وَعَلَى ٱللَّهِ قَصْدُ ٱلسَّبِيلِ وَمِنْهَا جَآئِرٌ ۚ وَلَوْ شَآءَ لَهَدَىٰكُمْ أَجْمَعِينَ 9
Translations
And upon Allāh is the direction of the [right] way, and among them [i.e., the various paths] are those deviating. And if He willed, He could have guided you all.
Transliteration
Wa 'alallahi qasdu as-sabili wa minha ja'irun wa law sha'a lahadakum ajma'een
Tafsir (Explanation)
This ayah establishes that guidance toward the straight path (as-sirat al-mustaqim) rests with Allah alone, while some paths deviate from truth. The scholars, including Ibn Kathir and Al-Tabari, explain that Allah has made the right path clear, but humans possess free will to choose deviation. The concluding phrase emphasizes Allah's absolute power—if He willed, He could compel all of humanity to guidance, but He has granted humans choice as a test of their faith and obedience.
Revelation Context
This ayah appears in Surah An-Nahl, a Meccan surah addressing the polytheists of Mecca. It responds to those who denied the clarity of Allah's message and rejected guidance despite its availability. The context involves refuting arguments that deny personal responsibility for accepting or rejecting faith.
Related Hadiths
The hadith of Mu'adh ibn Jabal (Sunan At-Tirmidhi) where the Prophet ﷺ said, 'Shall I not inform you of the head of the matter and its pillar and its peak?' referring to Islam, the Sunnah, and Jihad. Also relevant is the hadith in Sahih Bukhari about Allah not forcing anyone into Paradise, emphasizing that guidance requires human acceptance of free will.
Themes
Key Lesson
While Allah has made the path to truth abundantly clear, we bear responsibility for our choices through the free will He has granted us. This ayah teaches that guidance is always available, but genuine faith requires conscious acceptance and effort from the individual.
Related Ayahs
مَن يَهْدِ ٱللَّهُ فَهُوَ ٱلْمُهْتَدِى ۖ وَمَن يُضْلِلْ فَأُو۟لَـٰٓئِكَ هُمُ ٱلْخَـٰسِرُونَ
Whoever Allāh guides - he is the [rightly] guided; and whoever He sends astray - it is those who are the losers.
وَٱللَّهُ يَدْعُوٓا۟ إِلَىٰ دَارِ ٱلسَّلَـٰمِ وَيَهْدِى مَن يَشَآءُ إِلَىٰ صِرَٰطٍ مُّسْتَقِيمٍ
And Allāh invites to the Home of Peace [i.e., Paradise] and guides whom He wills to a straight path.
ٱلَّذِى خَلَقَنِى فَهُوَ يَهْدِينِ
Who created me, and He [it is who] guides me.
قَالَ رَبُّنَا ٱلَّذِىٓ أَعْطَىٰ كُلَّ شَىْءٍ خَلْقَهُۥ ثُمَّ هَدَىٰ
He said, "Our Lord is He who gave each thing its form and then guided [it]."