But as God’s mercy far excels His anger, even the fourth attribute, i.e. that of مالك یوم الدین (Master of the Day of Judgement), which is the only fundamental attribute designed to evoke fear, has not been left without a reference to mercy. In fact, here too God’s mercy transcends His anger, for we are told that we are not appearing before a Judge but before a Master Who has the power to forgive and Who will punish only where punishment is absolutely necessary.
Similarly, at the end of the prayer, the motives of hope and fear have been brought into play. First God appeals through the motive of love by putting into the mouth of the supplicant the words: Guide us in the right path, the path of those on whom Thou hast bestowed Thy blessings; and then He follows it up with the words: Those who have not incurred Thy displeasure and those who have not gone astray. Thus both the motives of hope and fear have been brought into action. But here too the first appeal is to the motive of love.
In short, Al-Fatihah, the Opening Chapter of the Quran, is a wonderful storehouse of spiritual knowledge. It is a short chapter of seven brief verses, but it is a mine of knowledge and wisdom. Aptly called the "Mother of the Book," it is the very essence of the Quran.
Beginning with the name of Allah, the Fountainhead of all blessings, the chapter goes on to narrate the four fundamental attributes of God, i.e. (1) the Creator and Sustainer of the world; (2) the Gracious, Who provides for all the requirements of man even before he is born and without any effort on his part for them; (3) the Merciful, Who determines the best possible results of man’s labour, and Who rewards him most liberally; and (4) Master of the Day of Judgement, before Whom all will have to stand to give an account of their actions, Who will punish the wicked but will not treat His creatures as a mere Judge but as a Master, tempering justice with mercy and Who is eager to forgive whenever forgiveness is calculated to bring about good results. This is the portrait of the God of Islam given in the very beginning of the Quran––a God Whose power and dominion know no bounds and Whose mercy and beneficence have no limitations.
Then comes the declaration by man that, his God being the possessor of such lofty attributes, he is ready, nay eager, to worship Him and throw himself at His feet in complete submission; however, God knows that man is weak and liable to err, so He mercifully exhorts His servant to seek His help at every step in his onward march and for every need that may confront him.
Finally comes a prayer—comprehensive and far-reaching––a prayer in which man supplicates his Maker to lead him to the right path in all matters, spiritual or temporal, whether relating to his present or future needs. He prays to God that he may not only withstand all trials but, like the chosen ones of God, do so with credit and become the recipient of His most bounteous favours; that he may forever go on treading the right path, pressing on nearer and yet nearer to his Lord and Master without stumbling on the way, as did many of those who have gone before. This is the theme of the Opening Chapter of the Quran which is constantly repeated, in one form or another, in the main body of the Book which we are now approaching.
a
3:91; 5:78; 18:105.
b
4:70; 5:21; 19:59.
c
2:62, 91; 3:113; 5:61, 79.
14
A true believer is not satisfied with only being guided to the right path or with doing certain acts of righteousness. He sets his goal much higher and tries to attain a position in which God begins to bestow His special favours upon His servants. He looks up to the examples of Divine favours bestowed upon God’s Elect and receives encouragement from them. He does not stop even there, but strives hard and prays to be included among God’s "Favoured Ones" and to become one of them. These "Favoured Ones" have been mentioned in (4:70). The prayer is general and not for any particular favour. The believer implores God to bestow the highest spiritual favour upon him and it rests with God to confer upon him the favour which He deems fit and which the believer deserves.
15
Suratul-Fatihah reveals a beautiful order in the arrangement of its words and sentences. It is divided into two halves. The first half pertains to God, the second to man, and the different parts of each portion correspond to one another in a remarkable manner. Corresponding to the name "Allah" which stands for the Being possessing all noble attributes in the first half, we have the words, Thee alone do we worship, in the second half. As soon as the devotee thinks of God as being free from all defects and possessing all perfect attributes, the cry, Thee alone do we worship, spontaneously rises from the depths of his heart. And corresponding to the attribute "Lord of all the worlds" are the words, Thee alone do we implore for help, in the second part. When a Muslim knows God to be the Creator and Sustainer of all the worlds and the Source of all development, he at once takes shelter in Him, saying, Thee alone do we implore for help. Then, corresponding to the attribu
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).
إِذْ أَوَى ٱلْفِتْيَةُ إِلَى ٱلْكَهْفِ فَقَالُوا۟ رَبَّنَآ ءَاتِنَا مِن لَّدُنكَ رَحْمَةً وَهَيِّئْ لَنَا مِنْ أَمْرِنَا رَشَدًا
Important Words:
رشدا (right guidance). رشد (rashadun) is the noun-infinitive from رشد (rashida) as رشد (rushdun) is the noun-infinitive from رشد (rashada). رشد او رشد means, he took or followed a right way or course or direction. They say رشد امرہ (rashida) i.e. he took or followed a right course in his affair. بلغ رشدہ (rushda-hu) means, he attained years of discretion, when he was able to take or follow a right course. Some say that رشد (rushdun) relates to the things of the present life and to those of the life to come; and رشد (rashadun) only to those of the life to come but this distinction does not accord with Arabic idiom. (Lane, Aqrab & Mufradat).
Commentary:
The verse means to say that the Dwellers of the Cave prayed to God for His Mercy and deliverance from the difficult situation in which they found themselves.
2051
Important Words:
رشدا (right guidance). رشد (rashadun) is the noun-infinitive from رشد (rashida) as رشد (rushdun) is the noun-infinitive from رشد (rashada). رشد او رشد means, he took or followed a right way or course or direction. They say رشد امرہ (rashida) i.e. he took or followed a right course in his affair. بلغ رشدہ (rushda-hu) means, he attained years of discretion, when he was able to take or follow a right course. Some say that رشد (rushdun) relates to the things of the present life and to those of the life to come; and رشد (rashadun) only to those of the life to come but this distinction does not accord with Arabic idiom. (Lane, Aqrab & Mufradat).
Commentary:
The verse means to say that the Dwellers of the Cave prayed to God for His Mercy and deliverance from the difficult situation in which they found themselves.