وَهَدَيْنَـٰهُ ٱلنَّجْدَيْنِ 10
Translations
And have shown him the two ways?
Transliteration
wa-hadaynāhu an-najdayn
Tafsir (Explanation)
Allah has guided mankind to two paths: the path of good and the path of evil. This ayah emphasizes divine guidance being made clear to every human being, granting them the capacity and knowledge to distinguish between right and wrong. Classical scholars like Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari interpret 'an-najdayn' (the two paths) as referring to guidance toward righteousness and the ability to recognize wickedness, making humans responsible for their choices.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah Al-Balad, a Meccan surah that emphasizes human dignity, moral responsibility, and divine mercy. The context preceding this ayah discusses Allah's creation of mankind in the best form, and this verse reinforces that despite being created with honor, humans are given clear guidance and free will to choose their direction.
Related Hadiths
The Prophet (ﷺ) said: 'Every child is born on the fitrah (natural disposition), but his parents make him Jewish, Christian, or Zoroastrian' (Sahih Bukhari 1385). This relates to the theme of guidance and human capacity to recognize truth, though the child's natural inclination is toward monotheism.
Themes
Key Lesson
This ayah reminds us that Allah has equipped every human with the ability to recognize right from wrong; therefore, we are accountable for our choices. Our responsibility is to sincerely seek guidance and make conscious efforts to follow the path of righteousness, knowing that the distinction between good and evil has been made clear to us.